At the end of a long day or the beginning of an easy one, there's nothing quite as delicious and tasty as a cup of tea. Seriously, there's a reason why cultures upon cultures—Turkish, Irish, and British, especially—have made it a must-have component to their daily activities for centuries. And while drinking tea remains the most traditional and popular way to enjoy it—and its myriad benefits—that doesn't mean it's the only way.
In fact, there are plenty of things you can do with tea, leftover tea, or tea leaves (tasseography, anyone?). However, one option you may have never even considered is doing a tea rinse on your hair. Curious? We were too. That's why we reached out to experts Dr. Debra Jaliman, Anabel Kingsley, and Gretchen Friese to find out more.
Meet the Expert
When it comes to hair treatments, we love the prospect of a DIY remedy that doesn't require a trip to the salon. And as it turns out, "A tea rinse is an easy at-home treatment that anyone can do to help with their hair and scalp health, as well as appearance," says Friese. Of course, the type of tea you use for your rinse and your method will affect your results—but more on that below.
Tea Rinses for Hair
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Green and black tea are full of all the antis (and no, not the Rihanna album): antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties, which make them fantastic for naturally boosting your hair health. "Black tea and green tea are most commonly used for tea rinses because of their high caffeine content, which can help with hair growth and may prevent shedding. They also help enhance color and add shine to the hair," Friese tells us. Even more, the flavonoids found in tea may wield additional hair perks:
According to Jaliman, anyone with dry hair, thinning hair, or dull hair should consider tea rinses. They can also benefit those with irritated scalps or dandruff, too. However, keep in mind that you shouldn't overdo it, especially if you've got strands that lean toward either extreme of the hair porosity spectrum. High porosity hair doesn't retain moisture well while low porosity hair isn't great at absorbing moisture so overtreating either with tea rinses may dry out strands even further.
Whipping up a tea rinse is an easy DIY hair remedy—as long as you remember to prepare it in advance, that is. When selecting your tea, Friese says, "Any black tea will do the trick. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on anything fancy." And as for how often you should do a tea rinse, "About once a week should be good. Anything more than that might dry out your hair," Friese tells us. Here's what you'll need, plus Friese's DIY recipe below:
According to Kingsley, black tea, when consumed, may not be good for your hair. "In terms of its benefit for the health of your hair, drinking black tea can actually be damaging," she says. "The tannins found in black tea can bind to iron in your body, depleting your iron levels and iron stores—iron and ferritin, or stored iron, deficiency are very common causes of hair loss."
"If used too often the caffeine may dry out the hair a bit. Or If you have a hair type that doesn’t absorb moisture well, black tea might actually dry out your locks more," says Friese.
Although caffeine can help with hair growth and shedding, herbal tea, such as chamomile, is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that can promote a healthy scalp. It is also used by those looking for a natural way to lighten their hair.