How many benefits have you come across regarding tea? This drink seems to have everything in one. Not only can it help you sleep better, but it also aids digestion and soothes inflammation, among other benefits. So to hear that tea can also dye your hair may have you wondering if that is the case. After all, can one drink have all these positive effects?
The thing is that people have been dyeing their hair using all sorts of products for many years. They reach into their pantries, grab an assortment of spices, and go to work on their hair. You have probably heard that coffee can work wonders on your hair, giving it an auburn look.
Thus, the idea of using tea as a dye should not seem so foreign. This article will look into whether dyeing with tea works and what you can expect. We will also cover the benefits of using this over other dyes and how to go about the dyeing process. Let’s get started:
The color in tea
For any dye to work, it must have a coloring agent of some sort. With tea, this comes from tannins. This compound is responsible for the dyeing effect you would get from this drink. Did you know that you can also dye fabric using tea? It all owes to the presence of tannins.
These are representative of the polyphenol components in the tea. Worry not as these are not destructive. If anything, they have proven to be gems in the fight against some types of cancer.
How does tea color hair?
So now you know that tea does have a coloring agent in the form of tannins. These are quite strong such that if they come into contact with a white surface, they can dye it. But for most people, their hair is not white, gray, or anything close to that. So, can the tannins work, and for how long?
For the tea color to remain on your hair for more than one wash, some things must take place. One, the tannins can enter your hair shaft and undergo oxidation, from whence the color can come. Secondly, you can use a fixer.
Without these components, the dye would not enter the cuticle. The next time you would wash your hair, the color would come off. That should not be a problem if you want a temporary solution. But if you want the color to last, one of these two things should happen, or both.
You may wonder why dyes like henna do not call for such components. Well, they contain both the coloring agents and the fixers. The dye can thus last a longer time. Also, you should note that the dye in henna and tea is different, in that the former contains tannic acid.
The thing that is for sure is that the tea will dye your hair. The question is for how long. And this comes down to your choice of tea and how you conduct the dyeing. We will later get into how you can use tea on your hair. But for now, let us look at whether dyeing with tea is such a great idea.
Should you dye your hair with tea?
While tea is a suitable temporary dye, should you use it? Are there any adverse effects that could result from this? Well, here is what you need to know.
One, using tea allows you to retain your hair’s health, as the compounds contained are not destructive. That is unlike the case when you use other dyes that can bleach and weaken the hair. You cannot use permanent dyes often on your hair, as these can make the hair brittle. And after a few uses, the hair would start falling off, taking you back to point zero.
With tea, you can dye your hair as much as you want without experiencing a reduction in hair health. As long as you keep up with conditioning, treating, and shampooing the hair, you should be fine.
Also, you should note that tea gets inside the strands while permanent dyes coat the strands. The latter do not get absorbed into the hair, and this can affect how well your hair responds to moisturizing creams and lotions.
Secondly, the dye gives your hair an upgrade in appearance. Suppose you have been thinking of a way to up your look but couldn’t decide on one, this can help. Dyeing your hair takes your looks up a notch within moments. That might be a great way to show up to your next interview or that photoshoot you have in mind.
Thirdly, using tea as a dye is quite a simple process. You see, with permanent hair dyes, DIYs are not a good idea. These products contain many chemicals that can be damaging if not applied in the right way.
With tea, you do not have to worry about the rations and how long the dye sits on your hair. You can even do it absent-mindedly without the worry of doing a terrible job. Plus, you do not have to hire a professional, which makes the dye-job quite cost-effective. How great is that!
Have your kids ever wanted to dye their hair? They probably have, and you likely turned them down owing to the fear of the possible effects. You have probably heard countless stories of dye-jobs gone wrong and would not want that happening to your kid.
Well, the good thing with tea is that it is not damaging to the hair. Your child can use it and bring out their natural hair color, and you would not ruin their hair in the process. That means that you no longer have to be adamant in your NO when it comes to their hair coloring needs. And the color will wash out over time such that they can move on to their next experiment.
Speaking of experimentation, tea is the best way to go in this case. Have you ever wanted to try something but started with a patch test to ensure it was right for you? An example would be where you want to get a tattoo but have no idea how your skin will react. You can think of tea as a patch test.
It allows you to enjoy having color on your hair without the permanent effects. That will enable you to try some colors and see if they work for you before going permanent. If you are on the fence about getting your hair colored, this is an excellent place to start.
Also, you can recolor your hair as much as you want. Even if you want to do it every week, you will not end up damaging your hair. Can tea as a dye get any better? Let us now look at how you can reap all these benefits:
How to dye your hair with tea
Tea is an excellent way to enhance your hair’s natural look while making it look glossier and healthier. Here goes:
Blonde Color tea dye
Chamomile
Are you a blonde? Do they really have more fun? Well, the best way to enhance your hair color would be by using chamomile. This tea is known to induce sleep. However, did you know that it can also lighten your hair? That’s another secret to this tea. With good hair and a good night’s rest, you should look like a million bucks the next day.
You will need three tea bags of this tea which you will steep in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes. Allow the tea to cool and take out the bags before pouring the tea into a spray bottle. If you do not have such a container, you can use the tea directly on the hair.
Wet the hair thoroughly using this mixture and allow the tea to sit on your scalp for at least an hour. If you want better results, you can allow the drink to sit in the sun all this while. If you are going for a stronger lightening effect, you can add other ingredients. These include white vinegar, raw honey, and lemon juice. The downside to using these components is that they can dry out the hair when used often.
Do you want to know another benefit of using chamomile tea? It also soothes the scalp and conditions the hair. You should thus notice healthier hair growth in the weeks that follow. It surely is the gift that keeps on giving.
Calendula
Besides chamomile, you can also rely on calendula tea, which works great in bringing out golden accents in hair. For this tea, you will need two tea bags of the tea. If you do not have these, you can work with a quarter cup of these flower petals.
Bring a cup of water to boil and steep the tea for ten minutes before allowing it to cool. You will follow the same procedure as used when working with chamomile, including the optional lightening ingredients. Calendula also soothes the scalp.
Rhubarb
Do you want to go lighter? If yes, rhubarb root tea is the best way to go in your case. You will need half a cup of fresh rhubarb root. Alternatively, you can work with four tablespoons of the dried root, which you should steep in a quart of boiling water.
Allow the tea to simmer for about twenty minutes. Leave it to cool overnight such that you get the most effects from the tea. Remove the pieces in the morning and use the liquid on your hair.
Note that with this tea, you have to be cautious. As it steams, ensure that you do not inhale this as it can be toxic when ingested. This toxicity owes to the high number of oxalic acids, which add to the lightening effect. A plus when using this tea is that it works in masking any gray hairs.
Brown Color tea dye
So your hair is brown, and you want to add a little something to it. What can work for you?
Black Tea
If you want to go darker than you are, you can always rely on black tea as it has quite the staining effect. You need three bags of pure black tea, which you should steep in boiling water for at least ten minutes.
Allow the tea to cool before using it on your hair, leaving it on for about an hour. The longer it sits on your scalp, the darker the hair will be. You can then rinse it out and bathe in the results. Black tea is also known to alleviate flaky scalps and can cover gray hairs.
Dried Sage, Nettle and Rosemary
This tea works in darkening your hair, reducing dandruff, and hydrating the hair. You can also count on it to mask any gray hairs. For this, you will need a quarter cup of each herb and three cups of boiling water.
Allow the mixture to simmer for at least half an hour such that the tea becomes quite dark. Strain it and use the tea on your hair as a rinse, leaving it in for at least one hour. You can then rinse it and enjoy the outcome.
Black Walnut
Do you want to go even darker? If that is the case, you can count on black walnut tea. For this, you will need a quarter cup of the powder or an open tea bag on the same. Allow the tea to steep in three cups of cold water overnight then use the mixture as a rinse. Note that the mixture can stain, and you should thus wear gloves.
Other tea options include rooibos, rosehips, and hibiscus, which work for red hair colors.
Conclusion
You do not have to go for store-bought options when dyeing your hair. Your beloved morning fix could be the answer to trying a new look or masking any gray hairs. And the good thing with this is that you will not end up damaging your hair as a result! Happy dyeing!
