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How to Make Chamomile Tea for Hair Brightening

When you use chamomile tea for hair, it creates golden glints for a subtle sun-kissed look.  This recipe uses a triple soak and dry method for the maximum effect.

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Dried chamomile flowers for tea

How to Make Chamomile Tea for Hair Brightening

Summer brings the itch of wanting to lighten things up a bit.  As a child, I had bright golden blonde hair.  The older I got, the darker it got, until somewhere in my twenties it settled into an interesting brunette shade with dirty blonde highlights mixed in.

Don’t get me wrong; I like my hair color.  I tried chemical highlights once and wasn’t a fan.  So when I read that chamomile tea could highlight your hair, I got excited.  A bit of research and I calmed down a little.

Chamomile doesn’t exactly lighten your hair; rather, your hair soaks up some of the golden yellow color in the chamomile tea.  Your results will vary depending on your hair color.  For lighter shades of brown hair (like mine) it lends an attractive multi-tonal dimension to existing natural highlights.

This effect is especially noticeable in sunlight, and it also helps make gray hairs blend in a little better.  If you have very dark hair, you may not see a big difference.  At least your hair will smell nice, though.

Chamomile tea for hair rinse before and after

If you look closely at the before photo, you can see that there are three primary colors in my hair: brown at the root, gold-toned natural highlights on the outside, and gray streaks at the temple.  In the after photo, all three colors are subtly blended together and brightened in a more dynamic pattern.

I came up with a method for applying chamomile tea with triple strength all in one session.  Mostly because I’m impatient for results and didn’t want to repeat the process on multiple days.  It’s quite simple and requires just two ingredients (dried chamomile flowers and water) plus a few common household items (a large pot, a plastic pitcher, and a hairdryer).

Keep in mind that if the chamomile tea gets on towels or clothing, it will stain them yellow.  The yellow color can wash out, but I wouldn’t guarantee it.  So use old things that you don’t mind turning yellow.

I’d love to grow my own chamomile, but until then, I shop for dried chamomile flowers here.  Happy hair rinsing!

Chamomile flowers in a field
3.54 from 32 votes
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Chamomile Tea for Hair

When you use chamomile tea for hair, it creates golden glints for a subtle sun-kissed look.  This recipe uses a triple soak and dry method for the maximum effect.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Author Katie Moseman

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce dried chamomile flowers
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  1. In a large pot (like a Dutch oven), bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil.  Add the dried chamomile flowers to the pot, stir, then remove from heat.  Let sit until just warm, about 20 minutes.  Strain the tea into a plastic pitcher. Rinse the large pot and place it in a bathtub.

  2. Have an old towel nearby. Position your head over the pot.  Pour the tea from the pitcher through your hair, catching the tea in the pot beneath.  Repeat until hair is completely soaked.  Squeeze out excess tea so that your head is not dripping too much.  Place the towel over your shoulders to catch any tea.  Return the remaining tea from the pot back to the pitcher.  Blow dry your hair until it is dry again.

  3. Repeat step 2 twice more, soaking the hair, drying, then soaking and drying again.  When finished, leave hair unwashed and without product for 12 to 24 hours, then wash and style hair as usual.

Recipe Notes

You can use chamomile teabags instead of flowers if you like.  Substitute 25 teabags.

If you like beauty tips, be sure to check out my minimalist skincare routine!

 

 

Recipe Rating




Ghaida

Wednesday 20th of May 2020

You said i can use chamomile teabags, would be different if i use teabags free of caffeine ? also my hair kinda dark color now ( after i used lemon juice on it ) and I'm disappointed of that. can chamomile help me ? Thanks!

Katie Moseman

Wednesday 20th of May 2020

Chamomile has a very subtle effect, so it won't do much on very dark hair, but it can boost natural highlights and give a golden cast. You can use loose chamomile or chamomile teabags; chamomile is naturally caffeine free. Be careful not to use regular black tea (caffeine free or otherwise) as this will only darken your hair further.

Ace

Thursday 27th of February 2020

How long does this last? Thanks!

Katie Moseman

Friday 13th of March 2020

I would say (depending on your hair color), you'll notice the coloration until you shampoo your hair a few times.