When I started my Ayurvedic hair care journey, herbal tea rinses were the first natural ingredients I included in my natural hair routine for healthy hair. You may be wondering why use tea in your hair when you can drink it! Tea rinses are a cheap way of treating your hair and scalp as well as issues that affect it.
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Herbal tea rinses have many benefits as they reduce shedding due to the presence of caffeine which blocks DHT, the male sex hormone that shrinks hair follicles as well as shorten the hair growth cycle, causing hair to grow out looking thinner, more brittle, and fall out faster. According to scientists DHT can also make it longer for your follicles to grow new hairs once old hairs fall out.
Herbal rinses can help with blood circulation to the scalp, aiding in the stimulation of the hair follicles which leads to hair growth. Some have the potential to help relieve scalp disorders such as dandruff, itchy or flaky scalp and stunted hair growth.
When using herbs for tea rinses, it is recommended to use dried herbs because they have a longer shelf life as compared to fresh herbs.
How to incorporate herbal tea rinses in your hair regimen
Herbal tea rinses can be used after your shampoo or after deep conditioning. You can also use herbal tea rinses as a spritz or hair refresh mid-week.
Here are 3 of my favorite tea rinses and how you can incorporate them in your hair hair care routine:
1. Burdock root tea rinse — for Boosting hair growth
Recipe
2 cups boiling water
1 tsp. each of dried herbs ( dried nettle leaf, black tea, horsetail herb, rosemary and sage)
Pour the water over the dried herbs and steep until cool. Remove (or strain) the herbs and apply to freshly washed hair. Massage it into your scalp for a few minutes, then rinse out thoroughly.
Benefits of
Burdock root – strengthens roots and reduces shedding.
Nettle leaf – aids in hair growth and treat dry and irritated scalp
Horsetail – is high in silica which makes the hair root more resistant and promote hair growth
Black tea -helps to strengthen hair and block the DHT, the hormone that is responsible for hair loss due to the high caffeine content.
Rosemary – has been clinically shown to stimulate new hair growth in people experiencing alopecia. It is also shown to protect against hair loss because of its effectiveness in blocking DHT. Rosemary is also a great way to restore hair loss that causes baldness or thinning hair.
2. Sage tea rinse for cleansing and Clarifying
Recipe
2 cups boiling water
1 tsp. dried herbs (dried peppermint leaves, lavender, calendula and sage)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Pour the water over the herbs and steep until cool. Remove (or strain) the herbs, add the apple cider vinegar and a few drops of tea tree essential oils and apply to freshly washed hair. Massage it into your scalp for a few minutes, then rinse out thoroughly. You can go ahead and apply your deep conditioner.
Benefits of
Peppermint helps to soothes dry, itchy scalp and relieves dandruff
Lavender flowers – helps to soothe the scalp
Calendula flowers – normalizes the production of sebum in the scalp
Apple cider vinegar – helps to clarify and detangle hair. It has the benefit of removing product buildup or an overly-oily or dry scalp can benefit from using ACV.
Sage – helps cleanse the hair of oil buildup and promotes healthier hair.
3. Hibiscus tea rinse for Strengthening and conditioning tea rinse
1 tsp. hibiscus flowers
1 teasp. Matcha green tea
1 tbsp. Marshmallow root
2 tbsp. Liquorice root
1tbsp. Chamomile flowers
Pour the water over the herbs and steep until cool. Remove (or strain) the herbs and apply to freshly washed hair. Massage it into your scalp for a few minutes, then rinse out thoroughly. You can go ahead and apply your deep conditioner.
Benefits of
Hibiscus flowers – strengthens the root of the hair
Green tea – helps prevent hair loss and promote hair growth
Marshmallow root – helps to detangle the hair and ads slip
Liquorice root – treats dry irritated scalp and makes hair silkier and shiny
Chamomile – soothes the scalp, reduce dandruff, helps maintain color in color treated hair
When starting with herbal tea rinses, it is best to start with few herbs and ensure that the herbs chosen will tackle your hair and scalp issues.
You can purchase these herbs here or here
Do you use herbal tea rinses in your natural hair? What are your favorite herbs for your rinses? Share your tips and recipes with us in the comment box.