This Tea Can Make Your Hair Healthier

More than just juicy gossip, spilling the tea might just be the best remedy for healthier hair. Tea is a beloved treat, either with a book on a cold winter night, on the porch during a summer sunset, or as an after-dinner beverage, there are no limits to the ways tea can be enjoyed. 

The benefits of tea also seem to be limitless as various teas have been shown to promote weight loss, reduce anxiety, fight free radicals, support digestion, and reduce swelling (via Penn Medicine). Herbal, green, white, and black tea all offer a benefit of some sort — and one of these teas is even said to support hair health.

Many of us are willing to try any trend if it promises to manage our mane and keep it long, shiny, and voluminous, so adding a little tea to a daily beauty routine is definitely on the table.

Healthline reports that black tea — camellia sinensis — might offer some hair support by way of growth, brilliance, and sheen. WebMD reports that you can drink black tea for additional health advantages including improved energy levels, better heart health, and even to boost your metabolism. But for your hair health, you'll want to use the tea a bit differently.

Black tea is filled with tannins, a type of antioxidant (polyphenol), that can neutralize cell damage caused by free radicals. Tannins are also what makes the tea dark in color, so when rinsing your hair with it, your grays may temporarily appear darker and your hair may also get a boost of brilliance in the process (via Greatist). It's important to know, however, that using this rinse for a color boost won't do well with lighter shades, like those with blonde or red hair. It is also reported that a black tea rinse can give you more vibrant hair, although there is no scientific evidence that supports this claim.

Some research shows that the high antioxidant levels, along with the caffeine in black tea, may support a healthy scalp as well as stimulate hair growth (via Healthline).