10 Essential Oils Proven to Enhance Hair Growth and Health

bymuratdeniz / Getty Images

Essential oils may promote hair growth, minimize hair loss, and improve scalp health, hair texture, strength, and shine.

Essential oils, such as lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, thyme, and more, are highly concentrated plant extracts that some people use in aromatherapy for relaxation or topically for hair health, headaches, and more.

Lavender essential oil may help with hair growth in people with alopecia (a condition leading to hair loss). In one study, 44% of participants who used lavender oil combined with thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood oils saw improvement in their hair loss due to one type of alopecia compared to 15% of the control group.

In another study, 75% of participants who used lavender combined with thyme, rosemary, cedarwood, and evening primrose oils experienced improved hair growth compared to 30% in the placebo (fake treatment) group.

Little to no human studies support peppermint oil for hair growth. However, a study on mice found that peppermint essential oil produced thick, long hair after four weeks of topical application. Researchers believe it holds promise as an alternative treatment for hair loss in humans.

Studies show that rosemary oil for hair may be beneficial for multiple reasons. Rosemary has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Research shows rosemary essential oil improves circulation around the hair follicle in alopecia.

Compared to a 2% minoxidil concentration found in brand-name Rogaine, rosemary performed as well as the standard treatment but with less scalp irritation.

Cedarwood has antibacterial properties and anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. There is very little research on the impact of cedarwood essential oil on hair health. However, some evidence suggests combining with other oils, including lavender, may improve hair loss.

Lemongrass essential oil may help with dandruff. Researchers found that a hair tonic containing lemongrass essential oil effectively reduced dandruff. It was significantly reduced at a week and even more at two weeks. All formulations (5%, 10%, and 15%) were effective, but the most effective seemed to be the 10%.

Thyme essential oil is another promising oil for treating dandruff. It has known anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties. In one study, thyme demonstrated anti-dandruff activity by stopping microbial growth associated with dandruff formation.

Tea tree oil is a common ingredient in hair care products, including shampoos. Research shows it may help with dandruff. A study found that 5% tea tree oil effectively reduced dandruff. Among participants, the tea tree oil group showed a 41% improvement compared to 11% in the placebo group.

There is evidence that tea tree oil may be beneficial for treating head lice. An older study found that 2% tea tree oil effectively killed head lice after 30 minutes and louse eggs after five days.

Research has found that ylang-ylang essential oil may help with scalp psoriasis. This plant oil has known antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, which makes it a good candidate for treating psoriasis. While studies have found promising results, more research is needed to evaluate long-term safety and efficacy.

Chamomile oil's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may be beneficial for treating scalp eczema. An animal study involving rats found that when chamomile was delivered in a topical gel carrier, the duration of skin healing decreased twofold compared to chamomile oil applied without the carrier gel.

Research shows that geranium oil demonstrated hair growth in in vitro (performed in a lab dish or test tube) and in vivo (performed on living organisms) studies. Researchers say this is due to its ability to regulate growth factors and cellular response.

As a nutraceutical (a plant product with medicinal benefits), horsetail may potentially benefit hair loss in people undergoing breast cancer treatment. Horsetail is also an ingredient in a hair-growth supplement called Viviscal. Studies show this supplement is effective in promoting hair growth.

In one study on Viviscal, after 90 and 180 days of use, participants noticed an increase in hair count and diameter. They also said it improved their skin and hair health and their quality of life.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate essential oils, so be careful when using them for hair or other purposes.

Some known risks associated with essential oils include:

People with asthma or allergies are more susceptible to reactions from essential oil inhalation or skin exposure.

If you decide to use hair oil, you may be able to find hair products that already contain it, including instructions for use. If you want to use it alone, you may want to seek guidance from a healthcare provider familiar with essential oils first.

It's important to put a few drops of essential oils in a carrier oil or solution. Essential oils alone are highly potent, so you never want to use them undiluted. You might try adding some drops to a shampoo or conditioner for hair. It's a good idea to test the solution on a small patch of skin first to be sure you don't have a reaction.

Essential oils are not meant to be used alone. Because their potency is highly concentrated, they are used in tiny amounts in a carrier oil. Common carrier oils used to dilute essential oils include:

To begin, add just a few drops of essential oil to an ounce of a carrier oil. If you do not experience any respiratory or skin-related side effects, you can increase the number of drops you use (up to six drops for sensitive skin and up to 15 drops for regular skin).

In addition to natural hair-growth products, like essential oils, the following may encourage your hair to grow:

While research is limited, some essential oils hold promise for hair growth and other hair and scalp conditions. Some essential oils include lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, tea tree, and more.

Remember that essential oils, while natural, are not risk-free. Always dilute these highly potent oils in a carrier oil, and use a small amount on your skin first to be sure you are not sensitive to the product.

American Lung Association. Essential oils: More harmful than helpful?.

Ezekwe N, King M, Hollinger JC. The use of natural ingredients in the treatment of alopecias with an emphasis on central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2020;13(8):23-27.

Oh JY, Park MA, Kim YC. Peppermint oil promotes hair growth without toxic signs. Toxicol Res. 2014;30(4):297-304. doi:10.5487/TR.2014.30.4.297

Panahi Y, Taghizadeh M, Marzony ET, Sahebkar A. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Skinmed. 2015 Jan-Feb;13(1):15-21.

Li Pomi F, Papa V, Borgia F, et al. Rosmarinus officinalis and skin: Antioxidant activity and possible therapeutical role in cutaneous diseases. Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(3):680. Published 2023 Mar 9. doi:10.3390/antiox12030680

Huang K, Liu R, Zhang Y, Guan X. Characteristics of two cedarwood essential oil emulsions and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Food Chem. 2021;346:128970. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128970

Chaisripipat W, Lourith N, Kanlayavattanakul M. Anti-dandruff hair tonic containing lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) oil. Forsch Komplementmed. 2015;22(4):226-229. doi:10.1159/000432407

Kowalczyk A, Przychodna M, Sopata S, Bodalska A, Fecka I. Thymol and thyme essential oil-new insights into selected therapeutic applications. Molecules. 2020;25(18):4125. doi:10.3390/molecules25184125

Kumari KMU, Yadav NP, Luqman S. Promising essential oils/plant extracts in the prevention and treatment of dandruff pathogenesis. Curr Top Med Chem. 2022;22(13):1104-1133. doi:10.2174/1568026622666220531120226

Satchell AC, Saurajen A, Bell C, Barnetson RS. Treatment of dandruff with 5% tea tree oil shampoo. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;47(6):852-855. doi:10.1067/mjd.2002.122734

Di Campli E, Di Bartolomeo S, Delli Pizzi P, et al. Activity of tea tree oil and nerolidol alone or in combination against Pediculus capitis (head lice) and its eggs. Parasitol Res. 2012;111(5):1985-1992. doi:10.1007/s00436-012-3045-0

Alam P, Imran M, Ali A, Majid H. Cananga odorata (Ylang-Ylang) essential oil containing nanoemulgel for the topical treatment of scalp psoriasis and dandruff. Gels. 2024;10(5):303. doi:10.3390/gels10050303

El-Salamouni NS, Ali MM, Abdelhady SA, et al. Evaluation of chamomile oil and nanoemulgels as a promising treatment option for atopic dermatitis induced in rats. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2020;17(1):111-122. doi:10.1080/17425247.2020.1699054

Boisvert WA, Yu M, Choi Y, et al. Hair growth-promoting effect of Geranium sibiricum extract in human dermal papilla cells and C57BL/6 mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):109. doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1624-4

Baker R, Dell'Acqua G, Richards A, Thornton MJ. Nutraceuticals known to promote hair growth do not interfere with the inhibitory action of tamoxifen in MCF7, T47D and BT483 breast cancer cell lines. PLoS One. 2024;19(2):e0297080. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0297080

Ring C, Heitmiller K, Correia E, Gabriel Z, Saedi N. Nutraceuticals for androgenetic alopecia. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2022;15(3):26-29.

Kesika P, Sivamaruthi BS, Thangaleela S, Bharathi M, Chaiyasut C. Role and mechanisms of phytochemicals in hair growth and health. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023;16(2):206. doi:10.3390/ph16020206

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Aromatherapy: Do essential oils really work?

National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. About aromatherapy: Methods of application.

Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51-70. doi:10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6

Paiewonsky B, Heinen N, Hordinsky M, et al. Hairfluencer social media trends every dermatologist should know in 2021. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023;22(2):669-670. doi:10.1111/jocd.15123

Koyama T, Kobayashi K, Hama T, Murakami K, Ogawa R. Standardized scalp massage results in increased hair thickness by inducing stretching forces to dermal papilla cells in the subcutaneous tissue. Eplasty. 2016;16:e8.

By Kathi ValeiiValeii is a Michigan-based freelance writer with a bachelor's degree in communication from Purdue Global.