Tea Rinses

[helynhighwater]

My insides like a nice cup of tea and I wondered if the outsides might as well. So, for those of you that do tea rinses, what kinds of tea do you use? Are there some teas to avoid? How do you coordinate tea with other rinses like acv? Inquiring minds {well, one anyway} want to know. :coffee:

[florenonite]

Two minds do!

[Wanderer09]

Make that three! I've been interested in it for a while but haven't gotten around to trying it yet...

[birthmarkie]

I used to do tea rinses but don't anymore because I guess I just feel so busy lately. My favorites were chamomile and tropical green. Chamomile seemed to soften my hair but that could have been that I had let it get cold...I don't remember. If I was making drinkable tea, I would make a second batch with the same tea leaves sometimes so I could drink the first cup. What kind of tea rinse are you thinking about? I can't think of bad ones offhand. You can always do a quick internet search to see about the basic properties of different types of tea. Maybe someone else can chime in here, too.

[Nicole.Amina]

I have a couple of related questions:

1] Do you leave the tea in as a final rinse or do you wash it out?

2] Can you prepare a batch before hand instead of preparing it on a as-need basis or will it spoil?

[birthmarkie]

[quote=Nicole.Amina;22345]I have a couple of related questions:

1] Do you leave the tea in as a final rinse or do you wash it out?

It completely depends on the kind of tea rinse, but chamomile I would leave in, as opposed to some other teas, which I would wash out but with water only.

2] Can you prepare a batch before hand instead of preparing it on a as-need basis or will it spoil?

I've never made a big batch :shrug: Smell it and make sure it smells nearly identical to what it started as. Also, look out for residue. Again, I don't know much about spoiling. I did keep one rinse around for a day or so and it was fine. I want to say that was a chamomile one.

[Velvettt]

Yes, I frequently use tea for a rinse. I had been using chamomile (home grown, german chamomile) for my final rinse for years before I came to LHC. Since joining here, I've discovered catnip tea (thanks, ktani). I'm blonde so I don't use others, but I know a lot of dark haired folk here use rooibos tea, sage tea, rosemary tea, and so on.

Making it in advance? I make it the same day I'm going to use it. The essential oils would probably evaporate if it hung around too long.

Try a search for "catnip tea" and see what ktani says about it.

[Starr]

I do a tea rinse of rosemary, sage, nettle, hibiscus and fenugreek. I generally let it soak in for about 20 minutes to an hour and then rinse with cool water.

[tiny_teesha]

i either make a paste and massage it- but you need a long rinseing time to get it all out,
or strain and pour it on, quickly massage and rinse out.
Look up indian hair care in the natural thingy article. Did i just make sence?? no... :(

[Snowblood]

I do tea rinses with nettle. Usually I let the tea cool down one night before washing and after shampooing I leave it in as a final rinse.

[levelek]

I also just mix up the tea as I go, but I don't expect it to go off if you strain it and keep it in the fridge.

This is what I posted on The Beauty Bottle a while ago, HTH. The link to LORA's thread is here (http://chatter.thebeautybottle.com/showthread.php?t=1388&highlight=herbal+hair+rinse).

And a ton more information in Nightshade's post quoting the LHC article on herbal dyes and rinses: http://chatter.thebeautybottle.com/showpost.php?p=25856&postcount=5

Nettle leaf, rosemary and sage are among the popular rinses, as well as chamomile for the blondes. Nettle leaf, chamomile and rosemary at least are also perfectly safe and healthy to drink.

For the rinse, the short answer is just make some strong tea, pour it over your hair (having filtered out the herbs, obviously, if you are not using teabags to start with), and you can either rinse afterwards with water or just leave it. You can also add a few drops of EO if you wish, or mix it with some ACV.

This is what I posted on LHC about the way I do the rosemary rinse. The only difference is now I use cold water to dilute it before pouring it on, for extra shine.

* I prepared a strong brew yesterday evening with 1-2 tablespoons of rosemary and 1-2 cup boiling water. I used a mix of fresh and dried rosemary (which I just picked off the spice section in the supermarket), just to be on the safe side. I covered the bowl and left it there overnight. Some people boil the rosemary in the water for a while and then use the mixture straight away.

* I strained the brew in the morning. Couldn't find my tea strainer so I used some clean hosiery! Hooray for inventiveness.

* Washed and conditioned my hair, then I diluted the rosemary brew with some warm water from the shower. I dipped the length of my hair in the bowl, then I poured it carefully over my scalp and hair while catching most of it in another bowl. Then I poured what I had caught over my hair again.

I was worried the smell would be very strong but it has mostly dissipated. Next time I want to try this mixed with a bit of rosewater.

(second post)

[snip] Rosehip is supposed to enhance the reds in one's hair. I've never tried it myself, though I've been meaning to. You can make a rosehip tea rinse exactly the same way as the rosemary rinse.

Rosemary itself adds shine and is calming for the scalp, but may also darken the hair a little, so it's often recommended for brunettes. One way to get around this is to mix rosemary tea with another type appropriate for your hair colour (chamomile for blondes, rosehip for reds).

[Nightshade]

And a ton more information in Nightshade's post quoting the LHC article on herbal dyes and rinses:

Thanks for the shout out, levelek :)

The link to the article is also in my siggy if that helps find it in the future.

The teas that work the best for coloring and conditioning hair tend to be your flowering plants (rosemary, chamomile, nettle, etc). The actual teas (green, black, white, etc) contain a high level of tannins which can really dry out the hair.

[Gothic Lolita]

I sometimes do a tea rinse to enhance my color quickly. I just make a nice cup of tea, mostly fruit tea, and rinse after washing. Then ein wrap a towel around my head and let it dry a bit, just like I normally do. The smell disappears with the drying. My red color is slightly enhanced and looks really nice. One thing I've learned is that my hair feels dry after a tea rinse, so I just do it occassionaly.

[khyricat]

I use a hibiscus/elderflower tea as a conditioning rinse/leave in.. it leaves a red tint, but over henna, who cares.. it makes my hair feel amazing.. I make a lot at once, put it in small bottles, refrigerate (I do 2-3 weeks worth at a time), and then pull out a bottle and put it in the tub before I bathe/shower.. with the warm water on it, by the time I use it it is warm.

[icydove]

I use teas to wash and condition my hair. I use an Indian herb tea for washing, which I rinse out thoroughly. I also use an elderflower/hibiscus/honey tea for conditioning. I rinse it out for just a few seconds until the water runs clear to prevent staining. I only mix up enough for a single use. You could keep some in the refrigerator for a limited amount of time without preservatives before you are going to have mold/bacteria growth. I'd guess the refrigerator shelf-life would be similar to that of teas for consumption.

[helynhighwater]

What kind of tea rinse are you thinking about? I can't think of bad ones offhand. You can always do a quick internet search to see about the basic properties of different types of tea. Maybe someone else can chime in here, too.

I've been generally curious for a while about tea rinses and just hadn't thought about it at the right time to ask about it until now. One thing I've thought of is if any of these teas have a lightening effect. I'm working an anime convention in May {Anime Central} and plan to dress up as a character with blonde hair. My hair is more of a light, reddish brown than blonde these days and since trying to think of a practical way to somehow stuff my all hair under a wig without being terribly uncomfortable and/or looking like I have a massive cartoon brain tumor makes my brain reboot, lightening up a little seems alright, so long as the results aren't too dramatic. I like my natural color and wouldn't want to go too much lighter.

Besides, I'm generally up to try new things to pamper my hair if they sound promising. :D

[helynhighwater]

I'm blonde so I don't use others, but I know a lot of dark haired folk here use rooibos tea, sage tea, rosemary tea, and so on.

So there are some teas that lighter haired folk should stay away from {besides black tea with tannen of course} if they don't want to darken their color?

[Nightshade]

So there are some teas that lighter haired folk should stay away from {besides black tea with tannen of course} if they don't want to darken their color?

That depends how pale a blonde you are. On some of the very light blondes here, even chamomile proves to be too darkening for some. :)

[helynhighwater]

Thanks for the info, levelek, Nightshade and everyone else! I may have to brew something up soon. :)

[helynhighwater]

That depends how pale a blonde you are. On some of the very light blondes here, even chamomile proves to be too darkening for some. :)

I'm really more of a light brown than a blonde, so I doubt it would be a problem.

[Nightshade]

I'm really more of a light brown than a blonde, so I doubt it would be a problem.

Nope, you'll probably just get more golden tones, though chamomile tea and sunlight can cause hair to lighten a bit. I've got a pet theory it's because chamomile is slightly acidic and produces the same effect on hair as lemonjuice and sun does, just in a far less extreme manner.

[fluffer]

I know I'm coming in late, but....

Nightshade your post rang true for me. I tried a green tea rinse the other day, and I will never do this again.. Straw hair! It was so drying that my hair is still recovering. Maybe someday I will work up enough bravery to try a flower tea.

[KatKeRo]

The evening before washing I make 1.5 l tea of catnip, rooibos. These are always in it. I alternate sage and nettle and I put some other teas in it as well (wichever I feel like). In the morning I reheat my tea and use it as a final rinse. When I use citric acid I put the acid in the tea.

[Angharad]

I use camomille, sage and rosemary for a tea rinse; they all make my hair softer and more curly.

I only use herbal tea rinses, because I did use green tea or black tea a few times but it was drying to my hair.

[Natalia]

I tried a chammomile/rosehip tea once. It didnt do anything bad lol but i cant really remember specifics. I might have put something in my blog i think i'll check later :p. I did it on a whim so dont quote me on anything but youve inspired me to try again :). I wasnt doing so great back then but now im game! It may not be tea but this thread has caused me to put on a pot of veggie dye to boil. I think i will put hibiscuc in it so thats kinda tea like :p. Ive got some gunk in my hair so i think i'll do it tomorow YAY im excited!

[LyssCraven]

I use a Rooibos-tea rinse. I leave it approx. 3 min. on, while showering, then I wash it out. My hair seems to be softer and shinier after using it. (And my hair seems to be more reddish - which I like!)

[LocustSpawning]

I know I'm coming in late, but....

Nightshade your post rang true for me. I tried a green tea rinse the other day, and I will never do this again.. Straw hair! It was so drying that my hair is still recovering. Maybe someday I will work up enough bravery to try a flower tea.

Phew..

I was just about to try this!

[Lianna]

Sometimes chammomile, for the golden tones. I didn't wash it out, it didn't make my hair brassy like honey did.

[RoseRed27]

True teas, (black, green, white) while somewhat drying can be very beneficial if one is shedding. Black tea in particular is quite well known for it's ability to stop excessive shedding. Some people report no lost hairs. I recommend leaving it on for an hour or so, then conditioning afterward to combat any dryness that may occur. I tried it and lost fewer hairs, and my length, overall, felt stronger and "reinforced". But I have silky, fine strands, and love any sort of "strengthening" treatment. If you don't, the results may be different (For true teas). I've tried (and liked) other herbal rinses, (especially Ayurvedic), but I'm trying to reinforce my fine strands and anything that acts like a protein (tannins in tea), seems to benefit my hair.

[Greenhousegirl]

I am going to try a herbal tea rinse with "Black Cherry Berry Herbal Tea" from celestial seasonings. it has "Hibiscus, rosehips, roasted chicory, blackberry leaves, hawthorn, natural black cherry flavor with other natural flavors (contains soy lecithin), chamomile and sweet cherries." I am doing a test piece with a blob of hair from my hair brush. I set some of the brewed tea and hair blob in a plastic zip baggy on a window sill where it will stay warm. I plan to let to sit for a few hours to make sure it doesn't turn my hair purple! If all goes well, I will run a test patch on my actual hair the plan is a mixed: 1 cup of warm pre-brewed tea + 1 tbsp of Cinnamon ACV (i ran out of plain). And I shall report back later tonight as to how the zip baggie tester went and whether it will be going on my hair :)

well now.... I tested it... and i will have to say... it did absolutely nothing. at all. not even a temporary stain. :(

[curlywurlygurly]

ooh this may be a great was to use my surplus of rosemary :)