As a tea nut, I drink all kinds of tea including black tea. I particularly like stronger varieties such as Assam.
But as you’ve gathered from this site, tea isn’t just for drinking.
It can offer hair health benefits as well. Black tea included.
Is black tea good for your hair?
Yes, your hair can enjoy benefits, but like most natural remedies, it’s not a miracle worker. If you abuse your hair, black tea won’t completely protect it. It certainly won’t restore hair loss. Nevertheless, your hair can enjoy more health in the following ways:
Benefits of black tea for hair
1. Caffeine: The caffeine in black tea blocks DHT. DHT is a cause of hair loss. 2. Adds shine: The rinse can enhance your hair’s shine. 3. Softens hair: If you have coarse, thick or frizzy hair, a black tea rinse can help soften your hair. 4. Darkens light hair: Interestingly, black tea can slightly darken your hair. It’s not as strong as highlights with foils or even the more subtle balayage technique, but if you have dark hair, you may notice a slight lightening of your hair. In some cases it can subtly add a soft auburn color to dark brown hair. 5. Regrows hair? Questionable! While some people claim it can regrow hair, especially if fermented with Aspergillus (source), I find it hard to believe. After all, the biggest drug companies in the world have been researching hair regrowth recipes, medicines, etc. for decades and if it were this simple, you know they’d be selling something using those ingredients.
Rinse recipe
- Best type: It depends on how dark you want the tea. For a lighter tea, opt for Chinese black tea. For a darker brew, go with Assam or Darjeeling.
- Brew length: A few hours or overnight.
- Brew quantity: 2 to 4 tea bags.
- Water quantity: 2 cups of boiling water.
How to apply black tea to your hair
Video:
The starting point is to wash your hair with shampoo first. Then start the rinse as follows.
Best temperature of black tea for your hair rinse
Because it steeps for a few hours or longer, it will be room temperature.
How long should it stay in your hair?
Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes in your hair.
Please note that it stains so dress accordingly.
How should you rinse it out?
The best way is to apply conditioner on top of the black tea rinse, let it sit and then rinse everything out with water.
Can you brew an entire bath of black tea for hair and skin?
Of course. While you’ll use a lot of black tea, your hair and skin benefit from the black tea bath rinse. That said, this is not the typical method of applying a black tea rinse.
Final considerations
Will a black tea hair rinse dye your hair?
While it won’t fully darken your hair a full shade, it will slightly darken your hair, especially if you have lighter hair. For this reason, many people prefer not using black tea and prefer other, lighter tea rinses.
Does black tea wash/clean your hair?
No. It’s not a shampoo. It’s a rinse, which should also be rinsed with just water once done.
Is it worth it?
In my view, it’s worth a shot. Each person may have a varying degree of health benefits. Some people gain nothing while others think it’s a huge help. It costs little, won’t cause damage and can be done in minutes. The only thing you lose is a cup of tea.
