the wild apothecary

Rosemary Hair Oil

Nourishing • Soothing • Scalp-Loving

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YieldAbout ½ cup

TimeAbout 2–3 hours on low heat, plus straining

UseDry, itchy or flaky scalp; encouraging hair growth

ToolsDouble boiler, fine mesh strainer, glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, 1 oz pump bottle

TextureLight, silky oil

StorageKeep a 1 oz pump bottle out to use and store the rest in the fridge to keep it fresh longer. Keep water out of the jar and use clean, dry hands.

About This Recipe

This is a staple in my cabinet. People use rosemary hair oil for itchy scalp, dry scalp, flaky scalp, to encourage hair growth and to help balance oil production. Paired with a 10-minute scalp massage, it is also soothing and calming, a little ritual that grounds an overactive, scattered mind.

Dried rosemary in a glass jar with a green canning funnel — Dried Rosemary & Oil

From my herbal guides The Art of Herbal Infusion Make your own herbal oils, then turn one jar into face oil, cream, scrub and body butter.

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Turn one jar into face oil, cream, scrub & body butter
Step-by-step PDF guide

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Ingredients

2 tbsp dried rosemary
½ cup argan oil

Directions

Place the dried rosemary and argan oil in a double boiler.
Infuse on low heat for a couple of hours, until the oil has a nice rosemary aroma.
Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Pour 1 oz into a 1 oz pump bottle to use on your scalp and hair. Store the rest in the fridge and refill the pump bottle as needed.

To Use

Part your hair and place a few drops of oil directly onto your scalp. Rub it in, then repeat all over your head.
Massage the oil into your scalp for 10 minutes, using slow, small circles with medium pressure. Get the crown of your head, the back of your neck where the hairline meets your neck, behind and in front of your ears, and your temples.
Wait another 10–20 minutes, then shampoo as you normally would.
For best results, use it consistently. The massage is the part not to skip: it gets the blood circulating, helps the oil absorb and relaxes the muscles around your head.

Notes

Fresh rosemary version: chop 2–3 rosemary sprigs and infuse them in a double boiler with ¼ cup jojoba oil (or olive oil) and 1 tbsp castor oil on low heat for a couple of hours (or infuse for a couple of hours, then leave overnight to steep). Strain into a pump or tincture bottle. I like to add a few sprigs back to the bottle; it slowly infuses over the next week. Because it uses fresh rosemary, store it in the fridge and use within 5–7 days.
Oil swaps: argan, jojoba or olive oil all work.
Always test first: patch test on your skin first. Pregnant people and folks with high blood pressure should avoid rosemary oil. Herbs are potent, so do your own research.

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