I keep being asked the same question right now, and it’s ‘how to make rosemary water for hair at home?’ I’m more than happy to share my recipe because it’s actually helped me out a lot over the years.
There are certain times of the year when my scalp becomes itchy and sore with flakes of what looks like dandruff. I don’t know what causes it, but it’s always worse in the lead-up to the summer months. I’ve tried various treatments and herbal rinses, and the one that stands out in the head and shoulders (excuse the pun) above the rest is rosemary.
Its anti-inflammatory properties start to calm and hydrate my scalp in no time, and with regular use, the results are a clean healthy scalp. Pair it with a homemade shampoo and conditioner, and you’ve got a complete DIY hair care routine!
Rosemary has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries and recently there has been lots of hype about how this powerful little herb can help with hair growth, and there are various studies to back these facts up.
How To Make Rosemary Water For Hair
The great part about making your own rosemary water is that it’s very easy to make and can be kept in a spray bottle to give the scalp a quick spritz throughout the course of the day. Or you can use it as a rinse in your hair-washing routine.
Regular use of rosemary water on dark hair should give you a super shiny glow, but very light blonde or bleached hair may not be so lucky as the rosemary can darken the hair slightly.
For this reason, we suggest blonde or bleached hair use rosemary water as a pre wash so that the rosemary water is not left on the hair indefinitely, or use our rosemary oil recipe instead. We also give some great suggestions for substitutes and variations below that may help to dilute the effects of the rosemary darkening the hair.
How To Make Rosemary Water For Hair Growth At Home
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Equipment
- Spoon or Spatula
Ingredients
- 480 ml Boiling Water (roughly 2 cups; tap, bottled or distilled are all fine)
- 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- Spray Bottle (any size, doesn't really matter)
Video
Instructions
Infuse The Rosemary Water
- Place the 2 cups of boiling water into a small saucepan480 ml Boiling Water
- Add the rosemary sprigs to the pan3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- Put the lid on and place on a medium heat to simmer. It will need roughly 20 minutes to infuse.
Strain, Cool & Bottle
- After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and remove the rosemary sprigs from the water. It’s a good idea to use a straining spoon or tongs as the water will very scolding hot.
- If the water looks grainy you may need to pass it through a strainer. Then allow to cool.
- Transfer to a bottle or container, ready for use.Spray Bottle
How To Use Rosemary Water For Hair
There are few ways you can use the rosemary water in your hair:
Hair rinse
- Wash and condition your hair as usual.
- Use the rosemary water as a final rinse before drying and styling.
Pre wash
If you don’t like the strong aroma of rosemary in your hair you can use it as a pre-wash rinse, but for it to have any effect it would need to be massaged into the scalp and hair, then left for 20 minutes before going into your usual hair wash routine.
Scalp and Hair Spray
If you want to use this as a mid day pick me up for your hair and scalp, you can pop it in a spray bottle for easy application!
- Pour the rosemary water into a spray bottle. Part your hair so that the scalp is showing.
- Give the scalp a few sprays with the rosemary water, massage into the scalp and leave to dry.
How To Store Rosemary Water
You maybe asking yourself how to make rosemary water for hair, but it’s also important to know how to store it properly. And in all honesty, homemade rosemary water will only last a few days in the refrigerator before it starts to go bad.
If you wish to give the water a longer shelf life then you will need to add a preservative. For guidance on this, you may want to take a look at our synthetic and natural preservative page.
If you do not add a preservative you will likely have to make the rosemary water twice a week. Personally, this is something I don’t mind doing; I tend to make a batch of this herby water when I am in the kitchen cooking, so I really don’t think about it. Plus, if you grow your own rosemary, you will always have a potent fresh supply.
In-Depth Analysis
Formula Inspiration and Theming
I often add other herbs that have hair growth and scalp loving benefits whilst cooking the rosemary. Peppermint leaves are perfect for this and they give the water a fresh upbeat scent, and leave the scalp feeling cooled and soothed. Lavender is also a great companion.
So how does rosemary water help for hair growth?
Most of the studies concentrate on the health of the scalp, by keeping the scalp hydrated and bacteria-free, blood can flow more freely around the scalp, which in turn encourages hair follicles to produce fresh healthy strands of hair. As I mentioned earlier, rosemary does an excellent job of keeping the scalp healthy by eliminating dandruff and soothing eczema.
There’s no wonder why people are asking how to make rosemary water for hair growth, ay?!
Ingredient Specification and Purpose
Fresh Rosemary has anti-inflammatory properties that can help combat dandruff and calm eczema leading to a healthy clean scalp. Having a healthy scalp can help stimulate blood flow to promote hair growth and limit hair loss. The best way to add rosemary to the scalp is by using fresh rosemary water or rosemary oil.
Substituting Ingredients
As rosemary is the only ingredient in the recipe it’s a little difficult to substitute. After all, this wouldn’t be a post about how to make rosemary water for hair, if there was no rosemary in it.
That being said, there are many under-stated herbs that have fantastic hair growth and scalp benefits. I have mentioned two of these already, peppermint and lavender.
Calendula (marigold) flowers and chamomile flowers are also excellent choices and are definitely worth trying and are a great choice for blond hair..
Final Thoughts
We feel rosemary water has some fantastic hair benefits and should be mild enough for use on sensitive skin. That said we are all different and what may benefit some may not benefit others.
It’s also important to not expect overnight results, herbal remedies can take some time to work, but when they do the rewards are usually worth the wait as they do tend to heal and solve the problem rather than a temporary fix.
I hope this post has inspired you to learn how to make rosemary water for hair yourself, at home! Just follow my steps, and you should have no problems.
Whichever way you look at it rosemary water is a totally natural product with some great benefits, so why not give it a try.
Thanks for this info. it is a great recipe.
I appreciate your sharing this information. I cooked it today, and put some on my head, and it felt so soothing, and took itchy feeling away.
yay!!! Thanks again, Pamela
Angela can you use dried rosemary and would this stop it going off and give it a longer shellife thanks.
Hi Jill,
Yes you can use dried rosmary. Unfortunately anything containing water will go rancid quickly. I would advice you use it within 3 days off making it.
Best wishes Anglea X