Add a golden shine to your hair or even lighten your blond locks with this homemade chamomile hair rinse! Plus, get rid of split ends, dandruff and any dirt or residue on your scalp.
This little miracle hair treatment is full of benefits and, of course, it’s a hundred per cent natural! And the best of it all? It’s extremely easy to make at home!
Because, all you have to do, technically, is make yourself a nice cup of chamomile tea! Easy, right? But, let’s have a closer look at this chamomile hair rinse first!
Benefits of chamomile for your hair
Chamomile has many different benefits for our hair and can help us in many ways. Blond and brown hair will benefit from it the most (especially if you want to brighten your hair) but even for black hair, it’s a great natural treatment!
1.) Lightens your hair (especially blond and light brown hair)
Chamomile tea is a natural hair lightener that may need more time to work but it’s also a lot less damaging than using lemon juice or baking soda. Applied regularly, this chamomile hair rinse will help brighten dull hair.
Chamomile contains the flavonoids quercetin, apigenin and azulene. Apigenin and azulene in combination have been found to brighten hair.
Quercetin has the ability to lighten hair because it inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase which is responsible for the production of melanin (a natural pigment that darkens skin and hair).
Some people say that chamomile works best on your hair when you expose it to the sun. So, for a quicker and more effective result, you may lay in the sun and dry your hair this way.
However, keep in mind that the sun also damages your hair even though chamomile protects the hair from UV rays. Don’t exaggerate, keep it to a minimum!
2.) Adds a golden shine
If you want to brighten brown hair, you may give it a go. It really depends on your shade of brown. The darker, the less this chamomile hair rinse will work on you.
But what people often find is that chamomile adds this really nice golden glow to their hair. So even for brown hair, it can have that effect.
3.) Soft and frizz-free hair
No matter which hair colour you have, this benefit is for everyone. Chamomile softens your hair, makes it shinier and keeps it frizz-free!
Gently, chamomile removes any dirt, dust or grime on your hair and unclogs the hair follicle leaving your hair smooth and shiny.
Its healing properties help reduce hair damage from UV rays. Chamomile is rich in vitamins and essential nutrients as well which help nourish and hydrate your hair by restoring the natural oil balance on your scalp.
4.) Say Goodbye to split ends
As chamomile is so nourishing and hydrating, plus its protection from damaging UV-rays, it may also repair or reduce the appearance of split ends.
5.) Strong hair and less hair loss
Chamomile has the ability to strengthen the hair follicle by providing essential nutrients, removing any residue on the scalp and unclogging the pores. Strong hair follicles mean strong hair!
6.) Promotes hair growth
It may not be as effective as other natural ingredients like rosemary or aloe vera (click the links to get to my recipes here on my blog, opens in a new tab), but it does support the hair follicles, making them stronger thus helping them to grow healthy, strong hair.
7.) Reduces the appearance of dandruff
Chamomile is known to be an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic so it helps kill any bacteria on your scalp causing infections. As it’s deeply nourishing and hydrating, chamomile helps reduce the appearance of dry skin, aka dandruff.
Ingredients
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- chamomile tea (ideally organic and loose)
- water
Chamomile tea: I generally use organic ingredients when I make any of my homemade personal care products because you really don’t want to have any pesticides or chemical residue on your ingredients.
I also prefer using loose chamomile tea (as in dried chamomile flowers), simply to reduce waste. But surely, you can use tea bags as well if you prefer.
Buy organic, loose-leaf chamomile tea → on iherb or on amazon.
Instructions
Step One. Boil water and let it cool down to about 80°C / 175°F. Meanwhile, put loose chamomile tea into a strainer.
Step Two. Pour water over the chamomile tea and let it steep for a while. I just brew the tea in my teapot. But you could use a glass jar or even a large mug instead too.
I always let it infuse overnight, so for several hours. In the morning, when I use it, I warm up the tea a bit in the microwave (or could do it over the stovetop).
Otherwise, just wait until the water has cooled down to about 38°C / 100°F (that means it’s warm, you can put your finger in it without burning it). Depending on your room temperature, this can take up to an hour.
Step Three. Remove the tea strainer and either use the chamomile hair rinse right away or keep it in the fridge.
How to use this Chamomile Hair Rinse
1.) Chamomile Hair Rinse or Conditioner
After you’ve washed your hair, slowly pour chamomile hair rinse several times over your hair and scalp. Gently massage it in from the roots to the ends.
Leave it in for at least 15 minutes before rinsing it out.
Tip: take a large bowl into the shower to catch the chamomile tea running down your hair. You can reuse it again.
2.) Chamomile Hair Mask
Two options here: leave it in for about 30 minutes before you wash your hair or leave it in overnight.
For both options, pour the chamomile hair rinse into a large bowl. Dip the ends of your hair in first and saturate them. Using a cup or your hands, pour the tea over your whole head.
Make sure all of your hair is completely drenched. Massage it in from the roots down to the tips. Gently wring out any excess chamomile tea.
Put on a shower cap and leave the hair mask in for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Then wash your hair as usual.
If you decide to leave it in overnight, just be aware that the tea will most likely dry on your hair. It’s therefore very important to not only wash your hair but also to use a conditioner to give it back some moisture.
Storage
If you’ve got some leftovers, you can store them in a glass jar in the fridge for at least a week. It probably will keep for much longer. I had it once in the fridge for over two weeks and it was perfectly fine.
Another option is to make a bigger batch and fill it into several small glass jars. I just brew the tea in each jar separately (2 heaped teaspoons per 1 cup (250ml) of water). So, add loose, dried chamomile flowers to them (without strainer) and pour hot water up to the top of the jar.
Quickly, screw on the lid so the heat can suck on the lid creating a vacuum. In this way, you can keep the jars with the chamomile hair rinse in the pantry and have it ready to go whenever you need it.
Warnings & Safety
Generally, chamomile is a very gentle natural ingredient and usually doesn’t cause any irritations. But in case your scalp gets itchy or irritated after using this hair treatment, stop using it.
Also, really make sure that the chamomile tea has completely cooled down before applying it to your head and hair. You don’t want to burn yourselves!
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- tea pot, glass jar or large mug
Ingredients
- 3 heaped tsp chamomile tea preferably organic & loose-leaf
- 375ml / 1½ cups water
Instructions
How to make it
- Boil water and let it cool down to about 80°C / 175°F. Meanwhile, put loose chamomile tea into a strainer or use 1 tea bag instead (or 2 for stronger).
- Pour water over the chamomile tea and let it steep for a while. I just brew the tea in my teapot.Infuse for at least an hour or until it's cooled down to about 38°C / 100°F. I prefer infusing it overnight and warming it up the next morning.
- Remove the tea strainer or tea bags and either use the chamomile hair rinse right away or keep it in the fridge.
How to use it
- As hair rinse/conditioner: After you’ve washed your hair, slowly pour chamomile hair rinse several times over your hair and scalp. Gently massage it in from the roots to the ends. Leave it in for at least 15 minutes before rinsing it out.Tip: take a large bowl into the shower to catch the chamomile tea running down your hair. You can reuse it again.
- As hair mask: Pour the chamomile hair rinse into a large bowl. Dip the ends of your hair in first and saturate them. Using a cup or your hands, pour the tea over your whole head. Make sure all of your hair is completely drenched. Massage it in from the roots down to the tips. Gently wring out any excess chamomile tea.Put on a shower cap and leave the hair mask in for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Then wash and condition your hair as usual.
Notes
- If you’ve got some leftovers, you can store them in a glass jar in the fridge for at least a week.
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