Botanical Spotlight: Chamomile Benefits for Hair

Chamomile flowers have been valued in natural beauty care for thousands of years, from the same family as the common daisy, but distinctly different. Rich in plant compounds including the flavonoid apigenin, chamomile can help enhance shine, bring out warm golden tones and provide a soothing addition to hair and scalp treatments.

Chamomile for Golden Hair

One of chamomile’s best-known hair uses is enhancing golden tones. Chamomile contains naturally yellow pigments that can sit on the hair fibre and increase the appearance of golden, luminous highlights. This effect is most noticeable on naturally blonde, light brown or already-lightened hair.

This is exactly why we use chamomile in our Golden Goddess shade. The combination is designed to bring out beautiful golden highlights while improving the overall blonde tones of the finished colour.

Chamomile can also be used between colour treatments as a simple botanical rinse to subtly refresh blonde hair and give dull-looking blonde hair a slightly brighter, shinier, more luminous appearance.

Shine, Softness & Scalp Care

Chamomile is also a lovely ingredient for general hair care. Chamomile extracts have been used in cosmetic hair formulations for their potential to improve hair brightness and shine.

Its naturally occurring compounds also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making chamomile a useful ingredient in gentle scalp-focused preparations.

3 Simple Chamomile Hair Recipes

Golden Chamomile Hair Rinse

• 1 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers

• 500 ml freshly boiled water

(Double the recipe if you have extremely long or extremely thick hair).

Method: Pour the water over the flowers and steep for 15–20 minutes. Strain thoroughly and allow to cool. After shampooing, slowly pour through the hair, making sure the lengths are saturated. You can leave this rinse in your hair or choose to leave it for 20 minutes before rinsing. Use weekly to subtly maintain natural golden tones and shine.

Chamomile & Aloe Scalp Soothing Rinse

• 250 ml strong chamomile tea, cooled

• 1 tablespoon pure aloe vera gel (make sure you soaked your aloe vera leaves if using the plant from aloin (a bitter, yellow-brown sap located between the outer rind and the inner gel).

  
  

Method: In a blender combine the tea and aloe vera gel together and blend well until you get a foamy texture. Apply to a clean scalp and hair after washing. Leave the gel on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water.

Chamomile Herbal Conditioning Oil

• 2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers

• 100 ml jojoba or sweet almond oil

Method: Place the dried chamomile and oil in a heat-safe jar. Warm gently in a water bath or a slow cooker with water in for approximately 1 hour. Keeping the temperature low and ensuring no water enters the oil is crucial. Strain through a fine filter or cheesecloth ensuring no organic material remains in the strained oil and store in a sterile, dry bottle.

Massage a small amount into the lengths and ends before shampooing. Leave for 20–30 minutes before washing. Chamomile is especially lovely when your goal is softer-looking, shinier hair with a naturally golden glow.