There is a natural way and a chemical way - Your choice - I choose the natural way!
In a previous post I gave a list of dietary or food supplements that will encourage hair growth from the inside out. In this current post I want to share how you can make your own Rosemary oil and/or Rosemary water, that is used topically to encourage healthy hair growth.
Rosemary is considered a medicinal plant. A study was done on the clinical efficacy of natural rosemary oil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) as compared to the chemical treatment, minoxidil 2%. This study was done over a 6 months period. (You can read the entire study here)
Bottom line was that both groups experienced a significant increase in hair count at the 6-month endpoint compared with the baseline and 3-month endpoint. So from my standpoint I would go with the natural rosemary plant and skip the chemical process.
However, it works best if you are consistent with its use. I suggest three times a week.
It's a simple process.
Buy some organic rosemary or grow your own. There are five types of rosemary and it doesn't matter which one you use. It is super easy to grow and not picky about the soil its grown in.
Clip the leaves and toss the stem
Put your leaves in a small pan and add distilled or filtered water just enough to cover your leaves.
Bring to a slow boil then reduce the heat and simmer slowly for at least 30 minutes.
Remove it from the heat.
Let it set in the warm water until room temperature.
Strain and bottle the liquid.
This process can also be done using coconut, jojoba or almond oil. Preferably organic.
Bottle your concoction in a non-breakable container that you can use in the shower. After shampooing, rinse, then pour the rosemary water on the hair. It is totally okay to leave it in and not rinse out. If you don't like the smell of rosemary, leave it in for 15 min then rinse out.
If you used oil for this process then only bring the oil to a pre-boil state. Remove from the heat and let the rosemary set in the oil until the oil cools down on it's own. Remove the rosemary leaves and bottle the oil. Use the rosemary oil for a warm hair/scalp mask. It will need to be shampooed out.
Both can be used on the same day if desired. Use the oil first, shampoo, then follow with the liquid rosemary which can be left in without rinsing if desired.
This will work, but not overnight. In fact, it may take several months before you notice a significant difference. Depending how quickly your hair naturally grows, you might see a difference in a couple of weeks. Just make it part of your hair maintince ritual and over time you will be glad you did.
(side note: If you don't want to do the above process, you can also buy the essential oil of rosemary and put it directly on your scalp. Use carefully because it is strong and might sting based on your sensitivity level. Massage in and leave it in for 30 minutes or overnight if not sensitive. Stop using rosemary if you are sensitive to it.)
For more information on the benefits of Rosemary click here
Photo by Image by Cover photo by Jill Wellington
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