Making Your Hair Shine Whether you have artificial hair color that needs refreshing or you just want to enhance your own shade naturally, customized herbal rinses add highlights or depth and are gentle on your budget. If you want to experiment with customizing herbal rinses, there's no real risk because their effect is subtle. However, avoid acidic fruits and vegetable colors.
Do not use lemons or beet juice, for example. These are very unpredictable over time and are greatly affected by sun exposure. Lemon juice and the sun might make you blonder the first time you try it, but after several treatments, your hair color will look like the rings of a tree trunk -- in several shades.
- Brighten a blonde: Steep 2 tablespoons dried chamomile and 2 tablespoons dried marigold in 1 quart boiled water for half an hour. Make certain the temperature is comfortable, then pour through wet hair.
- Burnish a brunette: Substitute sage and rosemary for the herbs above. For extra luster, add 1 tablespoon cider vinegar.
- Rev up a red: Mix 1 tablespoon honey with 2 tablespoons saffron and add 1 quart boiled water. Allow to steep for half an hour, check the temperature, and pour slowly through wet hair as a final rinse.
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