Here are 5 most effective essential oils for thinning hair plus a few effective recipes to use!
Thinning hair can be caused by a lot of internal and external factors including stress, poor diet, washing your hair with tap water which contains chlorine, poor hygiene, dandruff & other skin inflammatory conditions, among others.
A study on hair loss treatment found in the Archives of Dermatology found that applying & massaging a mixture of cedarwood, thyme, lavender and rosemary essential oils promoted hair growth after consistent use over several months.
In this post, I’ve included all the above potent essential oils for thinning hair + why they are good for hair + how to use and apply them effectively. But first, let’s take a look at some lifestyle habits to adopt while on this journey to stop thinning hair:
- Wash your hair regularly
- Eat a balanced diet (include fish, eggs, nuts)
- Don’t stress
- Drink lots of water
- Have a good night’s sleep
- Get a chlorine shower filter for your shower to remove chemicals like chlorine and soften hard water
- Workout at least thrice a week
- Nourish your hair with homemade hair masks
- Avoid chemical hair products
- Try to avoid heat tools for styling hair
- Apply homemade hair oils for hair growth
While implementing the above lifestyle habits, use one or more of these 5 best essential oils for thinning hair to stop hair fall & promote new hair growth!
5 Effective Essential Oils for Thinning Hair
1. Rosemary Essential Oil
In Ancient Egypt, rosemary oil was combined with other oils like sweet almond oil, fir oil & castor oil to stimulate hair growth. Rosemary essential oil, extracted from the herb rosemary, is one of the best essential oils for thinning hair and it has been recommended to stimulate hair growth and improve blood circulation. Read more: How to Use Rosemary Essential Oil for Hair Growth
It contains powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that promote a healthy scalp. This essential oil is also said to slow greying due to its antioxidant properties and can be used to treat dandruff & an itchy scalp due to its anti-fungal and antiseptic properties.
►Rosemary Shampoo: You can make your own DIY rosemary shampoo for hair growth with instructions in this article: DIY Shampoo for Hair Growth
2. Cedarwood Essential Oil
Hair follicles can weaken because of poor blood circulation in the scalp. Using cedar wood essential oil stimulates blood circulation in the scalp and thereby promote hair growth. Cedar wood essential oil also has anti-fungal properties that protect the scalp from fungal infections that stop your hairs from growing properly and cause them to fall out. Read more: Cedarwood Essential Oil for Hair Loss | How it Works & Usage Tips
► Scalp Massage: Mix 6 drops of cedar wood essential oil in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and apply it onto your scalp in gentle circular motions. Do this an hour before you shower. Or leave it on overnight and wash your hair the next day. Cedarwood is also said to promote deep sleep!
3. Thyme Essential Oil
Bacteria, fungi and other germs can accumulate on the scalp, cause scalp infections and lead to hair fall. Thyme essential oil contains antiseptic properties that wards off germs or bacteria which clog up hair follicles and cause hair to fall out. Massaging thyme essential oil mixed with a carrier oil improves circulation, slow hair loss and promote new hair growth. There are many different types of thyme but the thyme that is ideal & safer for thinning hair is white thyme as red thyme contains more phenols and is also said to cause irritation for some people.
►Thyme Treatment: Add 6 drops of thyme essential oil to 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Mix well and apply it to your scalp. Wait for about 30 minutes and then wash your hair as usual. Shampoo twice, if your hair feels oily.
4. Sweet Basil Essential Oil
I love growing my own basil because it’s filled with powerful antioxidants and other nutrients that can help fight flu & colds. It is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent that can heal any inflammatory condition including acne.
Sweet basil essential oil can also help unclog blocked hair follicles and clear up an oily scalp & dandruff. It has stimulant properties that promote proper circulation and this ensures all areas of the scalp are nourished with nutrient-rich blood hence facilitating hair growth. Please use only recommended doses of basil essential oil because it is extremely potent and can be very toxic and dangerous if not used in the right way.
► Add to Shampoo: Add 10 drops of sweet basil essential oil to an 8 oz bottle of shampoo, shake well and use as usual! Remember to use a natural sulfate-free shampoo like Maple Holistics Sage Shampoo.
5. Lavender Essential Oil
Added to many hair care products, lavender essential oil is extracted from the beautifully scented lavender flowers.
It has strong antiseptic properties that helps get rid of germs that clog up hair follicles and cause infection, which leads to hair fall. Lavender essential oil is also a stimulant which helps improve blood circulation on the scalp thereby preventing hair fall due to poor circulation.
► Hair Growth Spray: I love using a refreshing hair growth promoting spray! Here’s how to make it: DIY Essential Oil Hair Growth Spray
DIY Hair Care Resources
- DIY Egg Shampoo for Hair Growth
- Top 10 Foods for Hair Growth!!
- Homemade Herbal Hair Oil Infusions eBook
- Complete Guide to Using Essential Oils for Scalp & Hair Care
- 3 Nourishing Smoothies for Super-Fast Hair Growth
- 9 Best Supplements for Hair Growth (Grow your Hair by Miles!)
- 3 Green Smoothies for Hair Loss
Where to Get a Natural Shampoo
If you are going chemical-free on your hair, but want to save the time of making a homemade shampoo, this Maple Holistics Sage Shampoo is a game-changer. It contains powerful herbs such as sage: for dandruff & itchy scalp treatment, rosemary: for hair growth and prevention of hair loss and spikenard for dandruff treatment. It also has argan, jojoba and tea tree oils that all protect the scalp from germs, keep hair clean as well as hydrated and moisturized. This shampoo does not contain sulfates, so it will not lather the way you are used to, but you will quickly get used to it and notice the difference!
Take Care
- First check with your doctor to see if essential oils are okay to be used by you if you suffer from hypertension, skin allergies and other medical conditions.
- Always use 100% pure and high quality essential oils.
- Never use essential oils ‘neat’ onto your skin. Always dilute first with a carrier oil (as a rule of thumb, dilute 2 drops of essential oil in 1 tsp of carrier oil). For more info read: How to Dilute Essential Oils
- If you are pregnant or lactating and would like to use essential oils for nail growth, please first consult your doctor as most essential oils are not safe to use for pregnancy/lactating women.
- New to essential oils? Then please take some time to read this amazing quick guide Caution and Safety when Using Essential Oils
hi, I am writing from india. Having extreme hair thinning for the past 1 yaer. I have also taken several traetments and expensive laser treatments. Luckily, I cam across ur site and am quite convinced to try ur tips. I am a regular user of essential oils. Please guide me on how can I have voluminous and shiny hair. I have dome keratin treatment on my hair thrice because they were very frizzy. and have coloured my hair with ammonia free colour twice. Can I mix all these oils with a base oil and start using or I have to use them individually only, like you mentioned. pls guide.
Hi can i use avacado oil instead the sweet almond/apricot kernel oil for the rosemary treatment?
Hi Lem. Yes, you can!
the specific medical journal article that you are citing here was regarding hair loss in patients with alopecia areata. this is an auto-immune disorder. it does not draw any connection with other types of thinning or hair loss. this is misleading to your readers.
Hi cjamierun,
Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss and there are many types of alopecia.The study linked to shows how patients suffering from alopecia areata successfully treated their condition using a scalp massage with essential oils.
Essential oils help prevent and treat any type of hair loss whether it’s non-medical thinning of hair or medical conditions like alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia, among others, because they help nourish and stimulate the hair follicles as well as inhibit the DHT hormone, thereby checking hair loss and fostering growth of new hairs.
So whether you have a hair loss-causing auto-immune disorder or not, scalp massages with essential oils are still a POWERFUL natural treatment that work very effectively in preventing hair loss and promoting hair regrowth.
Many, if not all essential oils serve as support to the immune system. They detoxify an rebuild cells as well as rid bacteria with their cleansing properties. Combining these benefits free up your body to do it’s job.
can i mix them all together and apply to my hair scalp?
Sure you can!
As the article mentions, dilute the oils first into a carrier oil. If you don’t mind a earthy dark aroma then a fantastic carrier oil for thinning hair is Wheatgerm oil. It’s got many multi vitamins and would work well as a ‘masculine’ based oil for thinning hair. It would add many nutrients to the hair and follicles. Particularly good at keeping strength in the hair you have left.
Hey! Love the info. ..but have a question. My hubby has had the same hair routine since before we were married. Wash hair. Towel dry. Put in gel. Brush. Walk away. Sounds great right? (Easy peasy)…but he has half the hair now. I would love to make this recipe and just add it to his gel. (Not gonna change the program now!) So, how much do you suppose I would need to add per ounce of gel?
Hi, I am a breast cancer survivor and because I had two different cancerous tumors, I had to have two different chemo’s. Because of that, my hair is not growing back well. It’s been almost two years since I finished that last chemo treatment and what was once my full thick head of dark hair is now a head of thin, barely there hair with lots of bald spots. Do you think this essential oil can help me? You’re my last hope.
I have struggled with my hair for a long time now. I am quickly approaching my 30s and I have bad hair quality. Recently, I have also noticed that my hair has stopped growing as it used to. A few years ago I went to the salon on a monthly basis. Now, it takes me almost two months before I even need to cut my hair! I am desperate and I really need help right now. Hair is one of the most important parts of a woman and I don’t want to give up on this one. I went to the doctors but they didn’t found anything wrong with me. The exams I took showed that I am healthy and there’s no reason for this to even happen to me. Please, I really need hair advice urgently!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Cristina, sorry to hear about that! Please check out this article How to Strengthen Hair Follicles Naturally for hair advice! <3
Hi Cristina, sorry to hear about that! Please check out this article How to Strengthen Hair Follicles Naturally for hair advice! <3
Hi,
I have come across your writing about the uses of essential oils. I have started using rosemary essential oil along with AromaMagic’s revitalizing hair oil almost daily before going to bed. Along with this I have started using clary sage essential oil with almond oil and castor oil weekly thrice.
It has worked wonders, now I have quite less hair fall and hair is growing back.
Thank you so much. 🙂
These are great to use.