How Can I Use Vodka For My Hair?

Vodka For Your Hair - Does it Really Work?

You may have heard or read that vodka applied to hair can work wonders, from eliminating dandruff to promoting hair growth and other dazzling results. We tried to tease out the home-grown myths from the hard-core facts and here’s what we learned.

What Are The Most Popular Uses of Vodka In Hair?

The internet abounds with claims that vodka helps clarify the hair by eliminating product build-up and sebum accumulation on the scalp around hair follicles. This in turn, can lead to inflammation, which inhibits hair growth and causes dandruff.  

There are also claims that a vodka rinse can smooth the hair cuticle resulting in shinier hair by virtue of its neutral pH. And if moisture is what you’re seeking to tame your tresses, you’ll find plenty of beauty blogger DIY concoctions made with vodka and other pantry staples.

Can Vodka Damage Your Hair? 

The fact is, vodka, by any brand name, is 40% alcohol. That alcohol is ethanol to be exact. So the question is, is ethanol good for hair? The answer appears to be ‘no’. Ethanol is a short-chain alcohol that can be drying, stripping hair of its beneficial nutrients and leading to rough, brittle, frizzy hair.

Why Do Some Shampoos and Conditioners Contain Alcohol If it’s Bad for Your Hair? 

There are many kinds of alcohol. The ones most used in hair-care products are long-chain fatty or emulsifying alcohols, not short-chain alcohols like ethanol. These long-chain alcohols have smoothing and moisturizing properties, which hydrate and detangle hair. Kinds of alcohol you’ll typically see on a hair-care product label are:  lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol.

Can Vodka Help With Dandruff? 

A vodka rinse may help get rid of product build-up on the scalp but it’s worth exploring products specifically formulated for this purpose.

Can Vodka Help Make Hair Shiny? 

There is no direct evidence that the chemical nature of vodka would make hair shinier in the long run.

Can Vodka Increase Hair Growth? 

There is no direct evidence that the chemical nature of vodka would increase hair growth.

Is Vodka a Good Moisturizer for Hair? 

There is no direct evidence that the chemical nature