We tried the rosemary scalp oil that’s been trending on TikTok – but does it really help hair grow?

Our tester went into this with a very open mind, as usually, she’s quite cynical about products like this. And although the brand itself doesn’t claim hair growth as a result of using it, it does say that the versatile treatment helps support “length retention” as well as nourishing follicles, smoothing split ends and preventing a dry scalp.

It can be used post-wash and pre-styling, or as a hot oil treatment, but for consistency’s sake, our tester used it after washing and before blow drying, parting the hair and using the dropper to apply product before massaging it into the scalp.

Formula

Taking note of Dr Farjo’s comments about using pure rosemary oil on the scalp, we were relieved to discover that in Mielle’s formula, it’s used alongside castor, jojoba, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, sweet almond and coconut oil.

Read more: Can Olaplex hair products really transform lacklustre locks?

Plus, there’s added menthol which – as you’d expect – provides an added tingle which, we assume, helps to stimulate the scalp and biotin, which stimulates keratin production in the hair. Then there’s soothing and conditioning aloe and an ingredient called burdock, which is rich in fibre, fatty acids and vitamin A which are said to boost hair when it’s in its growth stage.

Performance

We won’t lie: it took a few uses for us to work out the best way to apply just the right amount. Our tester has fine hair but there’s a lot of it and she found that it did weigh her hair down if she used too much. This is because the oil itself is fairly dense, and although it’s not a greasy formula, nor is it as slippery as you’d expect it to be considering it’s an oil, so it’s best to err on the side of caution.

However, with that in mind, it’s important to note that this product is designed for more coarse, afro hair types. Plus, rosemary oil can work differently depending on your own hair’s porosity, so if you’re somebody with thin, fine, naturally-straight hair, we would suggest avoiding this altogether.

Read more: Best hair oils to add shine, smooth strands and battle breakage

Once we got into a rhythm with it and learnt how much oil was just enough – around half a pipette per section FYI – the method of massaging it into the scalp became somewhat soothing and relaxing. The oil itself didn’t seem to irritate our tester’s psoriasis, though, and if anything it helped to hydrate and soothe the area a little bit.

Result

After around six weeks of regular use, our tester hadn’t noticed any major or noticeable differences to her hair length or thickness, but existing research suggests that it may need around six months of continued application for it to take effect. However, the ritual of applying it, especially after a long day, worked as a little self-care ritual and inhaling the scent was calming, acting as a stress relief.

Our tester also isn’t sure whether it’s related or not, but once she was in a routine with it (and was no longer over-applying) she was able to stretch her hair wash days out a little longer than usual.