Jump to:
When your hair is looking less than its best, rosemary offers an all-natural way to improve the look of your locks. Learn how to use rosemary water for hair to achieve strength, shine, and volume.
Why Use Rosemary Water for Hair?
Nick Alias/Shutterstock
Water infused with rosemary oil allows you to enjoy all of the benefits that the herb has to offer in an easy, one-step application. Rosemary is clinically proven to help improve hair and scalp health, leading to thicker, healthier growth.
If you’re looking to add shine and volume to your hair, rosemary water is an easy DIY remedy that can lead to long-term improvements. You can apply it after shampooing, leave it in overnight, or spritz it into freshly washed hair for a gentle daily treatment.
Using rosemary water for hair can make a difference in several different areas. Some of the top benefits of rosemary water include:
- Encouraging thick, fast, and healthy growth
- Improving overall scalp health
- Fighting dandruff and disease
- Nourishing and repairing damaged hair
When you want to bring some life back to dull, damaged hair, consider using rosemary water for a gentle and all-natural remedy. Read on to learn more about how rosemary water can help to improve both hair and scalp health to give your locks plenty of strength and shine.
Other Hair Treatments You Might Like:
Promotes Healthy Growth
Rosemary oil is a tried and tested way to promote healthy hair growth. Even individuals with issues such as thinning locks or a receding hairline may notice improvements when using rosemary water for hair growth.
Encourages Nerve Growth
As we age, nerves around the scalp and follicles can start to show signs of damage. This makes it harder for hair to grow, resulting in thinning and hair loss.
A compound in rosemary known as carnosic acid can help to heal long-term nerve damage. With healthier nerves, you’ll see thicker growth in areas that were formerly sparse.
Promotes Healthy Follicles
When the skin around hair follicles is irritated or swollen, it can inhibit healthy hair growth. Rosemary has anti-inflammatory effects that can help to soothe the skin around follicles and allow for faster, thicker growth. Rosemary can also boost blood flow to the follicles to nourish developing strands of hair.
Protects Against Hair Loss
Studies have shown that using rosemary can help to combat hair loss found in male and female pattern baldness. It was just as effective as the drug of choice, minoxidil, at restoring hair growth. What’s more, rosemary water boasts fewer side effects such as itching and dandruff.
Improves Scalp Health
Using rosemary oil can be just as good for your scalp as it is for your hair. If you have trouble with dryness, itchiness, or flaking, rosemary oil may be able to offer you some relief. It can help to soothe and moisturize skin, giving your hair the support it needs to grow strong.
Boosts Circulation
If your scalp is feeling itchy or inflamed, poor circulation may be to blame. You need plenty of nutrients flowing past the skin to promote healthy skin.
Rosemary oil applied topically can help to boost circulation in areas with poor blood flow, improving both skin and follicle health. You can massage rosemary water into your scalp or spray it on to stimulate circulation around the scalp.
Reduces Inflammation
Rosemary contains anti-inflammatory compounds that can reduce redness and swelling associated with allergies, dermatitis, dryness, and other conditions.
It works by preventing immune cells from releasing chemicals such as histamines that lead to inflammation. Using rosemary water can soothe your scalp and reduce trauma around the follicles for healthier skin.
Balances Natural Oils
Many people use rosemary water as a facial astringent. It can help to tone, even, and balance out skin tone without causing any greasiness or irritation.
Rosemary oil can also help to restore balance to your scalp by controlling natural oil production. If you’re prone to greasy hair, rosemary water can help you address the issue from the root up.
Read Next: What Is the Best Oil for Hair?
Fights Dandruff
There are a variety of reasons dandruff can appear, from a dry scalp to a microbial imbalance. Rosemary oil helps to tackle dandruff from multiple angles to keep your scalp looking clean, dry, and flake-free.
Moisturizing Effects
When the skin around your scalp is dry, it can flake off and cause dandruff. Not only is this unsightly, but it can also be itchy and painful.
Using rosemary water can help to restore the natural balance of oil on your scalp, leading to healthy and hydrated skin. It also promotes circulation around the area to repair damage or irritation.
Antimicrobial Effects
Many people aren’t aware that their scalp is home to a whole host of microbes that keep skin and hair follicles healthy. If this microbial population falls out of balance, it can lead to skin issues such as dryness and dandruff.
Rosemary boasts antimicrobial properties that help to eliminate unwanted bacteria and other microbes to maintain healthy scalp microflora.
Antifungal Effects
Certain fungal infections can lead to persistent dandruff problems without proper treatment. A yeast-like fungus known as Malassezia commonly found in warm, humid areas is often the culprit behind seemingly untreatable dandruff flare-ups.
Rosemary has antifungal properties that can help to discourage fungal spores from settling on your scalp. It may also block early growth to nip fungal infestations in the bud.
However, more advanced cases of Malassezia may require medical-strength antifungals to combat growth. It’s best to speak to your doctor if you notice signs of a flare-up.
Read Next: How to Get Rid of Dandruff Without Shampoo
Repairs Damaged Hair
Like many medicinal herbs, rosemary is packed full of healthy antioxidants that can promote healthy living across a wide range of areas. Rosemary water contains several compounds that help to nourish hair from the root, supporting growth and even repairing past damage.
Carnosic Acid
Carnosic acid helps to repair damage in nerves and the surrounding tissues. Healing nerve damage around the scalp and follicles ensures that hair grows thick, healthy, and strong. You’re less likely to see any damage caused by weak or brittle strands, including breakage and split ends.
Carnosol
Carnosol protects against carcinogenic compounds, watching out for healthy skin cells and eliminating potential threats. It also helps to reduce inflammation and improve overall skin health.
By supporting the scalp and follicles, carnosol can help to reverse damaged hair and have your locks looking their best again in no time.
Rosmarinic Acid
Rosmarinic acid is the compound for which rosemary gets its name. It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to prevent symptoms of dermatitis. Rosmarinic acid improves scalp and follicle health for better hair growth.
As an antioxidant, it also helps to protect hair against free radicals. Existing strands are less likely to suffer from environmental damage, including wind, weather, and UV radiation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sakss/Shutterstock
Here, we’ll answer some of the most common questions people have about using rosemary water for hair.
How often should I put rosemary water in my hair?
If you are using rosemary water as a rinse, you only need to apply it once or twice a week to see the best results. Leave-in treatments work best just once a week or once every other week. On the other hand, you can apply a spray solution multiple times a week for quick and consistent results.
How long should I leave rosemary water in my hair?
If you’re using rosemary water as a rinse, leave it in for around five to ten minutes before washing out. For leave-in treatments, allow the rosemary water to sit anywhere from five hours to overnight. If you spritz your hair with rosemary water, you can leave it in until your next bath or shower.
Can I spray rosemary water in my hair daily?
If you use rosemary water as a spray, it should be safe to spritz your hair daily. You may start seeing results within a few months of consistent use. If you notice any signs of damage or irritation, try reducing the frequency of your treatments.
Does rosemary water darken hair?
Rosemary is sometimes known to darken gray hairs, especially with daily use. If you are looking to tone down gray highlights, rosemary offers a safe and natural alternative to store-bought dye. Rosemary water may also slow the growth of existing grays by promoting healthy, strong, and colorful new strands.
Is rosemary water safe for everybody?
Rosemary water should be safe for most individuals to use in small amounts. Sensitive individuals or those with allergies may experience a reaction upon contact with oils found in rosemary plants. If you notice redness or irritation when using rosemary water, stop and consult with your doctor before continuing treatment.
Should You Use Rosemary Water on Your Hair?
If you’re looking for a natural way to promote healthy growth, rosemary water is an all-natural way to promote long and luxurious locks.
Using rosemary water can improve both hair and scalp health while fighting issues such as dandruff and breakage. It’s easy to create your own rosemary water treatment at home and gentle enough for most people to use daily.