Contents:
- First of all, what is beer?
- What are the benefits of beer in hair care?
- What else can beer do for your body?
- Recipe 1 for a simple beer rinse
- Recipe 2 for a jojoba oil and beer rinse
I won’t keep you guessing what the magic ingredient is. It’s beer. Yes, literal beer!
Now that you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor, I will have you know that beer rinses are nothing new. I heard about them when I was a child and even remember my mother using them. They have always been a staple in hair care as far as I can remember and I know before DIY got super big, it was known as a common addition to many women’s hair care routines.
As products, technology and techniques changed through the years, many tried and true practices got lost in the shuffle and were forgotten. Well, maybe it is time we dusted off a few of them so that we can decide if they are worth a revisit.
First of all, what is beer?
Many enjoy a cold brewski from time to time and I think it’s fair to say that most of us have at least tasted it at one point or another. Personally I’m not a fan, to me it’s just as gross today as it was over 40 years ago when I took a sip from my daddy’s Budweiser.
I can still see him laughing at me as I scrunched up my face from the taste. I have no love for beer but I have a love for beautiful hair and believe it or not, beer is part of that equation.
In the broadest sense, beer is any alcoholic beverage made by the fermentation of grain and in the vast majority of the world’s beer, that grain base is barley.
This alcoholic drink is brewed mainly from malted barley, hops, yeast and water but there are other ingredients that can be added to give different styles and flavors namely, rice, wheat or maize.
What are the benefits of beer in hair care?
Believe it or not but there are actual benefits to the consumption of beer. Beer consists of vitamin B and proteins that are fab at conditioning our tresses. It also has maltose and sucrose sugars that help to swell and tighten the cuticle which adds body as well as shine.
The hops in beer also contain oils rich in antioxidants but don’t get it twisted. Beer does not and will not help your hair grow and actually just works on the existing hairs that you have.
Worried about the alcohol in beer drying your hair out? Well, it depends on the individual, for some it does dry hair but for others it acts as a cleansing agent that increases shine. The only way to know for sure is to actually give it a try.
What else can beer do for your body?
Well, a lot actually. Now, there is a fine line between the sloppy, falling down drunks who consume copious amounts of beer and the occasional, or social beer drinkers, so please keep that in mind. Having said that, here are some of the benefits of beer.
1. Beer drinkers are at a lower risk of Type-2 diabetes, multiple studies have shown this to be true.
2. Beer can reduce the risk of heart disease.
3. Moderate beer consumption is good for bone density and this is one of the reasons why it is also amazing for our hair. A study published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Society of Chemical Industry suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon which is a trace mineral.
Silica* or silicon is essential for the health of our skin and scalp and it helps to strengthen your blood vessels and improve circulation which can stimulate the blood flow to your scalp and encourage hair growth. It is also a necessary factor in our skin’s connective tissues and helps to maintain stronger hair, nails and bones.
4. The yeast in beer is also an excellent source of Vitamin B, protein, potassium*, iron, magnesium* and zinc.
5. It has a low pH level so it may help tighten your hair follicles while removing dirt and grease from your hair and scalp.
6. The froth in beer is great for fighting acne, the yeast helps to slow down sebum production and decreases the occurrence of acne. This makes it a good ingredient in a facial mask.
Are you sold yet? Good, because I am too.
So how do you actually use beer in your hair? I’m glad you asked! Here are a couple of easy recipes for beer infusions that you can add into your hair care routine.
Recipe 1 for a simple beer rinse
You will need:
1 ounce distilled water
1 ounce room temperature beer
2 teaspoons Apple cider vinegar*
7 drops of your favorite essential oil – lavender is a good one to use here
Combine all the ingredients in a container.
Cleanse your hair and rinse. Pour the beer mixture over your hair and work through with your fingers. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly with lukewarm water. Style as usual.
Recipe 2 for a jojoba oil and beer rinse
For this you will need:
I cup. room temperature beer
1 tsp. of Jojoba* oil
Combine the ingredients in a container.
Cleanse your hair and rinse. Work the mixture into your hair and leave on for a few minutes before rinsing out thoroughly. Style as usual. The jojoba oil* will add shine while the beer adds body.
If you are a fan of beer and can’t bring yourself to use one for you hair, wait until the next time you find yourself left with some flat beer. Instead of throwing it away, save it to try one of the recipes aforementioned. You can also just use the beer on its own as a rinse in the shower.
Some have even added beer to a spray bottle and use as a leave-in conditioner* but unless you wanna smell like a brewery, I’d say pass on that idea and opt for the shower rinses instead.
I’m not don’t this with my beer.
Won’t this make your hair smell like beer?
isn’t that every mans dream though? 😛
Once rinsed out it should go away.
Okay thanks will try
Lol Jamila
This does work
What has been your results/experience with it? Just curious.
100% healthy and luxuriously shiny i havent greased my scalp in years no hair sprays no extra conditioning
Women have been doing this forever. I truly feel it works.
I learned of this 10 yrs ago from an 80 yr old woman
Do i do it with every wash ?
I by habit do it 2x sometimes 3x monthly
Hello! Do you do this last? If so, that do you do next?
Tru story… my mom has been doin this to my hair since i was a little girl
Does it leave a beer scent?
It is an old treatment just gaining ground again
Kenni Green what say you? trying or nah?
It’s amazing how people will pur this INSIDE their bodies but cringe when think about putting it in their hair. Isn’t the INSIDE of your body MORE delicate than your hair??? BTW, beers are made from barley, grains and wheat..ingredients that you consume everyday! :/ :/ :/
Excellent point.
Yes it is btw I like an ice cold beer and now and again ☺️
I totally agree. I can’t stand the taste but I will try it on my hair. My husband has his Budweisers in the refrigerator, some of them just might go missing.
I totally agree. I can’t stand the taste but I will try it on my hair. My husband has his Budweisers in the refrigerator, some of them just might go missing.
Lol 🙂 🙂
You forgot the main ingredient the yeast. The yeast is whats making this whole ideal of putting beer on the hair very nasty.
Yeast is one ingredient that fungus and mold live on. The scalp doesn’t need this because the yeast would create dandruff on the scalp which is a fungus and that’s gross….
Claudine Woods, but I guess the body needs all that yeast from all those beers people drink everyday?
I had a friend from Russia and when they couldn’t find hairspray, her mom used beer on her roller sets.
I would think the alcohol would be drying but I’ve never done it so I don’t know. Maybe a non-alcoholic beer?
I have seen someone using a non-alcoholic beer for their rinse but using it every now and again shouldn’t be drying.
Good to know!!!
That’s a waste of beer!!
The apple cider vinegar work best
I have heard great things abut ACV
Oh yes, it’s great! Hi Sabrina, most people use it as a rinse to get rid of all the imperatives or conditioner build up on the hair as well as for added shine and luster. After washing the hair use about one fourth cup of vinegar mixed with water and rinse again with plain water…then use your favorite deep conditioner or conditioner. I hope it works for you, enjoy!
Oh yea acv is great… it help my scalp itchiness lol.
Won’t it smell lol my hair gonna be an alcoholic lol!
Well, I love beer
Christine Marie Webster you don’t keep it in u wash it out duhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Oh ok my bad lol!!!
Christine Marie Webster smdh
I heard if stale beer rinse ….. But I’ll stick to Apple cider vinegar
Not if you rinse it out well or use a conditioner after.
Ooh, yeah beer…forgot about this one!
Took it back to the old school luck mayo and eggs as conditioner! A lot of people won’t try this because they caught up being a brained washed consumer! But hey we are are or was in some sort!
Yep old trick never done it but people I know have and it works
Ermine Gardener Chantelle Douglas Che Henderson whaaaaaaaaat?!
Us AFRO~LATIN women been doing this for years!!!
Old school!
Your suppose drink beer while you breast feed as well
What is ACV? Also, is there a specific brand on what type of beer to use?
I use brags ACV organic with the mother 1/4 cup ACV mixed with water as a rinse. It works miracles, my hair is healthy and shiny. It also stops my itchy scalp. The mother is the pulp floating in the mixture of the bottle. This vingar is dark brown and the pulp makes it look muddy. I drink some of this for weight loss as well. Has a lot of health benefits.
Sonya Davis-Russell, I was telling Saadia Russell about this today.
Budweiser contains GMO Wheat
Somebody’s awake!
Madness!!
That tell u what it does in your stomach when u drink it..
Really !!!