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How to Dilute Rosemary Oil for Hair (And The Best Carrier Oils)
Dr Peter Thomas (GMC)
Medically reviewed by
Dr Peter Thomas (GMC)
Updated on September 3, 2024

If you are looking for the best carrier oils used to dilute rosemary oil for hair growth, you are likely aware that this substance is one of the best essential oils for hair growth and are seeking to enhance its hair benefits even further.

There is scientific evidence that shows rosemary oil (rosmarinus officinalis leaf oil) can increase hair density and reduce hair loss in androgenetic alopecia, a condition which affects approximately 85% of men and 50% of women by the time they are 50 [1][2]. However, like most essential oils, it needs to be diluted in a carrier oil, to prevent scalp irritation.

Carrier oils, such as jojoba oil, argan oil or coconut oil, are not just diluents, many of them also possess hair benefits which can complement the properties of the best blends of rosemary oil for hair growth. Some of them can moisturise, condition and strengthen your hair, providing it with nutrients and antioxidants.

Continue reading this article to find out all you need to know about:

  • Why pure rosemary essential oil for hair growth needs to be diluted
  • How to dilute rosemary oil for hair growth
  • The best carrier oils you can use to dilute your rosemary oil
  • How rosemary oil treatment can be used to improve hair growth
Table of Contents
How do you dilute rosemary oil for hair growth

How do you dilute rosemary oil for hair growth?

It is not difficult to dilute rosemary oil for hair growth. Here is a step-by-step guide to how you can do that:

1. Choose your favourite rosemary oil blend

There are a variety of undiluted rosemary oil brands out there, so you can pick the one which works best for you. While their properties are largely similar, there can be differences in the strand of rosemary used, in aroma, price range, etc.

Helpful tip: You don’t have to dilute the rosemary oil yourself if you’d rather not do that. You can always try one of the best diluted rosemary oils for hair growth which are commercially available.

Nature Spell Rosemary Oil For Hair & Skin

2. Choose your favourite carrier oil

You can choose from a multitude of carrier oils, each with its specific properties, to dilute your rosemary oil.

Helpful tip:

  • Coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, rosehip oil and almond oil are some of your best options (read further to find out why this is and learn more about their properties).
Choose your favourite carrier oil

3. Measure your oils to achieve the desired concentration

When diluting rosemary oil, you may want to aim for a safe 2% concentration. That means you will need to add 2 drops of rosemary oil to 98 drops of carrier oil. To make that easier to measure, this is approximately equivalent to one teaspoon.

So for every teaspoon of carrier oil you plan to use, you simply need to add 2 drops of your favourite rosemary oil to achieve a 2% dilution.

Helpful tips:

  • If you would like to try a stronger concentration, just increase the number of rosemary oil drops and reduce the number of carrier oil drops. Each added drop represents one more percent to your concentration (e.g. 3 drops of rosemary oil + 97 drops of carrier oil = 3%, 4 drops + 96 drops = 4% etc.).
  • Make sure you don’t exceed a 10% rosemary oil concentration unless recommended by your trichologist.

4. Mix your oils together

Pour the measured amount of rosemary oil into a container holding the measured carrier oil, using a medicine dropper (or by hand, if the rosemary oil container is designed for this purpose). Then gently stir the mixture until it is fully blended.

Helpful tip:

  • If you feel the diluted rosemary oil smells too strongly or if it irritates your scalp, add some more carrier oil until you achieve the desired result.

What are carrier oils?

jars of a variety of oils

Like essential oils, carrier oils are also mostly extracted from the seeds or nuts of plants. However, unlike essential oils, they are fixed, which means they don’t evaporate [4]. When mixed with rosemary oil, they dilute it, making it safe to apply to your hair and scalp without any significant side effects.

Carrier oils contain fatty acids, which can penetrate the hair shaft, moisturise and strengthen it, preventing dry, brittle hair which breaks easily. They can also coat your strands, preventing friction which can lead to split ends instead of healthy hair. Moreover, they also contain various nutrients, as well as antioxidants, which may play a role in protecting your locks from UV damage [4].

While there are many good carrier oils out there that you can use to dilute your rosemary oil for hair growth, here are some of those which have the most proven benefits:

coconut oil

1. Benefits of coconut oil for hair

Coconut oil is one of the richest in fatty acids and antioxidants. It has good cleansing, moisturising and lubrication qualities [5][6], preventing hair breakage and developing split ends.

It also has proven in-vitro antifungal and antibacterial properties [7], though further research is needed to determine if this effect persists when applied topically.

There is some evidence that coconut oil may have an anti-inflammatory effect against UV radiation-induced inflammation [8].

Coconut oil also strengthens your hair by penetrating its shaft and preventing the loss of protein [9].

argan oil

2. Benefits of argan oil for hair

Argan oil has sebum-regulating properties, which means that it prevents your scalp from secreting too much natural oil, which might clog your pores or lead to scalp acne, scalp folliculitis or a yeast infection on your scalp [5][10].

It is also a very good scalp moisturiser, due to its water-holding capacity [11].

jojoba oil

3. Benefits of jojoba oil for hair

Jojoba oil is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, such as  Vitamin E for hair, Vitamin B and Vitamin C for hair.

It has also been proven to be effective in increasing the skin penetration of topical medication [11].

Its waxy composition and anti-inflammatory effect may play a role in improving the symptoms of common scalp problems, such as scalp acne, seborrheic dermatitis and eczema or scalp psoriasis [11][12].

rosehip oil

4. Benefits of rosehip oil for hair

Research has found that rosehip oil for hair can strengthen your hair fibres and make them more elastic [13]. This can help reduce the amount of split ends and hair breakage you may be experiencing.

While more evidence is needed to support this, there is some indication that rosehip oil may have some anti-inflammatory properties [15] which may play a role in treating eczema [11].

Rosehip oil also has proven softening and moisturising properties, which can make your hair less frizzy and more manageable [14].

almond oil

5. Benefits of almond oil for hair

Almond oil is rich in antioxidants which can provide your hair with some protection from UV radiation [5] (however, exposing your hair directly to sunlight is not good for your hair).

Moreover, it has emollient properties, which soften and condition your hair and scalp [11] and have been found to increase strand elasticity [6].

Finally, almond oil is light and absorbs into your scalp easily.

How can you use diluted rosemary oil for hair growth?

Once you have diluted your rosemary oil for hair growth in your favourite carrier oil, all you have to do is pour a few drops on your hands or directly on your scalp and massage it gently. You may also want to apply it to the rest of your hair, using a comb to spread it on the entire length of your locks.

After application, there is no strict recommendation for how long you should leave rosemary oil in your hair. You can leave it in for as long as it feels comfortable (anywhere from 30 minutes to the entire day). Just remember to wash your hair frequently if you leave the diluted rosemary oil on your hair for long stretches at a time, to avoid buildup and greasiness.

When used properly, rosemary oil has been found to be as efficient as Minoxidil in preventing hair loss and restoring hair growth in [16] and possibly in alopecia areata (in combination with other essential oils, such as lavender, cedarwood and thyme) [17].

Why do you need to dilute rosemary oil for hair growth?

Rosemary oil is an essential oil, which means it is extracted from a vegetable source [3]. This kind of substance is usually very concentrated and needs to be diluted before being applied to your skin, in order to avoid unwanted side effects, such as:

  • Scalp irritation
  • Scalp itchiness
  • Scalp dryness and flaking
  • A burning sensation on the scalp
  • Allergic reactions

Since oil is insoluble in water, it is not a good idea to use water to dilute rosemary oil. However, it mixes well with certain non-volatile oils, called carrier oils. Learn more about the effectiveness of rosemary water for hair growth.

Are you concerned about hair loss?

If you are thinking of using rosemary oil for hair growth, you may be experiencing hair shedding or hair loss. This can happen for many reasons, ranging from male pattern baldness to telogen effluvium, alopecia areata or common scalp problems.

The best thing you can do if you would like to know why your hair is falling out is to book a consultation with a trichologist for the first signs of hair thinning and balding. They will perform a thorough examination of your scalp and provide you with the right diagnosis and treatment.

While they might recommend you continue using natural treatment options such as essential oils for milder conditions, if your alopecia is more advanced, they may prescribe hair growth medication, such as Minoxidil, Finasteride or steroid creams for hair loss.

However, if hair growth medication is not sufficient to stop your hair loss, you don’t need to worry, as you may still be a good candidate for a hair transplant.

How to Dilute Rosemary Oil for Hair (And The Best Carrier Oils), Wimpole Clinic

Sources:

1.Men’s Hair Loss – Introduction

2.Alopecia in Women

  1. Essential Oils’ Chemical Characterization and Investigation of Some Biological Activities: A Critical Review
  2. Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Essential and Carrier Oils as Skin Penetration Enhancers in Pharmaceutical Formulations
  3. Hair Oils: Indigenous Knowledge Revisited
  4. Use of vegetable oils in dermatology: an overview
  5. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of herbal essential oils and monolaurin for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria
  6. Enhanced barrier functions and anti-inflammatory effect of cultured coconut extract on human skin
  7. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage.
  8. Natural Oils for Skin-Barrier Repair: Ancient Compounds Now Backed by Modern Science
  9. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils
  10. Clay jojoba oil facial mask for lesioned skin and mild acne–results of a prospective, observational pilot study
  11. Comparison on Quality Performance of Human Hair Types with Herbal Oils (Grape Seed/Safflower Seed/Rosehip) by Analysis Techniques
  12. Rose Hip Seed Oil: Methods of Extraction and Chemical Composition
  13. 15. Laboratory and preclinical studies on the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of rosehip powder – Identification and characterization of the active component GOPO®
  14. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative tria
  15. Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata
Dr Peter Thomas (GMC)
Medically reviewed by Dr Peter Thomas (GMC)Updated on September 3, 2024
The Wimpole Clinic offers FUE Hair, Beard & Eyebrow Transplants & Trichology.
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