Victorian apothecaries would often turn to herbs and botanicals for their beauty recipes, and I love carrying on that tradition today. When it comes to hair care, one of my favorite botanical treatments is a nourishing hair rinse infused with dried nettles. This rinse is wonderful for strengthening the hair and boosting shine and fullness. It’s especially nourishing for damaged and dry hair but is wonderful for all hair types as well!
Wondering where to find nettles? If you’re an experienced forager, you can pick and dry wild nettles yourself. Otherwise, you can find dried nettles at your local health store or online at shops such as Mountain Rose Herbs and Frontier Co-op.
To make the rinse, combine 3 tablespoons of dried nettle and 8 ounces of water in a pan. Bring it to a boil and cover, then gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, let the mixture cool, and strain out the plant material. Pour the hair rinse into an airtight container (I like to use a squeeze bottle for easy application). Use immediately or store in the refrigerator (it will keep for up to five days).
To use your hair rinse…after shampooing, slowly pour the rinse over your hair, being careful to work it into the full length of your hair. Leave in for a few minutes before rinsing with cool water. Gently towel-dry and style as usual. (Perhaps you may even treat yourself to this pretty vanity set from Victorian Trading Company, complete with a Victorian-style brush, comb, and mirror.)
And for an added nourishing boost, follow up your hair rinse with a few drops of our moisturizing oil made with argan oil, evening primrose oil, and apricot kernel oil. Your hair will love you for it!
You can also add a few drops of our essential oil blends to give your hair rinse a lovely aroma!
