Sage for Brightening Hair

Salvia officinalis

Sage, a commonly used cooking herb, is also traditionally used to condition hair and to make dark hair more vibrant.

Using Sage to Brighten Hair

Method

• Put half a cup of dried sage leaves into a quart of boiling water.
• Boil for 30 minutes, then strain and cool. Discard the sage leaves.
• Use the cooled mixture as a hair rinse once a week.
• Repeat every week for several weeks – you should see a gradual brightening.
• If the smell of sage is too strong, add a drop or two of essential oil to the water.

Why It Works

Sage is rich in tannins, chemicals that bind to proteins and pull them together. The shaft of a strand of hair contains a protein called keratin, which tannins can bind to. Some people use ordinary orange pekoe/black tea, which is also high in tannins, to achieve the same effect.

Precautions

Sage does not produce dramatic effects immediately – you may have to repeat the rinse for several weeks in a row before you see a noticeable difference.

More Remedies

• Click here for all Brightening Hair remedies