Rosemary is a natural, fragrant ingredient that can help improve the condition of your hair. It contains sulfur and silicon, which help strengthen hair and promote growth, and it can even help relieve scalp conditions such as eczema. A rosemary hair treatment keeps well, so you can make a large amount at once and store it in the refrigerator for long-term use.
Making the Treatment
Place fresh rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan and cover them with olive oil, sunflower oil or almond oil. Warm the oil over medium heat but do not let it boil. Simmer the mixture for up to three hours, then strain it through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve into a glass jar. Discard the sprigs.
Applying the Treatment
You can use the rosemary hair treatment warm or completely cooled. With your fingertips, apply the infused oil to your scalp section by section, massaging in circles as you go. Then coat your hair with the oil from roots to ends. Apply it sparingly to avoid drips. Coil your hair on top of your head and secure, cover it with a plastic bag or shower cap, then wrap it with an old towel. Let it all sit for 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition as usual. You might need to lather the shampoo an extra time to make sure you remove all of the oil.
Benefits
The rosemary helps condition your hair, leaving it softer, shinier and more manageable. Rosemary is also a hair toner, enhancing darker hair shades and bringing out lowlights. According to herb expert Margaret Roberts, rosemary "stimulates and revitalizes the hair" and can even alleviate hair loss.
Variations
If you want to make a larger batch of the rosemary hair treatment, you could use a slow cooker instead of a saucepan to heat the oil and sprigs. Or, to avoid using heat, you can let the oil and rosemary steep in a glass jar in a sun-filled window for two to three weeks. Another alternative is to steep and simmer the rosemary in water rather than oil. You can use the rosemary water in the same way you would use the oil-based hair treatment, and Roberts even suggests adding the rosemary water to your final rinse water after you shampoo.
Considerations
Wear old clothes when you use a rosemary hair treatment, as it can drip or spatter. Also, if you use your rosemary hair treatment warm, make sure it is not so warm that it could scald or burn you.
Warning
Oil makes shower floors slippery, so use caution if you rinse out an oil-based rosemary hair treatment in the shower.
References
- "Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living"; Annie Berthold-Bond; 1999
- Mineral Information Institute: The Role of Elements in Life Processes
- "Margaret Roberts' A-Z of Herbs"; Margaret Roberts; 2000
- "Reclaim Your Life: Your Guide to Healing of Endometriosis"; Carolyn Levitt; 2008
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