| Rosemary For Your Hair |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Date: 4/8/2002 |
Introduction
Recently I was intrigued by a message
thread that has been sprouting like a weed on the Hair:
Alternative Health Board about the use of rosemary for hair,
scalp and other beauty treats. In the course of my life I have
seeped fresh rosemary tea, soaked in rosemary infused bath water and
oiled the ends of my hair with rosemary hair oil. Often I would enjoy my various
rosemary treats while burning rosemary scented candles and incense.
Over the past ten years many long haired
beauties have recommended rosemary herbal hair teas, oil and rinses
to stimulate my follicles and grow my hair longer and
stronger.
Even through I have been enjoying this wonderful hardy herb for many
years, I had not really
stopped to examine the full benefits that it provided. Nor had
I seriously discovered just how many products use rosemary as part
of their ingredients.
As I searched through my stacks of
storage boxes crammed with hair notes and all natural recipes, I
found a few of my old favorite rosemary hair and beauty
recipes. One thing lead to another and next thing you know, I
was surrounded by a stack of books, clippings and notes about this
fabulous herb.
It does seem appropriate that I am writing about
rosemary during this time period since it blooms every year from
March to May.
All
About Rosemary
The rosemary plant is light blue and
blooms from March to May. For most tonics and recipes the
rosemary leaves are use more often than the flowers or the rest of
the plant. Rosemary is a bushy type of evergreen that can grow
six feet or higher. The tree contains leaves that are stiff
and leathery.
Some herbalists and
aromatherapists will label their formulas with the official
name. The official
botanical name for rosemary is "rosmarinus officinalis.
Rosemary, as it is known to the general population, is part of the mint family of herbs.
This family is described as
the Labiatae herb family. Other members of the same family include
basil, patchouli, lavender, hyssop, myrtle, mint, clary and sage.
Rosemary is an all
purpose herb that is ruled astrologically by Leo and the Sun
according to some experts and the moon according to others. It is also
known as one of the "brain herbs" because it stimulates
mental activity.
Until I started
delving into its history I had no idea that rosemary is one of the
oldest and most respected herbs that is still available in modern
times. Archeologists have uncovered pieces of the rosemary
plant in ancient Egyptian graves where it was apparently used as
incense.
The Romans considered
rosemary to be a sacred plant that was a gift from the gods.
Rosemary has been used for religious cleansing and purification as gifts of
beautiful wreaths for weddings and other celebrations, as food, for
beauty rituals and
as herbal medicines.
Simon and Garfunkel
made rosemary popular many years ago with their best selling
Scarborough Fair that went something like this:
"Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine"
Lyrics From Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkle
All Rights Reserved.
Rosemary
As Medication
Paracelsus, an
ancient physician, used rosemary as one of the chief ingredients in
his healing remedies believing that it was a special tonic to help
strengthen the overall body and heal the liver, brain, heart and
eyes.
In modern times
rosemary is used by herbalists to assist with illness related to
the gall bladder and the liver. Rosemary is also used as an antiseptic for
treating flu, viruses and colds. Sore muscles,
rheumatism and arthritis often respond well to rosemary oils applied
during massage.
Rosemary is also
touted as being able to help lower blood sugar, raise
blood pressure, relieve cramps and stimulate a block menstrual
flow*.
Creation
& Cultivation of Rosemary Essential Oils
Rosemary
essential oil is extracted by a method of steam distillation of the
entire flowering plants that bloom in the Spring and early
Summer. The resulting liquid of the rosemary essential oil is
a light buttery yellow. Rosemary essential oils have a strong
woodsy, camphor-like aroma. It is estimated that it takes
close to 70 pounds of the flowering plant to yield one pound of the
essential oil
Not all rosemary
essential oils are created the same. The oil from France is
known to be more effective for the liver while the essential oils
from Span is considered better for the heart.
Although
rosemary originated in the Mediterranean regions, it is currently
widely cultivated in France, Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia and
Tunisia.
Rosemary
Folklores
Rosemary is steeped
in folklore and it is believed by some alchemists, although not
scientifically proven, that the proper
rosemary formulas will attract elves, fairies and other good
energies to your abode.
Modern day alchemists often use
rosemary oil or herbs as part of their earth magic. The late
Scott Cunningham, author of many contemporary folk magic works
recommended several recipes that included the use of rosemary.
Scott, as a limited
example, recommended the use of rosemary herbs or essential oil to
dispel jealousy, excel in job interviews and for general house and
office purification and cleansing. Not really all that
different than what the ancient Romans believed.
You can also ingest
rosemary as an herb or tea. Try baking a wonderful fresh loaf
of bread with a little fresh rosemary mixed into the batter or use it to garnish baked fowl.
Rosemary As
A Tea
On rainy days when
you are feeling a bit sluggish or down, a cup of fresh brewed
rosemary tea will give you an instant burst of energy without the
caffeine edge. Since ancient times it is believed that ingesting
rosemary through food or teas will bring general good fortune.
It is also believed to help balance energy to the brain.
Many health food stores sell rosemary
already prepared in tea bags or as loose teas. If you prefer
to make your own you can buy bulk rosemary leaves and drop a handful into
boiling water. Steep for 20 minutes or more. Drink
straight or with a little honey to sweeten.
Rosemary
& The Legend Of The Four Robbers
You may also find
herb vinegar mixtures that contain rosemary. This mixture is
wonderful on fresh greens and salads. There is a legend that during
a period of plague a band of thieves robbed the sick houses without
catching the disease. It seems that the robbers prevented the
deadly disease by drinking a medicinal vinegar that included
rosemary, lavender, sage and other bacteria killing herbs and
additives. Ever since that legend was discovered, people have
been making and drinking herbal vinegars.
Rosemary is often
used in the modern day version of the vinegar mixes.
Rosemary
Limitations
Even though Rosemary
is a fabulous herb, it is still not safe for everyone to take
without consideration. The herb should not be used by anyone who is
pregnant or suffering from epilepsy without the express permission
of their doctor. Since rosemary is a stimulant and is used
sometimes as a herbal heart tonic it should also not be used by
heart patients without consulting with their doctors.
If you have even the
possibility of a negative reaction to rosemary be sure you discuss
its use with your primary physician before you take it.
Rosemary
As An Inhalant & Other Uses
According to the
Ancient Chinese sage Chiang-tse, "perfume will always help you
along the way of wisdom." A little vial of rosemary oil that is
inhaled when your brain is tired will help to increase concentration
and eliminate boredom.
Rosemary is also
considered by herbalists to be a
wonderful aid for students cramming for examines. It will give
then an energy pick-up, help their concentration and allow them to
study more efficiently.
Used in incense or
candles or air fresheners, rosemary is an excellent inhalant.
Rosemary can be used as often as you like on a daily basis. It helps to clear the
head and revive the body. It has toning and astringent effects
on the skin.
Make a spray of water
and oil. Spray the oil throughout a room to remove stale room
odors and add energy to your environment.
Rosemary
For Hair
This magnificent herb
is widely respected for its value as a hair and beauty aide. Rosemary can
also be used in the bath, on the face and as a body or scalp
massage.
Believed to
stimulate hair follicles and hair growth, rosemary is generally
believed to slow down or even permanently hold off premature hair loss and gray
hair.
Rosemary oils and concoctions will soothe and condition dry,
flaky scalps. When applied in a concentrated form to the roots
and scalp, rosemary is helpful in clearing many cases of
dandruff. Rosemary also mixes well with tea tree and basil for
stubborn scalp problems.
Rosemary
Hair Oils
Rosemary is known to help darken gray
hair over time (although not obvious for a long time) and it is
considered to be a stimulant for the roots and the scalp. Many
people trying to help stimulate their hair to grow longer or
healthier swear by various rosemary infused recipes.
If you have long hair with some hints
of gray, you may want to avoid using commercial dyes or colors to
protect the health of your hair. Over an extended period of
time rosemary rinses and oils are rumored to gently and softly
darken gray hair. Rosemary will also eliminate dryness and act as
an excellent conditioner.
Besides being rumored to help grow hair faster &
prevent pre-mature baldness (no scientific evidence to that at this
point) it is also good for knocking out dandruff.
If you have blonde or light colored
hair you may NOT want to try this recipe as it may darken your hair.
Rosemary Hair
Oil Recipe
Rosemary blends very well with others
in the mint family. It is especially beneficial when mixed with
basil, bergamot, juniper, lemon and cedar. Basil is a
known scalp and hair follicle stimulant.
Keep in mind that any rosemary
concoctions will be stimulating and refreshing. This is a very
Yang herb that is uplifting, strengthening and invigorating.
It increases circulation and will often make the scalp or body feel
warm after it is massaged with a rosemary formula or oil.
Ingredients
-
Mason, Ball or other sterile class jar
with air-tight lid.
-
1 cup of fresh rosemary leaves (optional, add a smidgen of basil and
juniper fresh leaves and/or essential oils to the mix).
-
Jojoba oil (optional, sesame or sweet almond oil).
Directions
Fill the class jar with the
rosemary. Cover the rosemary with the jojoba oil so that the
rosemary is completely covered. Place the jar in your sunniest
window. Let the herbs "steep" for 4 weeks or so.
Turn the jar slightly every day to make sure that the sun contacts
all sides of the jar. When the oil is finished steeping for 4
weeks,
strain the leaves from the liquid with an all natural paper coffee filter or silk.
Filter into a clean, sterilized amber or dark colored jar. Store in a cool, dark place.
Application
Pour just enough for your immediate
needs into a clean glass bowl. Heat gently over a double
boiler on in a microwave. Make sure the oil is warm but not
too hot. Work the oil into the hair from the ears down to the
ends. Use a cotton ball or your clean fingers. Apply a plastic
shower cap or wrap. You may sit under a hood dryer to add heat
or wrap hot towels over the plastic to help the oil soak into the
cuticles more easily.
If you prefer to buy pre-made rosemary
hair oils
WiseWays Herbals has a couple of hair oils that are made with
natural Rosemary. Goldilocks
Hair Oil has many wonderful ingredients designed to stimulate
the scalp, the roots and the hair. Combined with the rosemary
leaves and rosemary oil is basil (one of my favorites) although with
nettle, lavender flowers & burdock root and oils of lavender,
jojoba & coconut.
VZ
Botanicals includes a form of rosemary oil in its formula and
Welleda has their famous
Rosemary hair oil.
Anti-dandruff
Shampoo Recipe
Rosemary works well to help with itchy
scalps and for relieving dandruff.
Glass pots work best for creating this recipe.
Ingredients
-
1 cup of dried rosemary leaves (not
stalks or other part of the rosemary) Use more or less rosemary
according to personal tastes.
-
1 tablespoon of borax (from the
health food store)
1 quart of boiling water
(distilled or spring water) -
10-20 drops of Camphor
Instructions
Place the dried rosemary
leaves in the boiling water on top of a stove or heater. Bring
the water to a full boil,
turn off the water and then steep in the pot for 6 hours. You can steep
the leaves for less
time but the longer you steep the more concentrated the results.
Store the mixture in a dark amber glass in the refrigerator. Heat
just enough for your treatment. This will probably last 1 week or
more. You can tell by the aroma of the mixture.
Do not use the camphor
until right before you use the rosemary mixture. Add 10-20 drops of liquid camphor. You may want to
start slowly with a lower dosage since camphor can really blast open your sinuses and
can make your eyes water if you inhale too much.
Use a cotton ball and dip into a small cup of the liquid and
saturate your itchy scalp or root area. If you prefer, wrap your
hair in a plastic cup and let soap for 30 minutes. For extra
penetration wrap a hot towel over the plastic towel or wrap.
Keep in mind that rosemary can stain.
The Rosemary scalp tonic can be applied every day or as desired. To
darken hair you will need to apply as an overall rinse 3x a week.
Keep in mind that you hair may take a long time to show a change in
the color.
I like to play with these types of recipes in the bathtub because it
makes them so less messy. Also, rosemary is good for your skin so if
it drinks into your bath water...no big deal.
The rosemary mixture can also be used an all over final rinse. Use a
plastic bowl to catch the liquid as it falls so you can rinse
several times.
Honey
& Rosemary On Your Hair
Honey mixed with a little
of the rosemary hair oil mixture described above can be used an
overall hair softening agent. It is very messy & sticky so if you are going
to try it, apply the honey mixture to your hair in the shower after you have
first wet your hair.
Note:
It is not recommended that you experiment with honey mixtures on dry
hair as it will be too difficult to apply.
Do not shampoo your hair first, just wet your hair w/ warm water. Squeeze
excess water out and then apply the honey to your ends and dry
middle hair.
Leave the mixture on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse out. You can follow with a
moisturizing shampoo and rinse out conditioner.
Facials
With Rosemary Mixture
Add 1 tablespoon of the
rosemary liquid formula to any facial. It helps with stimulating
blood flow and circulation.
If you prefer, you can mix one tablespoon of rosemary with fresh yogurt and slather on your
face as a yogurt/rosemary facial. The yogurt tightens the pore and
the rosemary will add stimulation.
DO NOT USE this recipe on your face if you have roscea or other
proneness to outbreaks. It can bring the blood to the surface and
cause a rosecea reaction.
Pre-Mixed
Rosemary Shampoo
There are several
brands of shampoo on the market that are already made with Rosemary.
Burt's Bees has a shampoo
bar soap with rosemary. Knotty
Boy Dread Shampoo that is designed specifically to keep the
itchies away has a rosemary/tea tree/peppermint all natural blend.
Paul Penders is
famous for his all natural Rosemary
shampoo that has been on the hair care market for many years.
The Pender's Rosemary shampoo has rosemary leaves and oil as major
ingredients but also includes all kinds of other herbal and natural
hair goodies like angelica, arnica, calendula, chamomile, comfrey,
elderflower, ginger, ginseng root, honeysuckle, hops, horsetail,
juniper, lavender, lemon balm, nettle, rosemary, sage, St. John's
Worth, witch hazel, yarrow, Aloe Vera extract, jojoba oil, soybean
oil, calendula oil, vegetable glycerin, plant gel, alginate, sea salt
minerals, panthenol, vitamin C, grapefruit seed extract,
essential oils of lavender, geranium and ylang ylang, and vitamin E.
Paul
Pender's Hair Repair also includes rosemary herbs and oils to
help soften and repair damaged hair.
Sun
Dog has a cedar/rosemary hemp shampoo and conditioner that has a
fabulous aroma.
Weleda
Rosemary Shampoo and Weleda
Rosemary hair and bath oil is chock full of all the rosemary
goodness.
Giovanni includes
Rosemary with its famous Tea
Tree shampoo and conditioner.
Phytotherathrie
- Huile d'Ales is a revitalizing botanical oil that smoothes
& hydrates dry, brittle hair & mends splits ends. 100%
natural, it includes essential oils of sage, rosemary & juniper.
Ideal for color-treated & long hair. May be applied to the hair
before chemical processing.
Edwin
Paul's Scalp Stimulator includes rosemary to help stimulate the
scalp.
Facial
Recipe With White Wine
Another alternative is to simmer a
handful of dried rosemary leaves in a pint of white wine for 20
minutes. Strain out the rosemary leaves and then splash on your face
as a
stimulating wash. It will give you an instant refreshing
wake-up call.
Rosemary,
Roses & Honey Facial
Honey is a natural moisturizer and emollient. Rosemary is toning to
the skin as are rose petals and rose oil.
-
1/2 cup of honey (organic when available)
-
1 small handful of fresh rosemary leaves or rosemary flowers or
10-15 drops of rosemary oil (your choice).
-
1 small handful of rose petals (optional) or 10-15 drops of rose oil.
Note: You can also substitute a few drops of rosemary essential oil.
Mix the honey, the herbs and rose petals or oils together. Store in a
tight container w/ a lid in a warm dark place for 2-3 weeks.
Place the jar in a double boiler to gently heat. Use clean fingers
to apply to newly washed skin on your face. The honey will feel
tacky which is very good. This means that it is stimulating
circulation. Be careful to avoid the eye area. Leave on the skin for
15-20 minutes.
Rinse well. Apply the facial moisturizer of your choice.
Burt's
Bee's Grapefruit Complexion Mist is made with rosemary and it
specifically states that rosemary is to help clear troubled skin. As
an option spritz your newly moisturized skin with the Grapefruit
Complexion Mist.
Burt's
Bees Baby Bee Oil is another optional moisturizer. This
wonderful product has rosemary extracts along with Apricot
kernel oil, grapeseed oil, wheat germ oil, tocopheryl acetate &
tocopherol (vitamin E), beta-carotene, fragrance.(98.00% Natural).
It helps to keep skin fresh & glowing.
Rosemary
For The
Lips
 Rosemary
mixed with peppermint and then added to lip
balms will gently stimulate a swelling effect and give you a
nice all natural, gentle bee-sting effect. Forget lip injections,
apply a stimulating lip treatment every day and gradually you will
have fuller and healthier lips.
Foot & Hand Treatments
Rosemary is also used
for healing and adding zing to dry feet and hands. Burt's
Bees famous coconut foot cream includes soothing
rosemary.
Lavender Lori has a
fabulous home-made Rosemary
soap where you can see and feel real pieces of rosemary as you bathe.
General
Bath & Body Treatment
A full body massage
with warm carrier oil infused with rosemary essential oils will provide total
refreshment.
Adding a few drops of rosemary
essential oil to a hot
bath will also soothe but stimulate your mood. It will help to
add circulation to tired muscles. If you prefer, make a fresh tea
with the rosemary leaves and pour the strained tea water into your
bath.
Summary
Rosemary is one of the
oldest and most respected herbs that is still available in modern
times. Whether you are interested in using this fabulous herb
for a beauty recipe, health tonic or just as a wonderful aroma, take
your time and get acquainted with this fabulous gift from Mother
Earth. |