Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil

About Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil

Rosemary leaf oil is an essential oil steam-distilled from the leaves of the rosemary plant. Its sharp, herbal scent comes from compounds such as 1,8-cineole, camphor and alpha-pinene. Newer labels may list it under the plant's updated botanical name, Salvia Rosmarinus.

In hair care it is used for fragrance and, more and more, in scalp oils, 'growth' serums and rosemary-infused waters. That trend rests largely on one small randomized trial in which people with pattern hair loss who used rosemary oil for six months saw changes in hair count similar to those using a low-strength minoxidil solution. That is interesting, but it was a single small study in a specific condition, and it has not been confirmed by larger, independent research. Rosemary oil is not a treatment for hair loss, and it won't change how fast healthy hair grows.

What it reliably does is smell fresh and add a tingling, clean feeling to scalp products. Because essential oils are concentrated, they should be diluted — leave-on blends commonly keep total essential oils at around 1–2% — and never applied neat to the scalp. Rosemary oil can irritate or sensitize skin, especially when it has oxidized, and it should be kept away from the eyes.

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or have a medical condition, ask your doctor before using concentrated essential oils. For thinning, patchy or sudden hair loss, see a dermatologist. It is approved for the Curly Girl Method.