The Best Rosemary Shampoo for Hair Growth, According to Dermatologists and a Trichologist

If your ears perk up at the term best rosemary shampoo for hair growth, let us turn you on to the buzzy shampoo ingredient. From scalp massages to apple cider vinegar rinses, we’re willing to try anything when it comes to the best hair-growth products, so when we heard the common kitchen herb can get you the Rapunzel strands of your dreams, we had to try it. Lucky for us, there are plenty of shampoos that have rosemary in the ingredient list.

Wondering how exactly rosemary can encourage your hair to reach new lengths? We tapped several dermatologists along with a trichologist for their expert opinions on the ingredient, how it works, and how to incorporate rosemary into your routine for your healthiest (and longest) hair. Plus, the best rosemary shampoo for hair growth to shop now.

Our top rosemary shampoos, at a glance

• Best Overall Rosemary Shampoo for Hair Growth: Aveda Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo, $21

• Best Affordable Rosemary Shampoo for Hair Growth: Hask Tea Tree & Rosemary Oil Scalp Care Shampoo, $7

• Best Luxury Rosemary Shampoo for Hair Growth: Le Labo Another 13 Perfuming Shampoo, $63

Your rosemary shampoo questions, answered

How does rosemary encourage hair growth?

According to dermatologist Kseniya Kobets, MD, director of cosmetics dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care in New York, “Rosemary oil can help when it comes to stimulating hair follicles (through cytokines and growth factors) as well as helping to block damaging hormones in the scalp that can impede healthy hair growth.” She adds, “Rosemary oil is thought to have antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, and to increase blood supply in the scalp, which helps to promote hair growth.”

To put it simply, rosemary oil has the power to “improve blood circulation, feed the follicle, and eliminate inflammation,” explains trichologist Kerry Yates, founder of Colour Collective. “By improving blood circulation, you can improve the anagen phase of the hair cycle. And by nixing inflammation, you’re creating a healthier environment for the follicle to grow.” Essentially, rosemary oil has a three-prong approach by nourishing the follicles, nourishing the scalp, and boosting blood flow, which together result in stimulated hair growth.

Who should be using a shampoo with rosemary?

“Shampoo with rosemary is helpful for anyone desiring to reduce shedding or anyone who desires to have hair to be thicker and fuller,” says dermatologist Candace Spann, MD, a hair loss specialist and the founder of ReTress. That being said, it’s not a miracle ingredient.

“Since hair loss is often multifactorial and can be a combination of factors like genetics, hormones, vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders, stressors, and inflammatory scalp processes, it is difficult to claim that rosemary shampoo will regrow hair on its own. But it can possibly improve scalp health through increasing blood supply, decreasing inflammation, having antimicrobial properties (like if someone has dandruff), and setting it up for success in addition to other treatments,” Dr. Kobets explains.

Dermatologist Nazanin Saedi, MD, clinical associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University, agrees, adding, “My philosophy when it comes to thinning and shedding hair is to throw the kitchen sink at it.” She further explains that rosemary is a good complementary product for other treatments and approaches. “Adding rosemary shampoo to your hair care routine can’t hurt, and it’s safe to combine with other hair-growth staples such as Nutrafol and Rogaine.”

How to use rosemary shampoo

If you’re already a daily shampoo-er, in most cases you can simply swap in your rosemary shampoo for your typical go-to and use it with the same frequency. However, there are some caveats and a few encouraged application techniques to get the most out of rosemary shampoo. “If the rosemary shampoo has strong detergents or other ingredients like tea tree, it can be overdrying to someone with dry scalp or fine hair. On the other hand, if it’s combined with other essential oils, it may be too heavy and oily for the scalp and hair,” says Dr. Kobets.

In order to fine-tune your usage for your own unique hair needs, she says to see how your hair and scalp feel after one use—that will determine how that particular shampoo may fit into your routine. You may find that you want to implement hair cycling, which calls for swapping your shampoos out with each wash, so if you wash twice a week, maybe your second wash will be with a rosemary shampoo.

As for best practices with the application, Dr. Saedi says, “Be sure to massage it into your scalp, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and rinse well.” It’s important that the shampoo is getting where it needs to go, i.e., the scalp and hair follicles. “You want to have direct contact with the scalp,” says Yates, pointing out that the massage is super important because it will help boost circulation. “Honestly, it is the action of the massage plus the anti-inflammatory benefits of the rosemary that help with follicle fitness.”

How long does it to see hair growth from rosemary shampoo?

According to Dr. Kobets, “The way the scalp and hair feels may change after one use, but the effect on hair loss may take several weeks. With any hair treatment options, it may take up to three months to see improvement in some people.” Yates, however, says that you could even see improvement in as little as 60 to 90 days as long as you’re washing with a rosemary shampoo regularly and incorporating a scalp massage to get the most out of it.

But it could take longer too. Dr. Saedi says, “You should notice results in six months.” She notes that hair growth takes time, but says with a consistent hair-growth routine, growth should be noticeable within several months. The most important thing is to not give up if you’re not seeing results as quickly as you would like to.

When to seek the help of a professional

“Although rosemary oil has been clinically proven to have benefits in helping with male and female pattern hair loss, it will not be helpful for all kinds of hair loss, for example, scarring hair loss like discoid lupus,” says Dr. Spann. “Other instances where rosemary shampoo won’t necessarily be the solve-all is if you have an underlying issue such as a vitamin deficiencies.

If you give rosemary shampoo a try for 60 to 90 days and aren’t seeing any improvement, Dr. Spann recommends seeking the help of a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair loss.