Why I Do Tea Rinses On My Relaxed Hair

I’m a tea drinker. I don't drink coffee, instead, I drink hot tea. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is if I get a hot beverage I reach for the tea bags. I like how relaxing it is and how different teas have different benefits for my body. Did you know though that tea can also benefit your hair?

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Well, it does. I sort of knew this prior to starting my healthy relaxed hair journey. At some point in middle school or high school, I read some magazine articles that talked about how rinsing your hair with tea could add highlights or lowlights to your hair depending on the tea and your natural hair color. We had lots of tea in the house so I gave it a try. It kinda worked so I would occasionally do tea rinses. The funny thing is I never realized that the tea could do more for my hair than give it highlights.

Related read: How To Create Your Healthy Hair Regimen

What is a tea rinse for hair?

Herbal tea rinses are the act of brewing tea and rinsing your hair with it as a gentle treatment for your hair. They are more natural than most hair treatment products you would buy from the store.

What are the benefits of tea rinses?

The benefits of doing a tea rinse on your hair can vary depending on the tea used but there are some overall benefits that you can get from pretty much every tea.

Healthier scalp

If you have scalp issues doing a tea rinse could be helpful. Some teas can cleanse the scalp by helping to remove excess oil and product build-up. Additionally, they can help to soothe irritation and help prevent dandruff.

Related read: 3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Scalp Care

Reduced hair loss

Tea rinses can help you retain more hair on your head. This is primarily a benefit you would get from using caffeinated green tea or black tea. The caffeine allows the teas to block the hormone DHT which is sometimes the cause of excess hair shedding. 

Improved hair health

Many teas have properties that can help to soften the hair and give it bounce, shine, and even volume

Change hair color

As I mentioned earlier. I first started doing tea rinses to enhance my natural hair color. Teas can lighten or darken your hair. They can also bring out your natural highlights or lowlights. This is a great way to slightly change your hair color without chemicals.

What tea should I use for my hair rinse?

There’s really no right or wrong answer here, pretty much all herbal teas can help your hair in some aspect. Each herbal tea provides its own mix of benefits so depending on what benefits you’re looking for will determine which tea you use. To maximize the benefits you can even mix teas. 

Some of the popular teas used for hair rinses are

• Black tea: When caffeinated it’s typically used to help reduce shedding
• Chamomile tea: The antimicrobial properties it contains can help soothe itchiness and reduce dandruff on the scalp
• Green tea: Like black tea, caffeinated green tea can help reduce hair shedding
• Peppermint tea: Has both antimicrobial and antifungal properties which help improve the look and feel of the scalp. Plus it can help stimulate the hair follicles for more hair growth
• Sage tea: Helps to remove oil buildup
• Rosemary tea: Its antifungal properties help keep the scalp clean and dandruff free 

The tea I use the most on my hair is green tea. I like how it helps to soften up my hair, soothe my scalp, and reduce shedding. Sometimes I will mix the tea with other things like black tea, chamomile, and even apple cider vinegar. 

How do I do a tea rinse?

Tea rinses are essentially a DIY treatment for your hair. You don’t need anything outside of a teabag, hot water, and something to hold the tea. To get started you’ll first want to determine which tea you’re going to use 

• Brew 1-2 bags of your selected tea in about 2 cups of water 
• Let the brewed tea cool till it's at least room temperature 
• Strain the tea
• Apply the tea rinse to freshly clean hair. You can do it before you apply a deep conditioner or after you rinse out your deep conditioner. 
• I typically apply the tea rinse before I apply my deep conditioner and put the conditioner on top
• To apply the tea rinse you can use an applicator bottle, a spray bottle, or a cup
• Massage the tea into your scalp
• Rinse out the tea
• The amount of time you leave it on will depend on your preference and if you decided to apply your deep conditioner on top

Related read: See My Tea Rinse Prep Hack

You can do a tea rinse once a week when you wash your hair. Doing it more than that could have negative effects as some of the teas could dry out your hair and cause it to feel brittle.

If you’re using a tea you’ve never interacted with before, do an allergy test. The last thing you want is to have an allergic reaction.

Do you incorporate tea rinses into your relaxed hair regimen? 

If not, will you do tea hair rinses now that you know more?