How often should you apply rosemary oil to scalp

You have probably used rosemary while whipping up a quick Italian dinner. Isn't it? But do you know it can be a valuable ingredient for promoting hair growth?

Besides being a fantastic culinary herb, the oil from rosemary is known to strengthen hair, reduce scalp irritation, and prevent hair loss, among others.

In this article, we help you understand how rosemary oil helps to promote hair growth, the benefits of using rosemary oil for your hair, and the best ways to use it.

How often should you apply rosemary oil to scalp

Highlights:

  • Can Rosemary Make Your Hair Grow?
  • How To Use Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth
  • Benefits Of Using Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth
  • Best Ways To Use Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth
  • How Much Rosemary Oil To Be Used For Hair Growth?
  • How Fast Does Rosemary Grow Hair Back?
  • Precautions For Using Rosemary Oil

Can Rosemary Make Your Hair Grow?

A study in 2019 has shown a positive impact of rosemary oil on treating androgenetic alopecia (kind of baldness). Along with impacting hair regrowth, rosemary oil has other beneficial capabilities, such as

  • Anti-inflammatory properties
  • Antifungal and antimicrobial properties [1]
  • Promoting nerve growth
  • Improve blood circulation

Like eucalyptus oil which enhances hair growth, rosemary oil can improve blood circulation on the scalp. As a result, your hair follicles get adequate food and nutrition, and your hair strands become strong from the root and appear healthy. It reduces the amount of hair fall and breakage as well.

Did You Know?

Besides its use in cooking, rosemary oil possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and memory enhancement [2] capacity. Research has shown that this essential oil also has an analgesic effect similar to painkillers.

Another study in 2012 showed that even rosemary leaf extract could promote hair growth. There is considerable other evidence [3][4] of rosemary hair regrowth potential in people with alopecia.

How To Use Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth

You can include rosemary essential oil in your daily hair care routine to boost hair growth and add volume to your hair. There are two easy ways to use rosemary oil. You can either directly massage this oil on your scalp or mix it with your shampoo or conditioner. You can try any of these treatments at least once or twice a week and see visible results.

1. Massage rosemary oil on your scalp

Mix five drops of rosemary essential oil with coconut oil or jojoba oil. Massage the mixture evenly onto your scalp and leave it for 20 – 30 minutes. Later, rinse it off.

2. Use it with your shampoo or conditioner

You can mix rosemary oil with your regular shampoo or conditioner and apply it to your hair and scalp. But don’t add too much of it. It is safe to add about five drops per ounce of it. After adding rosemary oil, use your shampoo or conditioner as usual and get the benefits of this oil. Don't forget to clean your hair to get the product out well.

3. Make your homemade rosemary shampoo

You can get a good shampoo base online and add rosemary oil to it for hair growth. You can also incorporate baking soda, coconut oil, essential oil, and other oils to get additional benefits.

Benefits Of Using Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth

1. Promotes hair growth

Rosemary oil has the potential to increase hair growth, similar to minoxidil[5]. This oil is beneficial for hair regrowth and prevents male-type baldness. It nourishes the hair follicles and induces regrowth for dormant hair follicles.

2. Strengthens hair

This oil also protects your hair from damage and breakage and ultimately prevents hair loss. With regular use of rosemary, your hair may become stronger and healthier. It will help look your hair thicker, denser, brighter, or shiner, resulting in less breakage.

3. Minimize scalp irritation

The anti-inflammatory property of rosemary oil is beneficial to help soothe an itchy scalp. One of the key ingredients of this oil is carnosic acid, which is highly effective in maintaining the good health of the skin and tissues.

How often should you apply rosemary oil to scalp

Note:

The anti-inflammatory property of rosemary oil helps to soothe scalp irritation.

4. Prevents hair loss

Hair loss can happen due to multiple factors, such as hair breakage or damaged hair follicles, inflammation, extreme psoriasis or eczema, insufficient nutrition supply to hair follicles, and many more. Rosemary oil can help suppress some of these factors.

5. Prevents dandruff

Rosemary oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help to reduce dandruff and other related hair problems.

6. Helps to get rid of split ends

Using rosemary oil is also beneficial to treat split ends. This helps repair your hair and make it stronger, which ultimately removes split ends over time.

Best Ways To Use Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth

Here are some easy but efficient ways to get the best outcome from using rosemary essential oil for hair growth.

How often should you apply rosemary oil to scalp

1. Mix lavender and rosemary oil

Combine 4 – 5 drops of lavender oil with ten drops of rosemary oil and two tablespoons of any carrier oil of your choice like coconut oil or jojoba oil. Apply the mixture and leave it for one hour. Rinse it off thoroughly with a mild shampoo. You need to repeat this twice or thrice a week for the best results.

Lavender oil has antimicrobial properties [6]. Along with improving scalp health, this oil can promote hair growth. This combination of essential oils will boost your hair growth and keep them healthy.

2. Rosemary oil and castor oil for hair growth

Make a mixture of 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and one tablespoon of castor oil, and add about ten drops of rosemary oil. Apply the mixture and leave it for at least one hour. Repeat this twice a week for best results.

Castor and rosemary oil both help improve blood circulation, which stimulates hair growth, prevents dandruff, and makes hair softer but stronger from the root.

3. Rosemary oil and peppermint oil for hair growth

Take two tablespoons of any carrier oil (jojoba oil) and add three drops of rosemary oil and three drops of peppermint oil to it. Mix them well, apply the mix all over the scalp and hair strands and leave it for at least one hour before washing. Leave the oil mixture overnight and use it twice a week for best results.

The mixture of rosemary and peppermint oil helps keep your scalp clean and get rid of excess oil. Peppermint oil[7] helps to increase the number of hair follicles, follicle depth, and overall hair growth. Plus, jojoba oil will nourish and soften your frizzy hair.

4. Rosemary and tea tree oil for hair growth

Take 2 tablespoons of any carrier oil and mix it with 5 – 6 drops of rosemary and tea tree oils. This solution is suitable to use for all hair types.

Rosemary oil is known as a hair growth remedy. Combined with tea tree oil, it can provide much better results.

5. Aloe vera and rosemary oil for hair growth

Mix about ten drops of rosemary oil with three tablespoons of aloe vera gel. Apply the mixture and leave it on overnight or at least for 30 minutes. You can repeat this treatment twice a week for the best outcome.

This mixture of aloe vera gel and rosemary oil will condition your hair and keep it healthy. Aloe vera will help keep your scalp clean by removing dead cells and absorbing excess sebum.

How Much Rosemary Oil To Be Used For Hair Growth?

Instead of directly applying rosemary oil to your hair, you can add it to carrier oils or other hair care products like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc. It is advisable to use a small quantity of rosemary oil (about .25ml or five drops) with 30ml of oil or other hair products for the best result.

How Fast Does Rosemary Grow Hair Back?

A study conducted in 2015 showed a comparative result of rosemary oil to 2% minoxidil solution (a popular hair regrowth treatment). As per the result, both the treatments took six months to show visible results. Both groups exhibited a significant impact – an increase in hair growth. However, the result may vary for each individual.

Precautions For Using Rosemary Oil

1. Pregnancy

There is a belief that oral intake of rosemary causes a miscarriage. But there is not enough reliable data to know if rosemary is safe when applied to the skin during pregnancy. So, it is wise to avoid using rosemary during pregnancy and stay on the safe side.

2. Breast-feeding

There is no reliable evidence to confirm that rosemary is safe to use when breastfeeding. It is better to avoid using rosemary and stay on the safe side.

3. Aspirin allergy

Rosemary contains an aspirin-like chemical. So, avoid using rosemary if you are allergic to aspirin.

4. Bleeding disorders

People with a bleeding disorder must avoid using rosemary oil as it can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising.

SkinKraft Tip:

Always do a patch test before including rosemary oil in your hair care routine to rule out the possibility of allergic reactions.

Wrapping Up

There is considerable evidence in support of rosemary’s hair regrowth capability. It can promote hair growth, nourish your hair, and soothe your scalp. You can get the benefits of this essential oil using the DIY recipes mentioned above.

Begin By Knowing Your Skin

References

1. 2. Biological activities of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) extract as analyzed in microorganisms and cells, published on 2017 Jan 17,

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28093936/

2. Why a whiff of rosemary DOES help you remember: Sniffing the herb can increase memory by 75%,

http://hizbululama.org.uk/articles/english/Rosemary.pdf

3. Analysis of Iranian rosemary essential oil: Application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with chemometrics, published on 2011 May 6,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021967311002755

4. Management of alopecia areata, Published 2010 Jul 23,

https://www.bmj.com/bmj/section-pdf/186632?path=/bmj/341/7766/Clinical_Review.full.pdf

5. Rosemary oil vs. minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial, published on 2015 Jan-Feb,

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/

6. Biological activities of lavender essential oil, Published on 2002 Jun,

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12112282/

7. Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs, Published on 2014 Dec 31,

http://koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO201402755363070.page

Can I use rosemary oil on scalp daily?

How often can you use it: It can be used daily or as often as you wash, as long as there is no reaction and you feel or see benefits. Works well with: Other ingredients that support hair growth, such as pumpkin seed oil and ashwagandha.

How often should you use rosemary oil on scalp for hair growth?

Massage the concoction onto your scalp twice per day. Another option is to use products that feature the oil as an active ingredient, Henry said. Below, we've rounded up eight top-rated hair products with rosemary oil that you can add to your beauty cabinet to help give your locks a boost.

Can I leave rosemary oil on my scalp overnight?

Can I leave rosemary oil on my hair overnight? Yes, a rosemary hair oil treatment can be applied overnight. All you have to do is mix a few drops of rosemary essential oil with a carrier oil, like coconut, jojoba, argan oil etc. Apply this combination to your scalp and hair.