9 min read
How to use rosemary oil for hair growth
If you let the lion's mane limply droop around its face and let him roar his head off, you'd take him far less seriously. He is still a scary pussycat but has lost something of the majestic primal power, yet not so much that you'd pin him down to vigorously rub rosemary oil into his fur, which he would not take kindly to because he's doing strict carnivore.
With more or less healthy handfuls of hair, you are still you with all your skills, talents, loves, and annoyances. Yet the thin, lifeless, dull, worn-out hair is associated with a similar feeling of loss of personal majesty. It is discouraging and depressing and topped only by the desperation of hair thinning or hair loss. There are so many options to help you get strong and healthy hair, as well as products, salon and clinic treatments, and promises. The facts are simple. Dull, brittle, dry hair is either a response to hormonal fluctuations, is damaged by heat, product, and/or manipulation, or is for some reason lacking what it needs, or you should provide it-preferably with the least amount of chemicals possible, as this will be absorbing into your scalp. So if we apply anything, we want to make sure it is really clean and it doesn't get much cleaner than nature's own. Your body knows what to do with natural molecules and how to use their active compounds.
One of the natural remedies used for thousands of years for medicinal and cosmetic purposes is the potent and aromatic rosemary plant, and its concentrated form for weak or thinning hair is rosemary oil. What does rosemary essential oil do, how can it be used for hair growth, and what are rosemary oil benefits? Coming right up.
Benefits and Effectiveness of Rosemary Oil
This is a very factual chapter exploring this natural hair growth oil and all of the ways rosemary oil improves the state, look, and feel of your hair without causing any harm along the way, which is why natural hair care wears dark sunglasses, yelling, "No pictures, please!" to millions of its enamored fans. So rosemary oil for hair is famous for:
Promoting Hair Growth
Rosemary oil acts as a natural vasodilator, widening blood vessels to allow more blood flow to the scalp, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to every starving hair follicle. Well-nourished hair follicles are more likely to produce healthy hair due to the abundance of building blocks and energy, and better circulation can also help prevent hair thinning and fallout.
Reducing Dandruff
We're host to a whole garden of fungus, bacteria, and viruses who vastly outnumber our human cells, and for the most part, we've come to an agreement that the symbiotic relationship works for both sides. But sometimes, some species get cocky and start working for the good of the whole. When there is a fungal rebellion on the scalp, rosemary oil steps in with natural antifungal properties, curbing the overgrowth, reducing the symptoms of dandruff, and maintaining a healthy scalp.
Improving Scalp Health
The body operates in a narrow pH Goldie locks zone—not too alkaline, not too acidic, just right. This is equally true for skin, scalp, blood, and urine. Rosemary oil helps to restore and maintain the scalp's natural pH balance, which creates an adverse environment for fungal and bacterial growth (they're right at home in an acidic environment). This balancing property helps keep infections at bay and supports a healthy scalp environment for the most intense hair growth.
Strengthening Hair
The increased flow of oxygen and nutrients nourishes the hair follicles, strengthening the strands straight at the root. Rosemary oil also includes essential nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and B, that help reinforce the structure of individual hair strands. These antioxidants protect hair from environmental damage and prevent hair from becoming brittle.
Fewer split ends, more natural luster
By deeply hydrating the hair and sealing moisture into the strands, rosemary oil prevents the extreme dryness that often leads to those sad-looking split ends. Not only will your hair be more hydrated and healthier, but the oil will literally add shine as it helps reflect light, even after rising out, making hair appear glossy and vibrant.
How To Use Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth?
We've all been there, crawling the internets and social media at some wee hour for information on how to use a natural product, only to be left scratching our heads, confused by contradictory information. So, we'll give you a comprehensive, quick run-through of the best ways to make rosemary essential oil work for you. Let's explore how you can incorporate it into your hair care routine for stronger, healthier hair:
Massaging directly into your scalp: Gently massage the oil into your scalp for about 5-10 minutes before washing your hair. This will stimulate hair follicles and improve blood circulation to promote hair growth. Pure essential oils are very potent, so make sure you use the rosemary oil and not the rosemary essential oil here.
Add to your shampoo or conditioner: An efficient and practical way to introduce the rosemary oil boost to your standard hair care routine is to mix it in with your regular products. For every ounce of product, add 10-12 drops of rosemary oil and mix well before use. If you have only enough left to mix into one product, mix it into a conditioner. Massage in well, put a hair clip in and do all of your exfoliating, shaving, and lathering while this mask sits on your hair. Ideally, 10 minutes plus.
Mix with other oils: Essential oils must be mixed with carrier oils. If you want to keep your rosemary oil on the scalp for a few hours, mix a few drops of rosemary essential oil with a carrier oil like coconut, jojoba, or olive oil to dilute it and gain extra benefits from other nourishing oils. Experts confirm that there is no issue with combining rosemary oil with other ingredients, and it will not neutralize or weaken the rosemary oil effect. You'll just be able to keep in contact with the scalp for longer.
Overnight mask: You can go the intensive treatment route and apply rosemary oil to your scalp at night and wash it out in the morning, but this might be too harsh for people with sensitive scalps, even if mixed with a neutral carrier oil. It could pose various sleep logistics problems or stain your linens. 45 minutes to an hour before hair washing is perfectly ok.
How to make rosemary oil for hair at home?
If you want to create your own rosemary hair oil, you'll need:
- A stove, pot, fresh or dried rosemary, carrier oil, preferably one that doesn't harden at room temperature, such as olive oil. The process is very simple. Heat some olive oil, add fresh or dried rosemary leaves, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Once cooled (do not pour it hot through the sieve into a glass jar; you'll either melt the plastic sieve or break the jar if it is not heatproof), strain the leaves, and use the oil as a scalp treatment. Getting a dark glass jar with a dropper or keeping the oil in a dark, cool place will make it last longer.
You can also make a solar infusion, but this will take longer to make. You fill a jar up to a third with dry rosemary (this time, don't use the fresh one), fill up the jar with olive oil to the top, and leave it on a sunny windowsill for a month. Then drain and pour into a dark glass container where it will keep for about 6 months. You can use it on your hair as well as in delicious recipes.
FOREO pro tip
United by a goal of making everything in self-care easier, better, and more efficient, FOREO creates sleek, minimalist, luxurious, biocompatible products that'll last you a lifetime. The brand's most recent expansion reached into the hair care sphere with the revolutionary LUNA™ 4 hair 2-in-1 LED Scalp Massager, designed to boost the efficacy of all your hair treatments, such as rosemary oil or rosemary water infusions.
The device is fully waterproof, suitable for in-shower use, and combines the clinically proven red LED light and the patented T-Sonic™ massage to boost scalp microcirculation and facilitate better product absorption deep into the follicles. It is designed to wake up tired hair follicles and ensure the scalp is clean, healthy, and in optimal condition to support healthier hair growth. The 395 soft yet determined ultra-hygienic silicone bristles sweep away any buildup loosened by the T-Sonic™ pulsations while parting hair at exactly the right angle to allow the intense red LED to hit the scalp and evenly coat the entire hair surface with the chosen product. So whether you chose rosemary for hair growth, intense conditioners, and masks, Minoxidil, or LUNA™ 4 hair device's official LUNA™ Dual-Peptide Scalp Serum, or any other preferred topical, LUNA™ 4 hair will boost the efficacy and may just be the difference between "meh" and "OMG" results.
Effective For All Hair Types
Though it is an oil, rosemary oil can actually help balance sebum production on the scalp. Therefore, it is also suitable even for very oily hair and scalp care, as it regulates excess oil production and prevents hair from becoming greasy too quickly.
The best rosemary oil for hair growth
- 100% pure rosemary oil without any additives and free from pesticides and harmful chemicals.
- Those from cold-pressed extraction methods that preserve oil's natural properties.
- Reputable brands investing in research and creating quality products, such as Mielle, Weleda, or Aveda Rosemary shampoo.
Rosemary oil vs Minoxidil for hair growth?
Can the rosemary oil for hair growth before and after measure up to Minoxidil before and after? There are some suggestions that it could match the efficacy, but the results are not conclusive.
For example, experts such as Dr. Aditi Shende and a whole body of medical research confirm rosemary oil as an effective natural alternative with fewer side effects than Minoxidil treatments. A 2015 study of side-by-side efficacy and side effects comparison showed that those who used rosemary oil reported less scalp itching, compared to the 2% Minoxidil group, but most intense hair loss treatments include the Minoxidil 5%, especially for male pattern baldness.
Things concerning our health and well-being are not as black and white as a simple yes or no, and the long, multifaceted answer is better left to professionals. In the end, we're all different and need to find what our body responds to best. If you're having serious scalp health and hair thinning problems, and both of these work, why not consider combining treatments such as oral Minoxidil and topical rosemary oil to cover all bases?
Rosemary oil side effects?
Dr.Khetarpal from Cleveland Clinic recommends starting slow and, if you've never tried it before, testing rosemary hair oil on a small area of your scalp so you can see the reaction. If you're dealing with an essential oil, always dilute it, as the concentrated potency can cause irritation, redness, itching, and allergic reactions.
Rosemary oil may also temporarily increase the skin's sensitivity to sunlight. Avoid direct sun exposure right after applying rosemary oil. Use a protective covering, such as a hat, scarf, or sun umbrella, if you're feeling extra chic and Hollywood that day.
Regarding efficacy, nature does things slowly and steadily, and rosemary oil is not an instant solution or a quick fix, which you should always be skeptical of. So, how often should you use rosemary oil for hair growth? Ideally, 2 or 3 times per week before hair wash days for consecutive months. Be patient, and you will see improvement in hair quality, health, strength, luster, faster growth, and the formation of new, stronger baby hair!
Conclusion
Call it vanity, if you will, but we're all deeply connected to our hair as a symbolic representation of youth, virility, unbridled power, and health. That's why Samson got weak and feeble once tricked out of his gorgeous strands; that's why a bad hair day means a bad day in general because you just don't feel like yourself. Vanity or not, it's a fact that healthy hair, skin, and nails reflect the state of the entire organism and send a non-verbal message into the world. It is also a fact that there is no healthy hair without a healthy scalp. So oil up and level up with LUNA™ 4 hair, stay curious, stay beautiful, and roar.
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