If you look in your spice cabinet, you’ll likely see rosemary leaves. This fragrant herb has a peppery and energizing essence, adding a little zing to whatever dish it’s in. But did you know that it’s also a versatile beauty ingredient?
You read that right. Rosemary essential oil is actually known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s said to aid in hair growth, hair thickening, soothing dry scalps, and preventing hair breakage. But how does it work—and more importantly, how can we use a rosemary oil product in our haircare routine? We turned to an expert for all the details.
Meet the Expert
Annagjid “Kee” Taylor is a Philadelphia-based celebrity hairstylist and beauty entrepreneur
What Are the Benefits of Rosemary Oil for Hair
“Rosemary oil is a plant-based ingredient that can help the overall health of your hair and scalp due to its anti-inflammatory properties,” says Annagjid “Kee” Taylor, a Philadelphia-based celebrity hairstylist and beauty entrepreneur. According to Kee, rosemary has some pretty impressive benefits.
Aside from soothing an irritated or dry scalp, rosemary oil can:
Stimulate hair regrowth and repair breakage if you having thinning hair
In certain cases, it can aid in hair regrowth from alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia
Improve blood circulation to scalp and hair follicles, allowing them to remain healthier overtime
Prevent dandruff
Relieve stress when used in aromatherapy
Are There Any Side Effects?
As with all new beauty products and ingredients entering your routine, you should always patch-test before completely diving in. In the case of essential oils, they need to be diluted with water or a carrier oil instead of using them on their own.
When not diluted, you can run the risk of burning your skin and compromising its barrier. If you’re struggling with dandruff and scalp irritation that has resulted in broken skin, consult your dermatologist before using new essential oils in your routine.
“You actually shouldn’t put rosemary oil directly onto your scalp as it could make it overly sensitive or irritated. You’ll want to mix it with a few other ingredients such as argan, sweet almond, or jojoba oil to act as a carrier for the rosemary,” says Kee.
The great thing about buying a product containing rosemary essential oil, or rosmarinus officinalis, is that it’s ready to use immediately—you won’t have to dilute or prep anything.
How to Use Rosemary Oil
In order to experience the full benefits that rosemary oil has to offer, you should aim to incorporate it into your hair care routine weekly, or even daily, if you can. Consistency is especially important if your goal is to target hair regrowth.
As Kee mentioned, you can mix rosemary oil with other oils that will act as a carrier within the treatment. For a DIY approach, you can use coconut oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, or pumpkin oil for hair regrowth and breakage.
For a detoxifying or soothing scalp treatment, you can blend with peppermint oil, lavender oil, or tea tree oil. You’ll want to do these as leave-in, overnight treatments.
Besides these ideas, you can add rosemary essential oil to your existing shampoo, conditioner, or hair mask. There are also plenty of hair products on the market already containing rosemary oil in their list of ingredients.
Our Top Hair Products With Rosemary Oil
1. ALLPA BOTANICALS Rosemary Hair Oil
This product is 100% organic cold-pressed rosemary oil. There’s no need to dilute, as it uses castor oil as its carrier oil. A two ounce bottle is only $27 (smaller sizes are available, too), and 4-6 drops of rosemary oil is all you need.
2. PATTERN BEAUTY Scalp Serum
While this product is great for all hair types, it’s specifically made with curly and tight textures in mind. This serum is all about soothing and hydrating your scalp, and relieving any tension that comes from tight hairstyles. Aside from rosemary, it also contains peppermint and lavender oils.
3. HASK Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Hair & Scalp Treatment Mask
Get ready for a deep condition with this hair mask. Great for helping with clogged hair follicles, antibacterial tea tree oils also nourish your roots. Try this treatment once a week as a hydrating, spa-like experience for your scalp that will treat your hair from root to tip.
4. AVEDA Rosemary Mint Shampoo
You’ll feel an instant invigorating tingle when using this hair cleanser. This clarifying shampoo is ideal for normal to oily hair types needing a weekly deep clean, or a hair reset. The silicone-free formula cleans up any excess sebum and accumulated oils, leaving hair healthy and weightless.
5. TEA TREE Lavender Mint Moisturizing Conditioner
If you’re looking for a calming and hydrating conditioner, this is the one. There’s a reason why the Paul Mitchell’s tea tree-based hair care has a cult following and is so well loved by the beauty community. This particular product contains both lavender oil and mint, in addition to tea tree and rosemary oils. It’s the ultimate moisturizing conditioner—with added hair growth benefits.
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