Dear Karen, My auntie had waist length thick black hair that was gorgeous. After she died I asked my mom how Auntie Ruth had such shiny black hair, even into her later years. My mom said she thought that Auntie used either coffee or tea as a final rinse. Unfortunately my mom did not know the exact details and so I am at a loss to try and figure this out. Have you ever heard of such a thing before? If so, do I use instant coffee, brewed coffee or what is the deal? A friend thought that I might be able to avoid the muss and the fuss and just buy the drip of the day from Starbucks and pour that over my head.

Date:   5/15/2006 1:59:59 PM ( 18 y ago)

Hmmmm....Starbucks brew of the day as a rinse? I never thought of that before but you know, it could potentially work. The important point to note is to make sure you don't pour it on your head while it is still hot. Lukewarm to cool would be the proper temperature to avoid burns or scalding to your sensitive scalp.

Since you asked several questions, I will try to answer them in sequence.

Yes, people have been pouring fresh brewed tea and coffee on their hair for centuries. Basically as long as there has been tea and coffee in the world, it has been used for various beauty treatments, including hair shampoos and rinses.

Coffee and dark teas are thought to cover gray hairs in brunettes while chamomile and the yellow herbal teas are thought to brighten blonde hair, although it will not necessarily add color or lighten the hair in any way.

A friend of mine uses several herbal teas that have a red base to deepen the shine of her red hair.

Never use instant coffee or tea. Never use either when it is hotter then lukewarm.

Although there is no absolute recipe, you can start by making a pot of coffee with a drip or Mr. Coffee type of machine. A French press will work too and a Starbucks drip without additives is an option.

While you are waiting for the coffee to cool, shampoo your hair. Rinse well. If you use a rinse out conditioning treatment, complete that step. Rinse well. Carefully pour the coffee over your hair working from the roots to the ends. You may want to use a large pan or bowl so that you can rinse your hair several times by swishing your hair through the coffee or catching the liquid as it runs off your hair back into the pan and then continuing to pour it until you are finished.

When you are finished rinsing with the coffee you should do a final cool water rinse until the water runs clear. It is not advisable to leave the coffee in your hair because it can cause it to be sticky or gooey.

There are several things to keep in mind if you decide to rinse your hair with coffee:

1. Be prepared to let the coffee have enough time to cool or pop an ice cube in the coffee to quickly cool it down.

2. Have a large pitcher or bowl to allow for repeated rinses.

3. This is a very messy process. Don't attempt this anywhere but in a shower to avoid possible coffee stains to sinks.

4. Remember that you hair could possibly stain your towels. Use an old towel that you don't mind staining in case this happens.

5. Rinse the hair well enough to prevent the coffee from dripping and staining during the final cool rinse.

6. The results will be cumulative over a period of months.

7. If you want deeper results you will need to use a temporary coloring agent. Or you can experiment with making a coffee pack mixing 2 parts coffee to one part yogurt and applying to the hair topped off with a shower cap. Leave on your hair for several hours and then shampoo and finish with a coffee rinse.

8. If you prefer use black tea or herbal teas instead of coffee. Light haired people should avoid dark teas and coffees that might stain their hair.

The amount of coffee or tea that you use should be in proportion to the amount of hair that you have. If you have long or thick hair, allow extra liquid for rinsing. Start with two or three of the eight ounce cups and adjust the amount you use depending on the results. The same would be true for the amount of tea that you use.

One thing is certain. Using coffee or tea can be an interesting and fairly cheap alternative to adding color to dark hair.

Best wishes,

Karen
http://www.hairboutique.com/askkaren/askkaren-10-2001.htm

 

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