Girls with blond, well-groomed hair look especially attractive and sophisticated. Natural blondes are quite rare. But modern dyes allow you to get any desired curl color. Unfortunately, not all of these chemical products are safe. After their use, the condition of the strands may worsen. Are there other ways to give strands lighter shades? Undoubtedly. Since time immemorial, fashionistas have used natural dyes, among them chamomile is considered the most popular for lightening hair.
Lightening hair with home remedies
Many paints, although supplemented with healing oils and proteins, are based on hydrogen peroxide or ammonia. These chemical compounds are durable, but their action is aimed at destroying the structure of the hair shaft: the scales are loosened, lipids are washed out and the dye penetrates deep into the hair.
If you don’t want to risk the health of your hair, you should pay attention to natural remedies. They are not as visually effective, but are much safer than synthetic paints. Moreover, even if using natural dyes it is not possible to radically change the color of your hair, the benefits of traditional hair cosmetics are obvious.
To lighten hair and add a golden hue to it at home, use honey, fruits, dairy products, vinegar, onions, cinnamon, lemon juice and various herbs. Among which, long-time “favorites” are chamomile, saffron, rhubarb, and lavender.
Chamomile oil for hair
Chamomile essential oil
Chamomile essential oil is widely used in cosmetology; it has gained no less popularity for healthy hair. Many industrial hair care products include chamomile essential oil; at home, we can also take advantage of the healing effect of this unusually beneficial aromatic product.
The use of chamomile oil can improve the hair structure and make it more voluminous. Chamomile oil strengthens the hair follicle, this is especially important if hair begins to fall out. Chamomile oil is indispensable for split ends, brittle hair, dry scalp, and dandruff. It eliminates dryness, flaking, itching of the skin, and the hair becomes shiny, strong and healthy.
Chamomile essential oil can be added to shampoos and hair rinses; a few drops are enough for its healing effects to appear. It is also good to add chamomile oil to various compositions for masks; mixtures of several essential oils are especially effective on hair.
Advice: it’s better to make yourself a trial version of this shampoo. Pour it into a small container and add 2 drops of chamomile essential oil. And try to see if everything suits you. If everything is fine, then you can add this oil in proportion to your regular shampoo. But also an important tip: do not overdo it with oil. It's better to have less of it
Chamomile cosmetic oil
Cosmetic chamomile oil can be prepared at home. It's so easy to do, don't be lazy.
Recipe for making chamomile oil at home
Fill a small glass jar to the top with dried chamomile flowers and add olive or linseed oil. Then keep it in a water bath for 20 minutes, covering the jar with a lid. Let it sit for two weeks and strain. We will get an excellent cosmetic product that needs to be stored in the refrigerator. This oil can be used for any facial skin problems, as well as for removing makeup. This oil is also good for caring for babies.
Can chamomile be used to lighten hair?
The answer is clear: you can. But it should be noted right away that turning a brunette into a blonde with the help of chamomile decoction will not work. This flower has long been used as a tint dye for blond and red hair; it makes it even lighter by 1-2 tones, refreshes it and gives it a golden glow and a soft wheaten hue. But dark-haired ladies should still pay attention to this medicinal plant. A strong decoction of it can even give brown and black hair a copper tint, but for this you should take 3 times more herbal tea than for fair-haired ladies.
Chamomile infusion for hair. Recipe
Chamomile infusion for hair is prepared in the traditional way at the rate of 1 tablespoon of the raw material per glass of water. The infusion has the same properties as the decoction, but is much simpler to prepare and is used mainly for rinsing hair.
Chamomile infusions and decoctions have a healing effect on the hair and scalp due to the many beneficial substances in their composition. These are vitamins, minerals, essential oils, resins and many others that are natural and safe. Regular use of chamomile infusions and decoctions will make your hair healthy, strong, and shiny.
Advantages and disadvantages of using chamomile
This method of changing hair color undoubtedly has more advantages than disadvantages.
The only disadvantages, if you can call it that, are the impossibility of radical “repainting” and the duration of application to obtain the result. But this does not make chamomile useless as a tint. Using a wildflower you can achieve amazing effects.
Here is a kind of scale of how chamomile is used and how it appears on hair of different colors:
- Blondes. A decoction of chamomile without additives, when used regularly (2 months), will give the curls a lighter color (by a couple of tones);
- Brown-haired. There will be no noticeable lightening, but the hair will receive additional shine and volume;
- Brunettes. To obtain a copper tint or soft lightening, chamomile should be combined with vinegar, cinnamon, lemon, honey, or even hydrogen peroxide;
- Gray hair. A very strong decoction will do a great job with gray hair. Colorless, aged strands will acquire a pleasant honey hue;
- Colouring. Using a decoction of chamomile with the addition of lemon juice, onion peels, turmeric, and ginger, you can achieve amazing results in coloring individual strands. In this case, the transition between colors will be as natural as possible, which cannot be achieved using the “hydropyrite” method.
In addition, chamomile has medicinal properties. This plant contains vitamins, dyes, oils, trace elements, resins and carotenoids. All of them have a beneficial effect on curls: they nourish, moisturize, soothe, and disinfect. Therefore, chamomile leaves and flowers are widely used in the production of shampoos, creams and other care products.
The undeniable advantage of using chamomile for lightening and treating hair is the following facts:
- This is an absolutely safe light dye;
- Relieves skin irritation;
- Strengthens curls and accelerates their growth;
- Suitable for all hair types;
- It has no contraindications, it can be safely used during pregnancy and lactation;
- It is a cheap and accessible product, easy to prepare.
Chamomile for dyeing hair can be used either dried or freshly cut shoots. The resulting shade lasts for about a month. It is also used as a rinse after washing your hair, as part of caring masks.
Benefits of chamomile for hair
You can talk for hours about the medicinal properties of chamomile, its high efficiency, considering the plant as a unique folk medicine. The use in cosmetology is quite widespread; thanks to such products, it is possible to relieve irritation of the scalp, itching, and heal wounds. Thanks to chamomile decoctions and masks, serious pathologies of the scalp and hair can be cured. This effect is due to the high content of vitamins, nutrients, and organic acids.
Folk remedies prepared on the basis of this unique plant affect the hair follicles and epidermis as:
- hypoallergenic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- pain reliever;
- antiseptic;
- restorative;
- healing;
- nourishing;
- antispasmodic;
- antiseptic;
- oncoprotective substance of natural origin.
Protect hair and skin from ultraviolet radiation, moisturize, activate growth, strengthen roots. At the same time, they have a beneficial effect on the entire body, despite local use.
Note!
The main difference between chamomile and other medicinal herbs is that it can be used for any hair structure and skin type.
Step-by-step recipes
Lightening decoction of chamomile flowers
Method 1
- Fresh or dried chamomile flowers – 2-3 tablespoons
- Hot water – 100-150 ml
The collection and water are taken in a ratio of 1:3. It is better to brew the product in a thermos and let it brew for about 6 hours. Strain the resulting broth and squeeze out the herbs. The result will be a rich tea-colored liquid. The hair is impregnated with it, as is done when coloring. The top of the head is wrapped in plastic wrap and a towel or scarf. After an hour, you need to rinse your hair; you do not need to use shampoo.
Method 2
- Chamomile collection – 2 spoons
- Water – 500 ml
Place cold water in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil, add chamomile flowers and continue boiling. After 5 minutes of intense boiling, reduce the heat and simmer the “brew” until the liquid is reduced by half and the liquid becomes dark golden brown. Remove from heat, cool and strain. A concentrated decoction is used to color hair and individual strands; when diluted, it is used as a rinse.
Coloring compositions with chamomile
"Chamomile and saffron"
- Chamomile flowers – 2 spoons
- Saffron – 2 spoons
- Water – 250 ml
- Juice of 1 lemon
Prepare a decoction from water and herbs, leave for 4-5 hours, strain after cooling and add lemon juice. Apply and leave for half an hour, rinse with water without soap.
"Chamomile, turmeric and lemon"
- Boiling water – 1 l
- Chamomile – 3 spoons
- Turmeric – 1 teaspoon
- Zest from 1 lemon
Pour chamomile, turmeric and pieces of zest into a liter of boiling water and boil for 8-10 minutes. Cool and pass through a sieve. The liquid is enough for several times and can be stored in the refrigerator. Apply to (clean) hair every day until visible results appear.
"Chamomile, lemon and honey"
- Chamomile flowers – 4-5 spoons
- Honey – 3 spoons
- Juice of 1 lemon
Prepare a rich decoction of chamomile in advance, let it cool and squeeze out the liquid. Add honey and lemon juice to it, mix thoroughly until the honey is completely dissolved. Apply to curls and leave for up to one and a half hours.
This mask is designed for dark hair.
"Chamomile, oil and lemon juice"
- Dried chamomile flowers – 8 spoons
- Hot water – 300 ml
- Juice of half a lemon
- Vegetable oil - tablespoon
Pour boiling water over chamomile and keep in a water bath for 10-15 minutes; after the liquid has cooled and been filtered, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and oil.
To achieve a greater effect, the mixture is applied to the entire length of the hair, then the strands are combed and dried naturally. After the applied liquid has completely dried, the hair should be washed using shampoo.
"Chamomile and nettle"
- Dried collection of chamomile flowers and nettle rhizomes - 2-3 tablespoons each
- Water – 1 liter
Place the herbal raw materials in boiling water and, without reducing the heat, boil for another 10-15 minutes. After the broth has cooled, separate the liquid from the herb and moisten its hair. Keep under a cap and scarf for 20-30 minutes, then rinse.
"Chamomile and glycerin"
- Chamomile – 5-6 tablespoons
- Glycerin – 30 g
- Boiled water – 0.5 l
Chamomile inflorescences are poured with boiling water and left for about 3 hours, filtered and glycerin is carefully added. This mixture is applied to dry strands like a regular dye and washed off after 30-40 minutes.
Lightening alcohol infusions with chamomile
"Chamomile, rosemary and vodka"
- Fresh chamomile flowers – 50 g
- Rosemary – 50 g
- Vodka – 200 g
Place the plant material in an opaque container with an airtight lid, fill it with vodka and put it in a warm, shaded place. Leave for 2 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain the finished product. Pour into a clean bottle.
Use to lighten hair 1-2 times a week.
"Chamomile, henna and vodka"
- Fresh chamomile flowers – 300 g
- Vodka – 400 ml
- Henna – 100 g
- Water – 200 ml
Chamomile is infused with vodka as in the previous recipe. Henna is diluted with hot water to form a liquid paste, cooled and mixed with alcoholic chamomile infusion, put in a dark place for another 2 weeks.
Store the product in the refrigerator and use it to dye strands on dark hair, to partially or completely lighten blond curls. To do this, apply the mixture to your hair for 40 minutes.
Chamomile hair rinse
Rinsing with chamomile decoction will benefit those with hair of all types. There are many recipes for preparing a decoction and hair rinsing procedure. Let's look at a few folk recipes.
Classic rinse
Method one:
- Pour one tablespoon of crushed dried flowers into a glass (volume – 200 ml) of boiling water. If desired, you can add a few other herbs or a few drops of one of the essential oils you have at home.
- Cover the glass and let it brew for an hour.
- Rinse your hair with the resulting decoction after washing it with regular shampoo. You should not rinse the decoction from your hair with water: it must be absorbed into the hair.
Method two:
- Take 4 tablespoons of dried flowers and pour 200 ml of boiling water.
- Simmer the resulting broth in a water bath for 30 minutes.
- Strain.
- Apply this decoction after washing your hair with regular shampoo.
Hair decoction of chamomile, henna and vodka
Preparing this decoction takes a lot of time, but it has an amazing effect, making hair strong, bright and silky.
Manufacturing instructions:
- Take a full glass of dried crushed flowers and pour 400 ml of vodka.
- Let it brew in a dark place for seven days.
- After a week, you need to prepare henna. To do this, pour 200 ml of boiling water into half a glass of henna, stir the resulting solution, cover and leave for 2 hours.
- Pour the resulting solution into a container with chamomile and vodka. Let it brew for another 2 weeks.
- After this period, the broth should be strained.
- Apply it to your head. Leave for half an hour under a towel or warm compress.
- Wash off the broth with shampoo.
Anti-dandruff decoction
The recipe is as follows:
- Prepare a mixture of 1 tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers and 1 tablespoon of calendula.
- Pour 400 ml of boiling water over this mixture. Cover and let sit for an hour.
- Rinse your hair after washing it with regular shampoo.
- Repeat this procedure regularly for a month.
Rinse for hair growth
Method one:
- Take dried chamomile, dried sage and crushed nettle leaves in equal proportions.
- Pour 200 ml of boiling water over one.
- Stir and let stand for half an hour.
- Rub into the roots of damp hair after washing with regular shampoo.
Method two:
- Prepare the tincture: pour 200 ml of boiling water over 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile and leave for half an hour.
- Take 2 tablespoons of castor oil, one spoon of the resulting tincture and one spoon of chili pepper tincture.
- Rub into the roots, wrap your head with a towel.
- After an hour, wash off with regular shampoo.
Chamomile and additional substances
Chamomile hair rinse can be used
- for any color;
- for any hair type.
However, the classic recipe is most suitable for girls with blond hair. This is due to the light coloring properties of the product.
Chamomile rinse is especially suitable for fair-haired girls.
But beauties with other hair colors should not refuse to use dried flowers. You just need to choose slightly modified recipes. (See also the article Root hair volume: how to do it.)
For example, you can slightly change the properties of the infusion by adding strong brewed coffee or tea to chamomile. This will not reduce the benefits at all, but it will eliminate the danger of brunettes and brown-haired women getting a red tint.
Girls with copper hair should create a more concentrated rinse. When diluting, instead of one part of the infusion to three parts of water, use two/three parts of the decoction for the same amount of liquid. This way you will get a more intense and rich shade.
Chamomile decoction for hair of any color is an excellent sedative.
Anti-fat product
Besides color, rinsing your hair with chamomile will help improve your hair health. For example, neutralize the active work of the sebaceous glands.
To do this, prepare an infusion of:
- chamomile decoction;
- vodka.
Mix equal amounts of ingredients. Rinse your hair after washing, thoroughly rubbing the product into the roots. Despite the specific smell, do not wash off the mixture. The aroma will quickly disappear, and the hair will remain clean for a longer time.
Chamomile is also used to extract oil that can be added to shampoo.
Hair mask recipes
Best recipes:
- from severe dry scalp. Grind dry or fresh raw materials, add high-quality vegetable oil (proportions 1:2), let it brew for a week. Strain and rub into the scalp an hour before washing your hair for a month. Frequency – three times a week;
- from excessive oily hair and skin. Mix pharmaceutical tincture of chamomile and hot pepper (5 ml each) with castor oil (40 ml). Use a comb to distribute the oily liquid over the strands, with cellophane on top. Leave for 1 hour;
- for hair growth. Grind the leaves and flowers (2 tbsp), add olive or castor oil (100 ml). Place the bottle with the mixture in a dark place for a week. Filter and treat the roots before each shampoo. The duration of the procedure is up to half an hour;
- nourishing mask. Steam 3 tbsp. l. raw materials 250 ml boiling water. After 45 minutes, the infusion is ready. Filter, add 100 g of lanolin. Warm the mixture slightly and spread over the entire length. An excellent product for strengthening curls;
- against hair loss, for hair growth. Combine a tablespoon of nettle, chamomile, sage, and pour in 150 ml of boiling water. Filter the infused liquid, rub into the root zone, comb along the entire length.
READ ALSO: To strengthen the roots, get rid of dandruff and other hair problems - horsetail: medicinal properties and use for curls
Cooking features
To get the most benefit from chamomile infusion, you need to rinse your hair properly.
It is important to consider the features of preparing a chamomile mouthwash:
- It is best to mix the ingredients in a ceramic bowl.
- Chamomile should be washed off with water only if it is written in the recipe. Some rinses must remain on the hair, otherwise they will not work.
- The infusion must be strained before applying to the scalp. This can be done using an ordinary gauze napkin.
- It is recommended to avoid hair dryers, straighteners and styling products; only in this case will the chamomile effect last for a long time.
- After the procedure, the hair should dry naturally; you can only pat it lightly with a towel.
In the video, the girl demonstrates the correct application of the chamomile mask; at the end of the recording you can see the result of rinsing:
