Healthy-looking hair starts with a healthy scalp. If you’re dealing with thinning hair, breakage, dryness, excess oil or more shedding than usual, giving your scalp a little extra attention can make a big difference in your hair care routine.
Essential oils have been used in natural hair care for generations to nourish and care for the scalp, and some have also been studied for their potential role in supporting hair growth. Combined with nourishing carrier oils, they can help create the ideal environment for stronger, fuller, healthier-looking hair.
Here are five of our favorites.
Top 5 Essential Oils for Hair Growth and a Healthy Scalp
1. Rosemary Essential Oil
If there’s one essential oil that deserves the spotlight for hair growth and thinning hair, it’s Rosemary.
Rosemary has become one of the most popular natural ingredients for hair growth, and there’s research behind the buzz. In a six-month clinical study of 100 people with androgenetic alopecia, the group using rosemary oil experienced a significant increase in hair count at six months.
Rosemary is also a favorite in scalp care for helping keep the scalp feeling clean, refreshed and balanced, making it especially appealing for oily scalps and buildup. For anyone looking to support fuller, thicker-looking hair naturally, Rosemary is a great place to start.
2. Peppermint Essential Oil
That cool, refreshing tingle is one reason Peppermint feels so good during a scalp massage, but it’s also become one of the most talked-about essential oils for hair growth and thinning hair.
Peppermint oil has shown promising hair-growth results in research, including increased follicle number and depth in an animal study. The findings have helped make Peppermint an increasingly popular ingredient in natural hair growth formulas.
Its refreshing feel also makes it a great choice for oily scalps or anyone who loves that clean, invigorated feeling after a scalp treatment.
Rosemary + Peppermint is one of our favorite combinations for a natural hair and scalp routine.
3. Cedarwood Essential Oil
Cedarwood has a long history of use in natural hair care, particularly in formulas for thinning hair and scalp health.
It was also part of a clinical study involving people with alopecia areata. Participants massaged a blend of Cedarwood, Rosemary, Lavender and Thyme essential oils diluted in Jojoba and Grapeseed Oils into the scalp daily. The essential oil group experienced significantly greater improvement than the group using the carrier oils alone.
Cedarwood's warm, woodsy aroma also blends beautifully with Rosemary and Lavender, making it a natural addition to scalp massage oils.
4. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender isn’t just for winding down at night. It’s also a wonderful essential oil for dry, itchy or uncomfortable scalps.
Its soothing, conditioning qualities make it a popular ingredient in natural scalp treatments, helping create a healthier environment for stronger, healthier looking hair.
Lavender was also one of the four essential oils included in the clinical hair study with Rosemary, Cedarwood and Thyme.
And there’s another benefit we love: Lavender turns an ordinary scalp massage into a relaxing self-care ritual.
5. Cypress Essential Oil
Clary Sage is especially useful for hair that comes with an oily or unbalanced scalp.
It’s commonly used in natural hair care to help cleanse and refresh the scalp and manage excess oil and buildup around the hair follicles. Keeping the scalp clean, conditioned and balanced creates a better foundation for healthy-looking hair.
Its fresh, herbaceous aroma also pairs beautifully with Rosemary, Lavender and other botanical oils.
The Secret Is in the Blend
Essential oils are highly concentrated, so they work best when properly diluted with nourishing carrier oils. And those carrier oils aren't just there for dilution.
Castor, Jojoba, Almond, and Avocado Oils help moisturize and condition the scalp and hair, reduce dryness and leave strands feeling softer, smoother and healthier.
That's why some of the best natural hair oils combine both essential oils and nutrient-rich carrier oils rather than relying on a single ingredient.
How to Use Essential Oils for Hair Growth
Never apply essential oils directly to your scalp undiluted. Mix a few drops into a carrier oil such as Jojoba, Castor, or Almond Oil and massage the blend gently into your scalp.
Leave it on as a pre-shampoo treatment, then wash and style as usual. Depending on your hair and scalp type, you can also leave a properly diluted hair oil on longer before washing.
Don't feel like mixing your own blend? That's exactly why we created ours.
- For thinning hair and hair growth, Isabella’s Clearly GAIN Hair & Scalp Oil combines Rosemary and Peppermint with a concentrated blend of botanical oils and ingredients selected to nourish the scalp and support fuller, healthier-looking hair.
- For weak, dry or breakage-prone hair, Isabella’s Clearly LONG Strengthening Hair Oil combines Argan, Castor, Sesame and Jojoba Oils with Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Peppermint, Lemon, Rosemary and Cypress Essential Oils to nourish the scalp and help strengthen and condition hair.
Healthy Hair Starts at the Scalp
We spend a lot of time thinking about shampoos, conditioners and what we put on the ends of our hair, but great hair care really begins at the roots.
Keeping your scalp clean, nourished and balanced gives your hair the foundation it needs to look its best. Whether you start with Rosemary, Peppermint, Lavender or a thoughtfully formulated blend, consistency is key.
Give your scalp the same attention you give your hair. Your strands will thank you.
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