If you are one of the millions who watch the short clips all over the internet, you have certainly come across the ones that swear by Rosemary to help grow hair. Some of these short videos pertain to a spray, some pertain to oil and others talk about shampoo.
[toc]
What are the facts? Can you actually use Rosemary that you grow in your garden to help your hair to regrow? Well, we have some advice from a board-certified dermatologist, Dr. R. Sonia Batra.
Dr. R. Sonia Batra says that Rosemary water does help the hair. She verifies that this is not just one of those trends that fly in and out quickly. What is it about the water that helps? She states that there is even data to help back up the idea of Rosemary helping the hair.
Origins
There was a time in the world when factories did not make shampoo and conditioner, or any other remedies that would help your hair look better. What they did have were homemade soaps. Mostly made from lye. They used this for washing their bodies, their hair, their clothing, and probably even their dishes.
Women back then actually searched the fields, the forests, the woods, and the gardens for items they could use to better themselves. Many of these items were also used for medicinal purposes. Rosemary has always been one of those items that they picked and used for many different purposes.
Again, let’s fall back to another meaning of origins. The scalp is the origin of the hair. In order to have healthy hair, the scalp needs to be healthy. Rosemary contains ‘ursolic acid’. This acid helps to increase circulation in the scalp. When there is more circulation, that means there is more oxygen and nutrients that go right to the follicles. This in turn is what promotes healthy hair.
Rosemary offers your scalp much more though. There are strong anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects of using Rosemary. What’s more is that Rosemary fights against Candida Albicans. This is a form of yeast that causes dandruff. Along with that, Rosemary may help with itchiness and scalp irritation.
Changing Gray
Rosemary has also been shown to darken the gray hairs, and slow down their growth of those gray hairs. The high antioxidant content that is found in Rosemary searches for those free radicals and hydrogen peroxide, which are responsible for the gray, they are also responsible for the thinning of hair.
This simple herb is capable of revitalizing your hair. As an all-natural ingredient, it can also help remove product build-up from previous shampoos, conditioners, sprays, gels, and mousses. Once all the build-up is eliminated, your hair returns to a soft and shiny head of hair.
Added Benefit
Way back in time, probably when I was younger, Rosemary was often called the ‘remembrance herb’. Sprigs would be passed out at funerals and processions as a symbol of happy times and happy memories.
This simple herb and its aroma are known to calm the nerves and relax the mind. It is often used as a homeopathic antidepressant. It is known to lift spirits. Sniffing Rosemary has also often been linked to improving memory.
Making a Hair Rinse
You would automatically think that this could be a long process to make a hair rinse. Not so, all you are going to need is fresh Rosemary and water. You could add other herbs such as lavender flowers, sage, or marshmallow root to give an extra boost. I will include the information along with the rinse. The additions can help darken the gray, help improve the scalp, condition, moisturize and even detangle your hair.
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ tsp black tea, to nourish and darken the hair
- 1 tbsp fresh lavender or ½ tbsp dried lavender flowers, to balance out the scalp oils
- 1 tbsp fresh sage or ½ tbsp dried sage leaves to promote a healthy scalp and help darken the gray hairs
- 1 tbsp marshmallow root to condition, moisturize and detangle the hair
- 1 tsp Almond or Argan Oil to help remedy dry hair.
In a saucepan, boil the water and add in the Rosemary leaves and any of the other items you would like. Stir, cover tightly, and reduce the heat to a simmer. The cover is to be sure that none of the essential oils are lost in the steam. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set to the side and allow to cool. Keep the cover on the pot.
You will notice that the water begins to turn brown. That is expected. You may also notice a film of oil sitting on the water, this too, is okay. That is Rosemary Oil. Using a tea strainer, strain the tea and if you are using the Almond Oil, be sure to add this at this time and stir well to combine.
Next, you are going to slowly pour this rinse over your hair. Do this over a dishpan or large pot to catch the drippings. You want to continue pouring the rinse over your hair until it is all used. Massage your hair and scalp to be sure to get the rinse completely covering all areas. Let your hair sit like this for 10 to 20 minutes.
This rinse can be left in until the next time your hair is washed or you can rinse it thoroughly after 20 minutes. What remains in the pot or dishpan can be placed into a squeeze bottle or another type of bottle for the next use. This recipe makes enough for 2 to 4 uses. (Depending on how long the hair is)
Let’s be clear on one aspect. Darkening the gray is not going to happen completely overnight. The process is going to take 2 to 3 months before the gray is completely colored and there are few growing in. It is believed that if you leave the rinse on each time, you will notice quicker results. I, however, have not tried that.
What Hair Benefits?
Dr. Batra does not hesitate to explain that certain hair or certain people will benefit more from the Rosemary hair rinse than others do. She begins by stating age has impacts on people, thinning hair can be one of those impacts. Thinning hair due to advanced age can certainly benefit by being rejuvenated with a Rosemary Rinse.
Also, those with thinning hair due to a hormone imbalance or hormonal effects may also benefit greatly from using a Rosemary rinse. People who suffer from dandruff will see results from using this. The anti-inflammatory properties will reduce the inflammation that leads to dandruff, it also moisturizes the scalp.
A note of extreme caution from Dr. Batra, for those that are currently using any type of topical medication for hair growth, including Minoxidil, do not use a Rosemary rinse without first speaking with your Doctor. This is also true for any person or people that use oral medications for hair loss or hair issues. They need to steer clear of Rosemary’s rinses also until they have spoken to their physician.
Also, she reiterates that there is no data that include pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding. Again, the patient MUST speak with the Main Physician of their case. Just in case you had doubts still, Dr. Batra does use a Rosemary Rinse in her hair. She applies it at night and leaves it on all night until her morning shower. She believes in the benefits to the scalp and the hair.
We cannot personally guarantee any of the stated benefits, we can only say that the Rosemary Rinse may help with the conditions mentioned above. Keep in mind, that we are all learning about new products at the same time.
I do want to say though, that Rosemary is as old as time, it was used before any of us were thinking of it, it can be quite a daunting task to argue against something that has worked for hundreds of years, and who knows how many generations. That is up to you to choose to trust or not. I personally have seen no negative reviews whatsoever in regards to a Rosemary Rinse.
Available For Purchase
I would be remiss if I did not mention that there are actually many companies that do create and sell hair products with Rosemary or Rosemary oil in them. They may be located in your local markets, maybe health food stores or Beauty shops themselves. Ulta Beauty has a wide variety of products, at least in my neck of the woods.
If you do not have luck at physical stores, you know there is always the internet. With a few clicks, you can find anything you want or need. You can also check with friends, maybe they know where it is available. But, truly, it is not difficult to make a Rosemary tea to use as a hair rinse.