Whether it’s to start a prosperous day or to soothe a fast-paced one, there are few things as welcome and delightful as a warm cup of tea. From Africa, to Asia, to Europe, people have implemented drinking tea as part of both communal and cultural rituals for millennia. While drinking tea has been and is the most common way to enjoy these brews and their benefits, there are certainly other ways.
One such way, is doing a tea rinse on your hair. Interested? Cool! I’m glad you’re here!
So first let’s break it down.
What is a tea rinse?
Just like the tea you drink, a tea rinse is a blend of herbs brewed or steeped in water. The resulting tea is then applied to the scalp and poured over the hair after shampooing. As the tea rinse sits on the hair and scalp, the beneficial properties and nutrients penetrate the scalp and hair strands helping to nourish, soothe, and strengthen.
Why do a tea rinse?
Tea rinses have been known to:
- Promote healthy hair and scalp
- Cleanse the scalp, soothe irritation, and prevent dandruff
- Approve the overall appearance and feel of hair, including shine, volume and natural curl enhancement
- Help to combat hair loss and excessive shedding
What should I use to do a tea rinse?
Whether it is the sole ingredient, or the base, the following teas have shown the most benefits when used in a tea rinse:
Black and green teas are the most popular teas for tea rinses due to their high caffeine content.
Benefits of Black Tea on Hair
- Black Tea can help enhance shine and suppleness of hair. Black tea contains something called tannins which help to repair, restructure, and fortify the hair fiber. The tannins in black tea can also help to naturally color greying hair with regular and repeated use.
- Black tea contains polyphenols which have antioxidative properties, helping to protect the hair from harmful UV rays that can make hair brittle and prone to breakage.
Benefits of Green Tea on Hair
- Green tea helps to improve blood circulation and nutrient supply to the scalp. Poor blood flow to the scalp can lead to hair loss. Using green tea on the scalp provides increased nutrient and oxygen supply promoting healthy hair growth.
- Green tea helps to rejuvenates dry hair. Containing the B vitamin panthenol, or B5, Panthenol acts as a moisturizing agent to keep hair strands hydrated and healthy.
In addition, the caffeine in black and green teas helps stimulates the hair follicles, helping hair to grow, while also counteracting the effects of the Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, which is the primary hormone responsible for balding.
Black and green teas also contain flavonoids that can stimulate hair growth. These flavonoids are full of antioxidants and contain antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which make these teas amazing for naturally boosting overall hair health.
Not to be left out of this conversation, is caffeine-free hibiscus tea.
Benefits of Hibiscus Tea on Hair
Hibiscus as a tea rinse has been known to help promote thicker, stronger hair strands. The naturally occurring amino acids in hibiscus assist in the production of keratin. As a building block for hair, keratin helps strands to become stronger and more resistant to breakage.
Hibiscus may also help to prevent premature graying. Hibiscus contains vitamins and antioxidants that aid in the production of melanin. When we think of melanin, we often think of it in terms of skin color. However, melanin also gives hair its color.
Thick in mucilage, hibiscus is a natural conditioner for hair, helping to nourish hair strands while bringing out its natural shine.
Best herbs for a tea rinse
In general, herbs that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are best for a tea rinse.
Rosemary Tea Rinse:
Rosemary has a number of benefits to hair and scalp health. Known for its anti-fungal properties, rosemary helps to keep the scalp clean while reliving dry, flaky and irritated scalp. Rosemary also helps to improve circulation to the scalp. A clean and stimulated scalp is the prime environment for healthy hair growth.
Mint Tea Rinse:
The invigorating tingle of mint is well known to have a variety of benefits for the hair and scalp. Some of these benefits include helping to stimulate the hair follicles, strengthening roots, promoting growth, and reducing shedding. The antifungal and antimicrobial properties in mint also assist in keeping the scalp healthy and reducing dandruff.
Chamomile Tea Rinse:
Similar to its use on the skin, chamomile in a tea rinse can soothe an irritated scalp and reduce inflammation due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Chamomile tea rinse may also help to reduce frizz.
Nettle Tea Rinse:
An ancient remedy, stinging nettle rinses are becoming more popular due to the herbs ability to regrow hair while helping to treat hair loss and alopecia.
Tea Rinse Considerations
Tea rinses are amazing to help combat dry or thinning hair. They also boost benefits to help ease dandruff and irritation to the scalp. However, if you have extremely high or low porosity hair, pay attention to the herbs and frequency of your tea rinses, so as not to dry out your hair strands.
When to do a Tea Rinse
Perform a tea rinse about once a week as an added boost to a deep conditioning treatment or hair mask.
How to Make An Ayurvedic Tea Rinse for Hair
You may use only green, black, or hibiscus tea for your tea rinse, or you may add any of the herbs listed above for an ayurvedic tea rinse.
Make sure you prepare your tea well in advance of when you need to use it! Boiling water over your head is NOT recommended. Allow tea to cool to room temperature before attempting to use it as a tea rinse.
Ayurvedic Tea Rinse
Materials
- Clean Spray bottle or jar
- Plastic shower cap, conditioning cap, or plastic bag
- Favorite deep conditioner or hair mask
- Shower/sink/bathtub…whichever works for you
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon tea and herbs of choice
- 2 cups water
Instructions:
- Bring water to boil. Turn stove off, but don't remove from heat.
- Steep tea and/or herbs in the water for at least an hour.
- Allow tea to cool to room temperature.
- Strain tea/herbs and pour into a spray bottle or jar.
- Cleanse hair well with shampoo.
- Spray or pour tea onto your scalp and hair.
- Massage tea into scalp and hair.
- Place hair in a plastic conditioning cap or plastic bag for 30-45 minutes.
- Rinse hair well with room temperature water.
- Massage a deep conditioner or hair mask onto hair.
- Complete routine as usual.
