We’ve been talking a lot about inexpensive home remedies, and we will be talking about more in the very near future. This one is no different. If you are a frugal person who also happens to like trying new things when it comes to natural health and beauty, then this will definitely interest you.

With inflation concerns, frugality may be top of mind for many of us. Often times there is no need for expensive interventions or salon priced treatments when you can replicate the results you get at home, at least to some measure. Definitely feels a whole lot better on your wallet, and frees up capital for other important things.

Which brings us to one of the longest running, gold standard beauty remedies. The good old fashioned beer rinse. This one has been around since I started caring about my appearance, and was probably around for decades before that too. Related: Apple Cider Vinegar for Super Shiny Hair and Healthy Scalp

I tried the "beer hair mask" a couple times before and it did seem to make a difference, however it’s a bit “messy” considering the smell and you of course have to have a spare bottle or can of beer laying around to make this economical. Let's talk about why beer may have some pretty serious haircare benefits, and how it may help those concerned with hair growth or hair thinning. And why it may have some great hair-conditioning benefits (although you will still need a de-tangler afterwards!)

An Old Staple – Rinsing Hair with Beer

I’m not a huge fan of beer. At least not any more. My college days of beer drinking are pretty far behind me except the occasional glass here and there. However, there may really be something to the old hair-refreshing remedy of rinsing your hair with beer. It makes sense that beer would have properties that lend to healthy, shiny hair when you think of the ingredients.

One of the biggest reasons beer has a quenching, shining and rejuvenating effect on the hair is one of the main ingredients that gives it flavor – the hops. Hops, and the malt portion of beer as well, are actually rich in hair-friendly proteins that help coat the hair and infuse it with both strength and body.

My experience in using a beer rinse is that it seemed to actually make my hair feel thicker afterwards. This may be attributed mainly to those two ingredients. Much like we’ve talked about with coconut oil being a protein builder for hair, hops and malt can also help fortify they hair with protein, helping to “fill in” the blanks that are in each hair strand where there is a protein deficiency. This can help increase your hair's body and volume if you're concerned about thinning.

Natural Sugars for Sealing in Shine and Sealing Out Humidity

There are also natural sugars in beer. Why would natural sugars have any benefit to the appearance of your hair? Well, certain types of sugars actually help to make the hair shiny by sealing the cuticle and helping to keep frizz at bay by sealing out humidity and moisture. This can really add to the protein replenishment effect by increasing volume while simultaneously suppressing frizz.

Beer rinses are super simple. There are multiple methods, but as long as you let the beer sit in your hair for roughly 3-5 minutes or as long as you can stand it, then you will get the benefits as intended. It is probably wise to do it after you shampoo so you don’t wash it right off.

You can follow the beer rinse with your regular conditioner as you will still need a detangling agent to help get a comb through it and make it easier to style. The most common recommendation for beer rinses is no more than once a month. It can provide a sort of reset for the hair, helping to take off buildup and rejuvenate shine and volume.

Our Natural Shine Enhancing Shampoo and Deep Hydration Conditioner were designed to mimic this sort of effect. Our Shampoo has natural sugars and Apple Cider Vinegar as well as coconut oil, while our Conditioner has multiple protein-enhancing ingredients. The two together are designed to create not only soft body but to minimize frizz and puffiness for a smooth, yet voluminous appearance.

Does the Brand of Beer Matter?

The brand you choose, or the type of beer, may actually have impact on your results. Remember we talked about one of the main mechanisms behind why this works being hops? Well if you choose a more “hoppy” type of beer, then you may get better results. If you’re not much of a beer enthusiast, more hoppy types of beer are usually IPA’s, or India Pale Ales.

These are pretty popular now but they are usually considered “craft” types of beers which of course means they are pricier. You can usually find these small batch craft IPA’s in smaller cases of say 4 beers instead of having to buy a whole six or twelve pack of beer though.

It’s worth noting that most IPA’s not only have more hops, but they also often have a higher malt content as well. So you get a double dose of the very ingredients that infuse the hair with strength and body.

Hey, you may end up smelling like a brew house afterwards, but if you have given your hair a much-needed dose of strength and shine then it may be worth it. Plus, don’t forget, if you use a conditioner afterward, this can help mute the brewery scent.