Though you may not feel your age, your hair often tells a different story. I’ve been getting gray hair since I was a teenager, and recently, I’ve noticed more of those pesky gray strands appearing. With my very dark hair, I’m not ready to show all these grays just yet. Instead of using harsh chemical dyes, I chose a natural way to cover them up.

Sage offers numerous health benefits. It can soothe sore throats, reduce inflammation, treat depression, and strengthen teeth and gums. Plus, it tastes great with poultry and root vegetables. Sage is also beneficial for your skin and hair. Used since ancient times to combat baldness and stimulate hair growth, sage is a natural tint for dark hair. This method works best for brunettes, helping to darken gray hairs over time and blend them with your natural hair color.

For my sage hair rinse, I combined it with apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is fantastic for hair, helping to restore pH balance and remove residue build-up. It’s also a great conditioner and detangler. For this recipe, I used garden sage (Salvia officinalis), which has properties beneficial for darkening hair.

Here’s what you’ll need:
– ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
– A heaping handful of fresh sage leaves or 2 tablespoons of dried sage
– 2 cups of water
– Tea kettle
– Bowl (large enough to hold 2 cups of liquid)
– Funnel (optional)
– Cruet bottle (optional)

To prepare the sage:
1. Remove the sage leaves from the stems if using fresh sage. Tear the leaves slightly to release their natural oils and pack them into the bowl.

Making sage tea:
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then remove from heat and pour over the sage leaves.
2. Steep the mixture for 15-20 minutes and let it cool. The water should turn a greenish color. If you have a sore throat, you can save some of the tea and add honey for relief.

Mixing with vinegar:
1. Strain the sage tea and mix it with the apple cider vinegar. Give it a gentle swirl. Using a cruet bottle makes it easier to apply, and if someone mistakenly uses it for salad dressing, it will still taste great!

How to use:
After shampooing, use the sage rinse as a final application. Yes, your hair might smell like vinegar at first, but the smell will fade as your hair dries. I like to hang my head over a basin and pour the rinse through my hair, reusing the liquid that drains into the basin several times. Then, towel dry your hair. Consistent use of the sage rinse several times a week will gradually darken your gray hairs, deepen the color of brown or black hair, and add shine.