Adventures In Rosemary Oil
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I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been enjoying a new applicator that I found on Amazon for distributing hair oil over my scalp. And then my mother pointed out that I hadn’t explained what sort of hair oil I meant. So, for those who haven’t yet experienced the joys of hormonal hair loss, let me tell you that at some point in your life, you might want something to help you retain your hair. The fact that it also makes it grow faster is a side benefit.
Rosemary hair oil. Which you can (and certainly should!) make yourself. I use a combination of two oils and infuse them with rosemary. The proportions are easy…4 oz of jojoba oil, 2 oz castor oil, and about 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary. I have a rosemary plant on my deck, but you can find little herb packets in the grocery store that have about the right amount of rosemary. I buy my jojoba oil in little 4 oz bottles and use the whole bottle for this recipe. Then I fill the bottle up halfway with castor oil. No measuring cups!
Place your rosemary sprigs in a double boiler or a bain marie setup and cover with the jojoba oil. In my case, I improvised a bain marie with a glass mixing bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Warm it over low heat for about an hour. You’ll know it’s done when the rosemary sprigs have had most of the color leached out and the oil itself is turning light green. When you’re done heating the oil, turn off the heat and carefully remove every last bit of the rosemary. Then add your castor oil and stir to combine. The castor oil is thicker and heavier than the jojoba oil, so this works better when both oils are warm. When it’s all mixed thoroughly, let it cool completely, and then pour it into an 8 oz glass bottle with a top that seals well.
The oils will separate again as the bottle sits, so be sure to swirl it around in the container before each use, to mix everything back together.
Use the applicator bottle to apply the rosemary oil to your scalp while your hair is dry and carefully comb it through your hair. You will want to leave it in for at least a couple hours, but overnight is better. You can cover it with a shower cap or saran wrap if you wish but I don’t generally bother with that. A towel on your pillow will help prevent grease stains. When you are ready to wash it out, you can shampoo several times to get all the oil out but I find that a single dose of shampoo with a couple drops of dish soap does a fine job of getting your hair squeaky clean.
I tend to oil my hair every other time I shampoo it…I don’t think it needs to be done every time. The reduction in hair fall is dramatic when I use this oil. I still lose some hair…everyone does. But I lose a normal amount, not great handfuls. And really, at certain points in one’s life, “I lose a normal amount of hair” seems like a very great accomplishment indeed. Claim the win!
