Why Are People In Louisiana Washing Their Hair With Beer?

I'm picturing someone doing this, then getting pulled over and saying, "No, officer. I haven't been drinking."

There's an article making the rounds that claims you should be washing your hair with beer.

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The claim is the malt, hops, and iron in it can make your hair softer, shinier, and healthier overall. But does it really work?

The site Healthline.com says there's no scientific evidence to back it up. But a writer for Thrillist actually tried it and said it DID make a difference.

Some experts say it might end up damaging your hair instead, because the alcohol could strip away your natural oils. For that reason, some people say non-alcoholic beer works best.

If you do want to try it, here's what people suggest:

1. Open a beer and let it go flat. You don't want the carbon dioxide in the bubbles. It creates hard water, which isn't good for your hair.

2. Wash and condition your hair like normal. The beer is just an extra step.

3. Massage it into your scalp, and leave it in for a few minutes. No one agrees on how long. Anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes. Then rinse it out.

One stylist had a different approach. They said just fill a spray bottle with flat beer, spritz your hair with it, and don't wash it out. They claim it's better as a leave-in conditioner. The downside is you'll smell like a frat party.