A Year of Natural Health & Beauty Tip #39: Enhance Your Hair’s Dark Tones with Coffee or Tea

Image by THOR via Wikimedia Commons

To view all tips so far, click here or simply scroll to the top of the screen and click on 52 Tips.

If you’ve been following along so far, you’ve already gotten tips on making homemade blonde highlights, and perking up red hues with hibiscus tea. Well, if you’ve got lovely chocolate-hued or raven locks, you’ll be happy to know that you can enhance your dark hair just as easily—and just as naturally, too!

This easy DIY home remedy will also help to cover stray greys and peek-a-boo light roots. If you’re a natural-born brunette, you might notice your hair getting mousy over time. And if you color your hair brown, you might want to add rich depth without spending a fortune.

My favorite all-natural, easy way to enhance dark hair is to simply use coffee or black tea! Unlike the blonde and red highlighting sprays, though, this remedy works best when your hair is completely saturated. So be sure to give yourself at least 30 minutes to an hour—and try to avoid using light-colored towels for clean-up

Coffee will impart a rich, chocolatey tone; black tea will give your hair a deep tone with fantastic shine. If you’re feeling extra-bold (mmm, just like a fresh cup of coffee), use both coffee and tea!

And remember, if you are a blonde or redhead, be sure to check out my previous posts for tips suitable for your locks! (My hair has been just about every shade in the book, so believe me, I’ve done them all.)

Stuff to Know:

• This rinse is recommended only for hair that is its natural color or has been colored only with natural products, such as henna or herbs. If your hair has been chemically treated or if you go to a salon for highlights or coloring, please talk with your stylist first.
• Spot test any products or ingredients before using any homemade products on your face, head, or body, especially if you have sensitive skin or are prone to irritation and/or allergies.
• This rinse is best used right away. Do not store it.

Coffee / Tea Hair Rinse for Brunette Highlights and Depth

Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon brewed coffee, very strong. Do not use instant coffee, only freshly brewed.
• OR 1/2 gallon very strong black tea (use at least 5 tea bags and brew for at least 5 minutes)
• OR a blend of coffee and tea

To use:

• Make sure your coffee/tea has cooled completely before using.
• With a towel wrapped around your neck, align your head over a sink basin or bucket.
• Very slowly pour the coffee/tea over your hair until each strand is fully saturated.
• Comb through. Style your hair into a bun if possible, and cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap to prevent drips.
• Leave on for one hour, then rinse and shampoo as usual.
• Repeat as needed to keep you hair rich and deep!

Do you have dark hair or dark lowlights?

Have you ever used coffee or tea in your hair care?

A Year of Natural Health & Beauty Tip #14: Enhance Your Hair’s Red Tones with Hibiscus

Photo by Andrea Drugay

To view all tips so far, click here or simply scroll to the top of the screen and click on 52 Tips.

Red is a temperamental hair color! It likes to make a bold entrance, but doesn’t like to stick around.

If you’re a natural-born redhead, you might notice a gradual fading of your vibrant hue over time. And if you color your hair red, you might notice that it often fades quicker than other colors.

There are a couple of easy home remedies to perk up your fiery hues, without slathering your head with chemicals.

The first, and perhaps most well-known, option is to use henna instead of hair dye. Henna is a plant that’s been used since ancient times ~ think Cleopatra ~ to impart a red luster to locks. It’s an excellent all-natural choice if you’re looking to dye or to replace chemical dyes with something simple and time-tested. However, be aware that it’s a commitment, usually taking several hours from start to finish. Hairdressers claim it coats your strands, making it impossible to ever be stripped, so if you’re a commitmentphobe, stay away.

However, if you’re looking for all-natural, easy ways to enhance any naturally existing red tones or to brighten up fading color, look no further! It’s extremely simple to make your own red-highlighting hair rinse using just tea. If you’ve tried my homemade hair lightening spray, you already know how easy that one is. This one is just as easy ~ even more so because it only contains ONE ingredient!

This DIY spray will impart warm, red highlights. You can use it on individual strands or chunks, or on your entire head for an allover refresh. When used over time, it will keep your color vibrant, bright, and fiery!

If you are a blonde or have blonde highlights, be sure to check out my post on DIY hair lightening spray. If you’re dark-haired, stay tuned. I’ll be posting tips for you, as well! (My hair has been just about every shade in the book, so believe me, I’ve done them all.)

Stuff to Know:

• This rinse is recommended only for hair that is its natural color or has been colored only with natural products, such as henna or herbs. If your hair has been chemically treated or if you go to a salon for highlights or coloring, please talk with your stylist first.
• Spot test any products or ingredients before using any homemade products on your face, head, or body, especially if you have sensitive skin or are prone to irritation and/or allergies.
• This rinse can be stored in a cool, dark, dry spot for up to 1 week.

For a container, I used a small plastic spray bottle from the drugstore, which cost $0.99. I had all other ingredients on hand.

Photo by Andrea Drugay

Hibiscus Hair Rinse for Red Highlights

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers OR 3-5 bags of hibiscus tea **NOTE: Celestial Seasonings Zinger teas ALL have hibiscus as the first ingredient! You can use any one of the zinger teas for this hair rinse, but Red Zinger, Raspberry Zinger, or Tropic of Strawberry are your best choice.
• 2 cups purified water
• pinch of paprika (optional)

Steps

1. Boil the water in a saucepan. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, turn off the heat.
2. Add your tea bags or flowers to the steaming water. Steep for 5-10 minutes. The longer you steep it, the stronger your rinse will be.
3. Strain the flowers or tea bags and allow the water to cool completely.
4. As an optional step, you can add a pinch of paprika to the tea. Mix well until incorporated.
5. Transfer to your container. Store the remaining tea ~ or drink it!

To use:

• Spray on dry, clean hair, either all over or in small sections for targeted highlights.
• Comb through. Leave on for one hour, then rinse and shampoo as usual.
• For expedited red highlights, blow dry your hair while the spray is still on it, or sit in the sun while your hair air dries. The heat will speed the highlighting process.

Do you have red hair or red highlights?

Have you ever used henna or other natural hair coloring?

A Year of Natural Health & Beauty Tip #3: Make Your Own Hair Lightening Spray

Making your own hair highlighter is easy and cheap!

A product at Bed Bath & Beyond caught my eye the other day: John Frieda’s Controlled Lightening Spray. It reminded me of the Sun-In days of my youth, which always ultimately resulted in orange hair. I’ll never forget the day a guy I was friends with came to school with bright-orange hair, the unfortunate effect of Sun-In on dark hair, which he claimed was his older brother’s doing. Oh, the teasing that poor guy had to endure.

I’d imagine the John Frieda stuff works pretty well. But an even easier route that is tried-and-true is to make your own simple lightening spray. It might not work as fast as JF’s but it’s easy and practically free ~ and I’ve been doing it since I was 13 with no orange streaks to name.

It will create lovely highlights, but not bold streaks. When used over time, it can also help to reduce the appearance of root regrowth on lightened hair.

If you are raven-haired or a redhead and want to boost those shades and/or add highlights, stay tuned. I’ll be posting tips for you, as well! (My hair has been just about every shade in the book, so believe me, I’ve done them all.)

Stuff to Know:

• This highlighter is recommended only for hair that is its natural color or has been colored only with natural products, such as henna or herbs. If your hair has been chemically treated or if you go to a salon for highlights or coloring, please talk with your stylist first. You definitely don’t want to create any adverse reactions (see “orange,” above).
• Spot test any products or ingredients before using any homemade products on your face, head, or body, especially if you have sensitive skin or are prone to irritation and/or allergies.
• In general, each of the homemade products here should be stored in a cool, dark, dry spot for 3-4 weeks

For a container, I used a small plastic spray bottle from the drugstore, which cost $0.99. I had all other ingredients on hand.

Homemade Hair Lightening Spray

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
• 1/4 cup room temperature chamomile tea
• 1/2 cup room temperature water
• juice from one freshly squeezed lemon

Steps

1. In a medium-size bowl, mix together all ingredients.
2. Transfer to your container.

To use:

• Spray on damp hair, either all over or in small sections for targeted highlights.
• Comb through. Leave on for one hour, then rinse and shampoo as usual.
• For expedited highlights, blow dry your hair while the spray is still on it, or sit in the sun while your hair air dries. The heat will speed the lightening process.

Do you pay for highlights at a salon or do you do your own?

Have you ever had a horrible hair coloring experience?