As more and more black women turn to natural alternatives for their hair, one particular product is creating waves in the realm of hair growth: rosemary. While this fragrant herb is well-known for its culinary uses, its link to hair growth seems credible. It’s been used in traditional medicine for generations to cure a variety of diseases, including hair loss.

Recently, rosemary water, a simple herb preparation, has gained popularity for its possible advantages in hair growth. Its trending popularity stems from its simplicity and low cost as a DIY hair growth cure. The hashtag #rosemarywater has received a lot of views on TikTok, with numerous videos demonstrating positive outcomes. These customers claim increased hair growth, new hair regrowth and even better dandruff control.

Despite all the buzz surrounding rosemary’s hair-growth advantages, does science back up these claims?

Meet the Expert: Dr. Diana Rangaves writes for 21Ninety’s as a health and wellness expert. She is a pharmacist, philanthropist, and ethics professor turned writer, holding a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of California. She also serves as the Executive Editor and Chief Content Officer for Healthcare Worldwide Central and has published several works in medical and pharmaceutical publications, academic books, as well as, scholarly articles.

What Is Rosemary?

Rosemary, a woody, evergreen herb known scientifically as Salvia rosmarinus is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae. This perennial plant, native to the Mediterranean region, is distinguished by needle-shaped leaves and white blooms.

For generations, its fragrant characteristics have enriched your meals while also serving as a medicinal herb to cure a variety of health ailments. It has been used in traditional medicine to cure kidney stones and menstrual pain, as well as to alleviate symptoms associated with respiratory illnesses and hair loss.

Today, rosemary is utilized for more than just enhancing meals; it also has significant health advantages. People typically use it because they believe it improves memory, assists digestion, strengthens the immune system and promotes hair growth. It is also commonly utilized in essential oils, cosmetics, cleaning supplies and dietary supplements.

Why Using Rosemary Water Could Promote Hair Growth

Rosemary’s ability to stimulate hair growth could be attributed to the plant’s many beneficial characteristics. Some important advantages include the following:

Increased blood flow: Rosemary water may stimulate blood flow to the scalp, supplying oxygen and essential nutrients to hair follicles. This ensures that the follicles receive the nutrients they require for optimal growth.

Anti-inflammatory qualities: Inflammation can prevent hair growth and cause scalp irritation. Using rosemary water might relieve inflammation and soothe the scalp.

Antioxidant characteristics: Rosemary water may protect the scalp from free radical damage, such as UV rays and pollution, as well as guard the hair follicles against oxidative stress.

Stimulate nerve growth: Carnosic acid, contained in rosemary, has been demonstrated to stimulate nerve growth, perhaps revitalizing the nerves surrounding hair follicles.

How to Prepare a Rosemary Water Blend for Your Hair

Rosemary water is made by soaking rosemary leaves in water, just like you would a tea. The recipe that is now being promoted on social media involves heating water and adding rosemary leaves to it. This produces a liquid embedded with the plant.

Some tutorials recommend adding about five cups of water to five rosemary buds. Allow the concoction to boil for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat and allow it to settle until the water turns pink or red. Next, filter the water to get rid of any rosemary twigs or particles. Pour it into a container that works for you, and you’ll have rosemary water to experiment with.

When it comes to applying the rosemary water, the approaches shared on social media vary slightly. Some people suggested pouring the liquid over the roots and scalp, while others found it easier to use a spray bottle and direct it at the scalp and strands as needed. It is typically used as a final rinse in the shower.

Be sure to get rosemary leaves from a reputable supplier for your hair experiment, as the methods used to collect and prepare plants and herbs can affect their effectiveness.

How to Use Rosemary Water

Here are some recommendations to help you get the most of rosemary water’s potential benefits:

Conduct a patch test: Although rosemary is a natural herb, it might irritate some. To rule out any adverse responses, a patch test should be performed on a visible portion of the scalp. Apply the rosemary water to the same location for a few days in a row and check for irritation. If you experience any irritation, stop using it.

Pay special attention to the scalp: The scalp is where rosemary’s hair growth advantages are most noticeable. When applying it, focus on the scalp and massage it thoroughly. The longer the solution sits on the skin, the better.

The frequency of use: Given the limited studies, it is impossible to determine an optimal frequency of use. However, many users find that applying it 2-4 times a week, or even daily, works best for them.

Patience and consistency are crucial: Hair development is a gradual process, so do not expect rapid results. For example, in a research comparing rosemary oil to minoxidil, significant changes appeared after six months.

Rosemary Water to Treat Dandruff

In addition to potentially boosting hair growth, some users report that rosemary water helps treat and prevent dandruff and itchy scalp. This could be due to rosemary’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal characteristics, particularly since yeast on the scalp is one of the leading causes of dandruff.

So, Can Rosemary Water Really Aid With Hair Loss?

Two types of rosemary are used to promote hair growth: rosemary oil and rosemary water. Although there is little data on rosemary water and hair growth, studies on the more potent rosemary oil suggest potential. Two studies, in particular, suggest that rosemary can help with hair growth.

One study discovered that after six months, rosemary oil was equally as successful at treating androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern baldness) as 2% minoxidil, a standard hair growth medication. In another study, this time with mice, researchers discovered that rosemary extract may inhibit dihydrotestosterone, a hormone known to induce hair loss. The results indicated that rosemary may assist in increasing hair development in these circumstances. While these findings seem promising, because hair loss can occur for a variety of reasons, rosemary water may not be effective for everyone.

Overall, rosemary water is a natural way to stimulate hair growth and improve scalp health. While more detailed research is needed, preliminary findings and several anecdotal reports are encouraging. However, due to the variety of causes of hair loss, what works for one person may not work for another. Always consult with a doctor before using any at-home therapies that aren’t fully supported by scientific data, as rosemary may interfere with certain medications, cause irritation, or produce negative effects in some cases.

Hair growth