Tea rinses, anyone?

[&rea]

I'm curious. Does anyone else do tea rinses? If so, please share your routine and the effects it has on your hair :)




Here's mine.

I started doing a weekly tea rinse a few months ago. I like to use Rooibos and Pomegranate. It makes an incredible deep red color. I'll do one application and let it sit until it dries then repeat. From start to finish, I usually let it sit for about 4-5 hours. When I wash it out, my hair is extremely shiny. The tea also seems to bring out some of the natural red/auburn highlights in my hair. I've never used color on my hair before. I haven't experienced any permanent tenting or staining that I've read about online, which is good because I don't want to change the color of my hair (just enhance it). I also notice that it seems to condition both my hair and my scalp, which is great.

[Leeloo]

I try to do catnip tea rinses instead of conditioner. Catnip might give a little yellowish tint to white hair, but it washes out.

[sarahthegemini]

I'll be watching this thread as I'd like to start doing tea rinses. I've got two samples of NightBlooming's herbal tea rinse that I'm itching to try!

[höpönasu]

I have some black tea I don't like at all so instead of throwing it away I use it to rinse my hair. I let my hair soak in the bowl full of tea for a few minutes, then I rinse my hair with it, use a clip to put my hair up and let it be for 5-10 minutes. I do it while I'm showering so. I didn't see any difference but I'll happily use it for my hair than throw away. I'm pretty sure I let it sit far too little time.

[redtuss]

I have some black tea I don't like at all so instead of throwing it away I use it to rinse my hair. I let my hair soak in the bowl full of tea for a few minutes, then I rinse my hair with it, use a clip to put my hair up and let it be for 5-10 minutes. I do it while I'm showering so. I didn't see any difference but I'll happily use it for my hair than throw away. I'm pretty sure I let it sit far too little time.

I've done the same :D Prepared some tea in bottles so I can just put some in my hair every now and then. This far I've just rinsed as in rinsed but am planning to put it inmy hair longer next time I take a bath :)

Both green tea, rooibos and black tea - we had very old tea in our cabinet... like 2-3 years past due date and really bland in taste.

[TheHowlingWolf]

I make my own "tea" with hibiscus leaves, rosemary, lavender flowers, & sage. I put it in a spray bottle and add a little bit of ACV and spray it on my hair an hour or two before washing. I love it! It makes my hair really soft and more silky.

[&rea]

I was actually letting my weekly tea rinse soak in when I started this thread. Instead of using my usual shampoo and conditioner to wash out the rinse, I just did a CO wash, let it air dry a bit and went to bed. I was prepared to have to jump in the shower to shampoo this morning (I was expecting excess residue/grease from the CO wash), but I didn't have to. :) I think I'll add the CO wash to as a follow up to my weekly tea rinse.

[Angelair]

Can pretty much any tea/herb be used for this? I'd like to try it, my hair needs more shine. I was thinking to use some of my cat's catnip, and I also have some delicious tea blends I picked up at a farmer market, not sure what is in them tho....can anyone recommend some good ones? Rosemary, mint, sage, thyme? I'm just going through the list of herbs I have I my fridge lol!

[MadameV]

I do green tea with ACV diluted in it. Usually green, anyway. Whatever I have lying about that's not black or hibiscus-based (allergy). My family drinks a ridiculous amount of tea, at least for Americans, and so sometimes I'll just gather up all the bags/leaves from the day and re-steep them. If it's new bags I do two in a small pot and leave them until I remember they're there. I usually do it every other wash, so every sixth day. Seems to make my hair smooth and shiny-- moreso than just ACV.

[&rea]

Can pretty much any tea/herb be used for this? I'd like to try it, my hair needs more shine. I was thinking to use some of my cat's catnip, and I also have some delicious tea blends I picked up at a farmer market, not sure what is in them tho....can anyone recommend some good ones? Rosemary, mint, sage, thyme? I'm just going through the list of herbs I have I my fridge lol!


I like roobios because it is said to increase the rate of ones hair growth and even encourage new growth (I really can't confirm whether not not this is true in my case because I've made a lot of drastic improvements in my hair care routine). I've also tried cranberry, pomegranate, lemon grass, coconut and several other kinds. I have lighter hair and I like to make a mixture of tea that will bring out the colors I want to enhance. I make mine extremely concentrated, 6 bags to 2 cups of water. I've even cut open the bags before, poured them into the boiling water and then filtered it prior to my first application. You just have to play with it a little to find what works best for you. Let us know how it goes!

[Angelair]

Thanks! I will be back here with my results. Strong tea - rinse - air dry -repeat. I happen to have a rooibos ginger mix tea, I think it should work. And a little catnip since my cat isn't crazy about it.

[kmcg]

Oooh I love tea rinses. Over the past year I've been experimenting with homemade hair rinses with a little ACV, aloe and oil instead of conditioner (I make my own shampoo too). Calendula and chamomile accentuate my highlights. Cloves, nettles, black tea, sage and rosemary bring out my deep rich browns. Lavender cleanses and adds a great scent. Lately I've been using hibiscus with good results. It also makes an excellent quick rinse for my hair after swimming. I almost always let my tea rinses steep over night in the fridge to make them extra strong.
I've read that you can use rhubarb or ginger to lighten hair but I have yet to try it.
For those who use catnip, what does the tea smell like?

[&rea]

Oooh I love tea rinses. Over the past year I've been experimenting with homemade hair rinses with a little ACV, aloe and oil instead of conditioner (I make my own shampoo too). Calendula and chamomile accentuate my highlights. Cloves, nettles, black tea, sage and rosemary bring out my deep rich browns. Lavender cleanses and adds a great scent. Lately I've been using hibiscus with good results. It also makes an excellent quick rinse for my hair after swimming. I almost always let my tea rinses steep over night in the fridge to make them extra strong.
I've read that you can use rhubarb or ginger to lighten hair but I have yet to try it.
For those who use catnip, what does the tea smell like?

I've been thinking about using aloe! Do you just mix it in with the tea or is it a separate treatment?

[kmcg]

After I strain out the plant matter I add about 3 Tbsp to 3-4 cups of tea. It's a great detangler. My hair tends to be dry more than greasy so aloe plus a few drops of oil helps immensely.

[Hairitic]

I've been using a combination of Rooibos, Hibiscus and Green Teas with an ounce of ACV in a 24 oz. water bottle for about 2 years. It gives me shine and greater smoothness as well as helping boost the red tones of my Hennaed hair. I just got the Red Hair Blend from Chagrin Valley. Will have to see how I like it. I have been using their Detangling Blend which I use in a spray bottle. It works pretty well. May try adding it to the Red Hair Blend next time :p

[Northerner]

I usually steep overnight 1 tbsp. of nettle, rosemary and sage, then strain in the morning and dilute with 32 oz of warm water, and rinse my hair after wash (either by pouring the tea on my head from a bottle, or rinse in a basin). I try to massage herbal tea into the scalp, as well as rinse the length. I do not rinse out herbal teas with water, just let it dry in my hair. Sometimes I use a combination of chamomile, nettle and burdock root. Herbal rinse make my hair very smooth and shiny. I do not do it regularly though, as I usually wash my hair with herbal paste made of ayurvedic herbs. When I run out, I am planning to switch to Western herbs full-time, as I used them as a teenager for 5-6 years and they helped with hair loss.

[Crumpet]

I am prepping an ACV rinse with chamomile in my fridge. It should be ready in about 10 days. Can't wait!

I'm eager to try catnip soaks as I've heard great reviews on here about them.

[&rea]

I am prepping an ACV rinse with chamomile in my fridge. It should be ready in about 10 days. Can't wait!

I'm eager to try catnip soaks as I've heard great reviews on here about them.


I'm not familiar with this method. How do you prepare your rinse?

[Crumpet]

I'm not familiar with this method. How do you prepare your rinse?

You just put about 1 C of herbs of your choice (I did chamomile still in tea bags) with 4 C of ACV into a glass jar and let it steep in the fridge for two weeks. After two weeks, strain out the tea and put your steeped ACV into a clean glass jar. It lasts for forever in the fridge.

I think you can speed up the process if you heat up the ACV, but why mess with the simplicity? The glass jar is important because of the vinegar.

To use: I just use as I normally use ACV. I put a bit into a large water bottle, add water and soak/pour over my hair at the end of a poo/condish. I let it sit for 3-5 minutes and then rinse it out. Everyone has their own favorite proportions/timings/rinse out or leave-in though.

[kmcg]

You just put about 1 C of herbs of your choice (I did chamomile still in tea bags) with 4 C of ACV into a glass jar and let it steep in the fridge for two weeks. After two weeks, strain out the tea and put your steeped ACV into a clean glass jar. It lasts for forever in the fridge.

I think you can speed up the process if you heat up the ACV, but why mess with the simplicity? The glass jar is important because of the vinegar.


Crumpet, sounds like you're doing an ACV infusion. Sometimes I infuse ACV with dried lavender but I don't refrigerate it until after I strain out the flowers. Usually I let my slow ACV infusions sit on the counter anywhere from 10 days to a month, strain it and then refrigerate. It keeps for a very long time as long as I don't add water. If you're not incorporating water into the mix until after straining the chamomile then it's really not necessary to refrigerate it. In fact you'll probably get a stronger infusion if you let it sit at room temperature as it steeps. Just FYI.

[Angelair]

So I am reporting my results from the tea rinse - I used chamomile and hibiscus with rosehip teas. I made it pretty strong - 6 bags total, and steeped almost 24 hours. I then rinsed my hair, allowed to aridity and repeated 2 more times. By the last time, my hair smelled strongly of tea and looked kinda sticky. However, I washed it off with CO and have been extremely pleased with results. My hair is softer and shinier and definitely happier. This is a great routine for a weekend, and I will definitely be comig back to it. I may add other teas next time to see how it goes. Thanks for introducing me to it!!!

[&rea]

So I am reporting my results from the tea rinse - I used chamomile and hibiscus with rosehip teas. I made it pretty strong - 6 bags total, and steeped almost 24 hours. I then rinsed my hair, allowed to aridity and repeated 2 more times. By the last time, my hair smelled strongly of tea and looked kinda sticky. However, I washed it off with CO and have been extremely pleased with results. My hair is softer and shinier and definitely happier. This is a great routine for a weekend, and I will definitely be comig back to it. I may add other teas next time to see how it goes. Thanks for introducing me to it!!!

I'm so happy to hear your results! I'll have to try chamomile next week. I can't use coconut oil because of the shedding it causes when I wash it out, so this has been a great alternative for me. Thanks for letting us know how it went! :face:

[TheVegan6]

Could I possibly use red tea rinses, like that one by Celetsial, I am too lazy to go look, but would they bring out the red in your hair?