Is Rosemary Water the Secret to Hair Growth?
Long, healthy hair has held many meanings throughout history. In some Native American tribes, it symbolized strength and pride. Men from the Han Dynasty in China grew their hair as a token of familial respect. Victorian women often sported waist-length locks to affirm their wealth and femininity. Today, long hair is making a comeback–as are the secret home remedies to support its growth.
The latest hair growth hack to hit TikTok is a rosemary water rinse. Glossy-haired influencers often swear by the herbal treatment to boost growth and strengthen your strands, but is there scientific evidence to back up their claims?
Rosemary for Hair Growth: What Science Has to Say
With so much fake news online, getting the facts before jumping on a trend is essential. Despite the hype on TikTok, scientific research on rosemary for hair growth is limited. However, there have been a few small studies to back it up:
- A 2013 study1 found that rosemary leaf extract may stimulate hair regrowth in people suffering from androgenic alopecia (male/female baldness). This study was conducted on mice and not recreated with humans.
- A 2015 study2 found rosemary oil as effective as minoxidil, a proven topical treatment for male/female pattern baldness. This study confirmed rosemary oil’s ability to boost hair growth in people with androgenic alopecia.
Rosemary oil had promising results as a hair growth treatment in both studies. However, it was only tested on people with genetic hair loss. Those who already have healthy hair may not see any significant hair growth.
The Important Difference Between Rosemary Water and Rosemary Oil
The studies above focus on rosemary leaf extract and oil, not rosemary water. Professional-grade oils and extracts are more potent than the at-home, water-based solutions social media users promote. They’re made in controlled facilities to ensure their purity and often contain more potent plant compounds supporting hair growth.
An extract is a product of soaking fresh rosemary leaves in water or alcohol and cold-pressing them to draw out their active compounds. Essential oil is a liquid derived from heating, vaporizing, and condensing a solution of fresh rosemary and water or alcohol.
People with significant hair loss may benefit more from using commercially made rosemary oil or extract over homemade rosemary water.
Rosemary Water May Have Other Benefits for Your Hair
Even though rosemary water may not be as potent as rosemary oil, it may still benefit your hair and scalp. Rosemary leaves have medicinal properties that people have been exploiting for centuries. Here’s how a rosemary water rinse could improve your hair health:
- Cleanse scalp build-up: Rosemary is an astringent that binds with oils on your scalp and washes them away. A rosemary rinse can help loosen stubborn dirt and build-up.
- Fight dandruff: It has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Using rosemary on your hair can help control the overgrowth of scalp microbes that lead to dandruff.
- Soothe itching and redness: Rosemary is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that can ease scalp irritation associated with seborrheic dermatitis and other skin conditions.
Crafting Quality Hair Care Products With Rosemary Extract
As the natural beauty movement gains traction, more manufacturers choose herbal extracts as active ingredients in hair care products. At Advanced Biotech, we supply premium quality botanical compounds for cosmetics, food, and beverages, with many USDA-certified organic and EU natural-certified options available. Please contact us for more information about our range of pure essential oils, isolates, and extracts.
1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22517595/
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/