ifrafragrance.org
IFRA Standards
I need to address something concerning Rosemary hair oils. This is an awesome hair growth stimulating oil but if formulated too strong it can cause hairloss – kind of like taking an iron supplement can stop hairloss, but taking too much iron can cause hairloss (and iron poisoning). Or using a keratin treatment can strengthen hair strands, but using keratin treatments too often can cause hair breakage…But I digress.
So I’m sure you have heard about the controversy surrounding Mielle hair products (and the ongoing class action lawsuit), especially their Rosemary oil. I have even mentioned this in my post HAIRLOSS: WHY I’M I LOSING MY HAIR?. In my research I came across reviews of their products, and it seems most customers loved the results they got from using Mielle products, at first. Customers suspect that after the owner sold the brand to Proctor & Gamble, the new owners changed the formulation. Because that’s when the Mielle products started causing major hairloss, red swollen irritated scalp, allergies/sneezing, etc. Me knowing what I know about essential oils, this all sounds like the new owners have been overusing the essential oils that are added to their products. I’ve come to the conclusion that the new owners probably have haphazardly mixed, say, the Rosemary Essential oil (and other essential oils) at very high amounts – maybe thinking it was going to increase the effectiveness of the product. All the symptoms those ladies have experienced will definitely happen when using essential oils beyond the max recommended percentage for consumer products that come in contact with the skin, according to IFRA standards.
https://youtube.com/shorts/zs0eJjjQLgY?si=L6XQhu95I9syLIq6
https://youtube.com/shorts/vRq9YP5AFUk?si=qqgY0urBBhNi4x76
Rosemary essential oil has a usage rate at a max of 3.00% and it is highly dependent on the type of product, whether it will be left on or wash off (i.e. soap, shampoo, conditioner, massage oil, face cream, hair oil, pantiliner, etc.) Tea tree essential oil is very strong as well, and is used from 0.02%-3.00%. And that’s not to say everybody can use the strongest max amount of any specific essential oil, this is why patch testing is important and not overdosing potent products (i.e. using 1-3 times weekly, not daily)
To give you an idea of how strong rosemary essential oil is, 1-3 drops added to 2-3 tablespoon of base oil (olive, coconut, avocado, etc.) is plenty, and will give great results. The rosemary hair oil sold on grow-my-edges-back-fast.com has 0.50% Rosemary Essential Oil added to a base oil the max is 0.80% for leave-on hair product and I have used less than that to err on the side of caution. For some individuals, after a while the scalp/skin/body becomes acclimated to higher doses, which means that usage can be increased. But I suggest that everyone stay within the suggested usage of 1-3 times weekly of 0.50% Rosemary Essential Oil mix.
PURCHASING ROSEMARY HAIR OIL PRODUCTS
Total transparency is necessary concerning hair products containing potent essential oils. I suggest only purchasing Rosemary Hair Oil that state the percentage/amount of Rosemary Essential Oil content. And when you do purchase some, make sure you test it on a small portion of your scalp hair where you can monitor your hair for a week. If there is an allergic reaction or hairloss it can easily be concealed until you recover -like the area near your side-burns close to the ear area. If you already have some Rosemary Hair Oil that you think is too strong you can always dilute it with another carrier/base oil so it wont be as strong.
Regardless of all the drama surrounding any rosemary essential oil containing hair products. Rosemary Hair Oil can stimulate great hair growth, thicken thin hair, and stop hair from shedding when using a great product as properly directed. A quick Google search will show that most people get great results from using a good Rosemary Hair Oil. The most simple formulations appear to give the best results (i.e. minus the 72 different essential oils, ingredients, additives, etc.)
