Tea time! And I don’t mean to drink, although I do love a mug in the morning.

I mean tea time for your hair, yep you read right, your hair loves tea just as much as you do.

The first I heard of the tea rinse, I was searching through the web for ways to make my hair softer and more manageable. I’d been natural for about four years and I hadn’t quite figured out how to manage my very thick hair.

I was desperate and willing to try just about anything.

I chanced upon a piece about the tea rinse and how good it was for your hair and well, I jumped right at it.

Hair Tea / Hair Tea Rinse

A hair tea/hair tea rinse is simply brewing a pot of tea, allowing it to steep and cool prior to pouring it over your hair and scalp. Massage your scalp as you rinse to get to the roots and also full length of the hair.There are MANY uses for the tea rinses and there are many types to choose from.

Moisture– Tea rinses are a great way to get moisture in the hair between your regular washes. Some persons will use the tea rinse as a middle of the week hair refresher, especially if they exercise. Some tea rinses are excellent for keeping the scalp supple and free from dryness.

Strengthens Hair– Depending on which tea rinse you use, you will find that overtime the hair feels strengthened and less prone to breakage.

Hides Gray– There are some tea rinses that can cover gray hairs overtime with consistent use.
Prevents and Treats Dandruff– there are some herbs which are better at treating dandruff than others, they can be used as an infusion and applied to scalp.

Stimulates The Scalp And Helps With Hair Growth– some herbs including peppermint are good stimulants; we know that they make a good tingly oil but they can also be used as an infusion.
Reduces Oil Build Up On The Scalp– overproduction of sebum is usually the precursor to certain conditions including dandruff. Some teas, including sage can be of help with this condition.
Which teas are best to use for your hair? 

The following is a list of the popular tea rinses and their uses.

Rosemary– excellent for all hair types and problems. It acts as a tonic and conditioner, gives luster and body to hair, stimulates growth, helps with dandruff, and brings out dark highlights in the hair. For those greying prematurely, Rosemary can also turn grey hair darker.

Black Tea– Black tea contains a relatively high amount of caffeine. The caffeine blocks dihydrotesterone (DHT), the hormone that is thought to be responsible for some forms of hair loss. It also reduces hair shedding, adds sheen and softness to hair, it darkens hair or brings out highlights. Black also strengthens and thikens hair.

Green Tea– Helps to combat hair loss, soothes the scalp and helps with scalp irritation. It also stimulates hair growth, helps with dandruf and psoriasis and reduces shedding.
Chamomile: Softens hair, soothes the scalp, lighten and conditions (people use it with honey to bring out natural highlights). Chamomile is also known to stimulate growth.

Many of these teas increase blood flow, have antioxidants, cleansing properties, antibacterial properties and amino acids. I’ve not even mentioned all the other teas that can be created with herbs like Marshmallow root, burdock, catnip, fenugreek, or horsetail but I haven’t used them personally so I’ll just stick to what I know.

Caffeine can grow hair and Black tea seems to have the most caffeine but depending on who you ask will determine if you choose to use it. I personally like the effects Black Tea has on my hair, and believe to stimulates my hair growth and leaves it healthier.

Some even use tea rinses in spray bottles(I added a few drops of apple cider vinegar, can’t say if it’s right but it worked wonders on my hair)  but most seem to just use them as a final rinse after washing the hair. ( I find this method works better for me). Some rinse the tea out after massaging and letting it sit from 5 to 30 minutes while others leave it in and continue with a deep conditioner. Either way a good deep conditioner is necessary as many find the hair to feel rough after the tea rinse has been applied.

Below are some ways people use Tea Rinses.

1. Tea rinses can be used in lieu of shampoo and conditioner as a mid-week refresher for your hair. If you have dry hair make sure that you are using a tea rinse that will make your hair supple. It can be helpful to people who sweat in their hair a lot or are frequent exercisers. The tea rinse can rinse out sweat and dirt while adding nutrients. Rinse hair with ordinary water and then rinse and re-rinse with your herbal infusion. Depending on your rinse and the potency of it that can be your final rinse. Air dry and style as usual.

2.Tea rinses can be used as a pre-shampoo formula or put in hair overnight. If you want to accomplish certain results for example, reduce dandruff or itching hair, a peppermint tea rinse can be massaged in the scalp and used as a pre-shampoo.

3.Tea rinses can be used as a final rinse after you condition your hair. This final rinse is what several persons swear by in their regular regimens, natural and relaxed hair ladies have very positive things to say about the effects of tea rinses on their hair.