Your Hair On: Tea Rinses

Your Hair On: Tea Rinses

We have realized that we both have tea rinses as a STAPLE in our hair regimen but without much explanation. Here are our stories with our not quite what we'd call scientific reasons why we think that tea rinses are AWESOME!

Keyda's Path to Tea Rinses:

I first got wind of tea rinses from Jen's Hair Blog, Just Grow Already! (I luvss). However, I was very hestitant to put TEA (an actual drink lol) in my hair. I was all for natural remedies but I just could not picture it working for ME! My hair SHEDS alot! As KLP explains with her own shed story, mine is quite similar. Ever since I could remember, I have been a "SHEDDER" as my mom puts it. I finish my hair in the bathroom with a HOT MESS left over to clean. So, I said what could go wrong!? Still hesitant, only tried 1 cup of black tea in my hair lol just to see how my hair reacted to it. Naturally, your hair feels hardened when doing a tea rinse. However, I noticed instantly stronger hair right away...could it be!? (I thought..) Next wash, I used 2 cups of black tea and vaaalaaa...less shedding and strong hair right away! I told KLP... :D because my next few washes, I saw no shedding while in shower washing out DC. Woot Woot! And I know it is the tea because when I stopped for about a month....intense shedding ensued...sooo STAPLE! It curbs my shedding significantly... winning! I am learning that different "flavors" produce different benefits for your hair, so I am currently waiting on an order of a delightful mixture of tea (I shall post!). **Sidenote: Your hair darkens with black tea as you use it consistently**

How Keyda Tea Rinses:
1. I steep two black tea bags in two cups of hot water, early morning of wash day.
2. I pour tea mixture in a bottle with nozzle to squeeze easily to my hair. (Sometimes, I'll place in fridge to cool.) 
3. I squeeze tea onto my scalp and length of hair. I try to make sure it goes from root to ends.
4. After rinsing, I continue with my normal routine of DC. (I plan on trying out smoothing treatment since KLP/others rave about it!)

KLP's Path to Tea Rinses:
I talk about shedding. A Lot. A Whole Lot. I suffered a huge setback last spring (you can read about it here) and although it was a year ago, the balls of hair that used to clog my shower drain still linger on fresh in my memory. This winter, I made it my business to find products and implement techniques that could at least minimize my shedding and *fingers-crossed* prevent it. While researching seasonal hair loss, I came across tea rinsing. At first, it really seemed too good to be true. I know how awesome tea is for your body when ingested, but to think that it would have any effect as a topical application just seemed odd. Then I remembered that Keyda had tried it and was in love. Her exact words: "IT WORKS." She said that she noticed a decrease in shedding straight away and recommended that I tea rinse after shampooing but before deep conditioning because the teas can make your hair a bit hard--the same way that a hard protein treatment would. I'm an avid tea drinker, so it wasn't like I had to go out and spurge on anything new. I seemed to have nothing to loose. I took the plunge and tried for the first time last November. I used 3 black tea bags steeped in about 500mL of water. It. Was. Horrible. I sent Keyda an email titled: Wash Day GONE WRONG. Ha-ha! Let me tell you, my hair was a mess after that first try. Full of tangles and knots. I had more shedding than the wash before and my hair felt so hard. It took a few months before I tried again---this time with 2 bags of green tea, I used a smoothing conditioner after the rinse to help with detangling, and then I deep conditioned with heat using one of my favorite moisturizing conditioners Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm. Success! I saw an immediate decrease in my usual shedding. 

How KLP Tea Rinses: 

KLP's Tea Rinse Winners

1. I steep 2 green tea bags in 2 cups of hot water over night. 
2. I pour the tea mixture into a narrow tip applicator bottle
3. At the end of my time in the shower, I apply the tea directly to my scalp. The narrow tip applicator prevents me from having to disturb my hair in the process. 
4. I let it sit for a few minutes, then top with Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment or Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution and massage for 5 minutes or so. 
5. Rinse with cool water.

So here are semi-scientific reasons why we think that tea rinses curb shedding: 

• Tannins- is an astringent compound that binds to and precipitates proteins in plants. The tannins in tea can attached to the hair shaft making the hair appear fuller. Tannins have antibacterial properties that can help soothe itchy/flaky scalp issues that would increase shedding. The tannins also tighten pores, which better protects your scalp from excessive oil and dirt while strengthening your strands to prevent damage. 
• Caffeine- Black tea has about 55 mg of caffeine per serving versus green tea's 35mg of caffeine. Traditional drip coffee has 100 mg of caffeine. Caffeine is known in the hair world for stimulating the scalp, increasing blood flow, and thus allowing your scalp to get more oxygen and more "food."
• Pantheol, Vitamin C and Vitamin E- Pantheol, which is found in tons of hair products, acts as a humectant, drawing moisture into the hair and helps prevent split ends while conditioning. Vitamin C is known as an antioxidant thought to help heal the scalp. Vitamin E also acts as an antioxidant that aids effective circulation in the scalp due to increased oxygen uptake in blood.

Since we've been consistent with tea rinses, the amount of shedding that we've had has dramatically decreased. Tea rinses are here to stay!

How do you tea rinse? What works and what doesn't for your hair?

Un mil besitos
Keyda & KLP