You probably heard a lot about rosemary. Is it just an herb for culinary use, or something more than that? Before jumping into a whole bunch of analysis, let me share my story.
There was a time when I experienced severe hair loss. You may imagine how horrible it was to see my hair gradually thinning day by day. I was so desperate to prevent hair loss and get my hair back that I probably left no stone unturned in my search for a wholesome solution. And finally, after a lot of research and personal experimentation, do you know what I found? I have learned about the magic of rosemary water for hair growth and couldn’t be more excited to share everything about this magic ingredient with you. So why delay further? Let’s get started
Benefits of Rosemary Water for Hair Growth
Rosemary has long been used in the Mediterranean region for its widespread culinary and medicinal benefits. But now there’s a buzz everywhere that rosemary extract has a positive effect on the scalp and hair follicles, potentially leading to thicker and stronger hair over time.
A study published in 2015 has shown that rosemary oil in androgenic alopecia is as effective as 2% minoxidil. Though the study focused on rosemary oil, since rosemary water also holds the same active compounds, it is also considered as beneficial as oil for hair growth.
Rosemary water is capable of reversing the effect of your hair thinning. It contains active compounds such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid which increase blood circulation, and nourish hair follicles. It also provides anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help to soothe the scalp and create a healthier environment for hair follicles to thrive.
Rosemary Oil vs. Rosemary Water: Which One Should You Choose?
Rosemary oil has a much higher concentration compared to rosemary water. So why not just use rosemary oil? If you have oily hair, you probably already know the answer: you can not oil your hair on an everyday basis.
However, rosemary water is something you can use every day, whether you have oily hair or dry hair. Because it’s literally just going to dry on your roots and scalp, without making your hair greasy and you’re not even going to be able to notice that you’ve put anything on it. Usually, I use rosemary oil once a week and rosemary water every day.
Some people may experience sensitivity to higher concentrations of rosemary oil. Rosemary water can be a choice for them instead of oil.
How to prepare rosemary water?
Creating your own rosemary water is super simple, and if you have a rosemary plant in your house, you are already in luck! You can make this recipe without costing a penny.
Ingredients
- Rosemary sprigs (You can also use dried rosemary if fresh is not available)
- Water
- A small piece of garlic or a few leaves of mint (optional)
How to prepare
- Rinse 3-5 rosemary sprigs or 2-3 tablespoons of dried rosemary and other ingredients (if any) in water.
- Put everything in a pot with about 4-5 cups of water.
- Bring the water to a boil and then turn the burner down to simmer.
- Let this simmer with the cover on the pot for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Strain the liquid to remove the rosemary leaves.
- Transfer the rosemary-infused water to a spray bottle or container for use.
You can store the rosemary water in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
How to use rosemary water?
There are a few different ways that you can use rosemary water. The first one is, that after washing your hair with shampoo and conditioner, use rosemary water for the final rinse. This helps to seal the hair cuticles and add shine, imparting a subtle fragrance.
The second way is to use rosemary water as a leave-in conditioner. This is something I do on an everyday basis. You can just spray the water on the roots of your dry hair, or if you want you can apply it to your hair strands too. You can do this any time of the day, but I prefer to do it right before I go to bed. It almost dries instantly because it’s just a water spray, and you will feel like there’s barely anything on your roots.
Mistakes to avoid
Anyone can make rosemary water, it’s that simple. But still, there are certain steps you should be careful about to get the maximum benefits from rosemary water. What are they? Let’s see
- Don’t overheat the water. It can evaporate the essential nutrients easily. Let it simmer with the burner down and the cover on the pot.
- Rosemary water should ideally be used within a reasonable time to ensure freshness and efficacy. So don’t use a single batch for more than two weeks since you made it.
Who should not use rosemary water?
Even in diluted form, rosemary water may cause sensitivity for some people. So it’s always better to perform a patch test before actually including it in your routine. If you find it irritating to the scalp, then maybe it’s not for you.
Though there’s no proven evidence that rosemary water is harmful during pregnancy, it’s often advised to avoid rosemary in pregnancy as it still contains active ingredients that may affect hormonal balance. After all, we don’t want to take any chances when it comes to babies.
So let’s bring you back again to our first concern: Is it worth the Hype? If you’re going to try it once in a blue moon or just for a few days, I would say, no! It’s not going to make a huge difference. But if you remain consistent and give this a try on a regular basis, rosemary water might just be the star ingredient in your hair growth journey.
