Hey guys! First, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated in NNHMD this weekend, and especially to all the ladies who came out to the LA Curly Girls event. I had so much fun and it was such a joy to meet and interact with people – everyone was SO NICE it was impossible to be funky, lol! Sometimes people can be so nasty on the internet that it’s easy to forget how cool MOST people are. So thank you for reminding me and I truly appreciate you!
Now – to my actual post, lol. So I’m bored with my regimen, but I love it, right? My hair is doing well with dc’ing weekly and keeping up my low manipulation and sealing routine. My SSKs are currently under control and my ends seem healthier since sealing (when I straightened in November vs straightening in May). Last time I straightened, I didn’t even feel the need to trim my hair and my ends are more even. So how do I keep the boredom at bay without going crazy with heat styles (which I’m not going to do in spring summer anyway because my hair would just go cray)? Well…with a challenge, of course!
I was looking at my oils and I realized a lot of them have rosemary EO (which has always been an intriguing ingredient to me).
What’s rosemary?
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is used in cooking and often used in folklore as a medicinal treatment.
Rosemary and Hair
I have read in several places that rosemary helps improve the condition of your hair and scalp. It contains sulfur and silicon, which are said to help strengthen hair (pay attention to your ends, remember?!?!) and promote growth, and it can help relieve scalp conditions such as eczema (source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/244860-rosemary-hair-treatment/). Because length RETENTION is currently my main goal for my hair, I am interested to see if rosemary can help me preserve my ends and minimize breakage. Yes, I get breakage – it’s not excessive, but I think that everyone gets some breakage. Mine is mainly physical though – meaning, it’s my fault because sometimes I handle my hair like a WWE wrestler (which I am TRYING to get better at). But it would be interesting to see if rosemary can help “not let me get me.”
The Challenge
For this challenge, I am going to leave a product in my hair with rosemary at least four times a week. This will mainly consist of oils, but I do also have some conditioners that contain rosemary. While rosemary is also good for the scalp, I am not going to directly concentrate on mine, moreso my ends or length if it’s a leave-in. I think I’m going to do this until…Labor Day.
Goals
- Reduce breakage
- Increase retention
- Minimize split ends
- Strengthen ends
Products
I have the following products that contain rosemary essential oil or extract:
- Carol’s Daughter Lisa’s Hair Elixir*
- Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Hair Oil*
- Emtage Silktage Styling Serum*
- Ingredients to Die For VegeMink
- Hairobics Detangler Oil*
- Carol’s Daughter Healthy Hair Butter*
- Spiral Solutions Deeply Decadent Moisturizing Treatment (which I can use as a leave-in)
- HerbNLife Coconut Hemp Pomade*
- HerbNLife Head Sprung*
- Karen’s Body Beautiful Super Silky
- WEN Fig Replenishing Treatment Mist
- Knotty Girl Vanilla Cupcake Leave-In (Yay!)
- AG Re: Coil
- Bee Mine Bee Hold Curly Butter
- Coco Curls
questfortheperfectcurl.com 
That would be better, so I could save on shipping costs! I’m in the Los Angeles area, you are too, right?
Im down, a little late, but down! Im trying to grow/retain length as well (texlaxed), and my poor scalp could use some loving for sure! Now, just to find these products…???
You don’t have to use the products I list in this post – not at all! These are just the products that I already have that contain rosemary. There are other choices and if you already have some rosemary-containing products, there is no need to buy more (that is, unless you want to 🙂 ).
I currently don’t have any products containing it 😦 im just starting to build my hair care arsenal and am totally open to new product suggestions, so I really appreciate your list. Must admit im a lil overwhelmed and lost, there’s so much info out there, then there’s finding products that actually work for your particular hair…glad I’ve come across your YT and FB! =>
also, I checked out the link in your post and realised I can make my own rosemsry oil treatment, I grow it in my garden, and already have olive and grapeseed oil, so WOOT!
Ooh, on a side note, do you get most of thosr products online?
Actually I bought a lot on the ground but it would depend on where you live.
Hey Elle, I use Rosemary on a regular basis. It was the first EO I bought when I went natural & its an herb I always try to keep on hand when its in season..and I have some dried for when its not. Partly because of its benefits to hair & scalp (my scalp growls sinisterly due to dry skin & a touch of excema up there) but mostly b/c rosemary is my most favorite herb scent EVER!!! I use a lot of it in my pre-poo hot oil treatment & scalp massage and a little in a homemade moisture concoction I made for my hair. I haven’t bought that many products with rosemary in them b/c the scent is never really strong enough for me but I smelled the Carol’s Daughter one you listed in a friend’s hair and I swear I was sniffing her hair for the majority of church….anywho, great challenge idea. I’m all in!
Oh I really want to participate in this! Unfornately I can’t seem to get rid of my SSK’s. Any suggestions outside of sleeping with a satin pillow and using oils on my ends?
Thanks:)
Hi Elle, So I had a great idea! Now I did this with cooking but never in my hair. I infuse fresh rosemary in olive oil. People can do a D.I.Y. oil with infusing fresh rosemary with olive oil, grapeseed, or coconut oil. Which ever oil works well with their hair. What do you think?
I’m definitely down!
I will do it with you. Now I have to buy something with Rosemary 🙂
I would love to join, I actually made a aloe vera serum with jojoba oil and rosemary eo yesterday and my scalp felt so go and my hair was very soft. This came right on time
Cool! I think I’m going to write weekly check in posts and ask if anyone has anything to share. 🙂
Okay, it’s worth a try. I’m excited.
Elle – I need to do this. I’ve never done a challenge before. I have fine hair and I manipulate it quite a bit by retwisting my twisted out hair almost every night.
Are you pooing or cowashing 4 times a week? I have rosemary oil. I haven’t used it in a year. I hope it’s still good. Anyway, I only wash my hair once a week, so how might I join you? Can I add it to my hair milk on the nights I retwist?
My regimen is going to stay the same – if I don’t redo my hair, I’m going to fluff out with oil or spray with my Head Sprung or WEN. Maybe you can add rosemary oil to your twists when you retwist at night?
Coolio…I had made a growth “serum” for my scalp with lemon,peppermint, rosemary,tea tree & lavendar EOs in a base oil..Ill make a new oil with some rosemary EO…gotta love Whole Foods for that! I also gotta say Hemp oil is my buddy right now…my (funky tripped -out ‘scabby’) hair loves it! It smells kinda grody, but mixed with rosemary it should be yummy…no matter what,tho, I’ve gotta be more consistant #selfimprovement 🙂
Do we have to use these products or can we make our own rosemary concoction?
You can definitely make your own!!! I was just listing the products that I already have that have rosemary. I was also thinking of buying some EO.
Lemme check my product stash… I may be into doing this. I’ve never done a challenge before (^_^)
Sure Elle I’m up for it. I use it once to twice a week anyways! 🙂
Sure Elle! I use rosemary anyway! LOL ! love the scent in my hair but has great purpose! I’m so excited #singing
Wow that was fast! lol thanks!
Hi Elle! Why are there asterisks next to some of the products you listed?
Those are the ones that have rosemary higher on the list!
And please be aware, that rosemary oil messes with your breathing…it messed with mine, anyway.
I was using it in my spritz–I love it, btw–but after a couple of weeks, I realized I was coughing and all stuffy, and the daughter and the man were doing the same, but we were not “sick”. After investigating…LOL…I figured it was the rosemary oil. I stopped using it and guess what? We were all able to breath easily again.
This may not be anyone else’s experience…I just wanted to throw it out there…just in case. I’m able to use products that contain it, but I make sure it’s way down on the ingredients list. And now I know I can’t use the rosemary essential oil…if I want to breath. To keep doing so, would just be cray! 🙂
Good looking out! I had not seen any info about that but will definitely monitor how I feel. Thanks for sharing, girlie! And yes, that would be uber craycraykins!
Well I do have almost a full jar of Be Mine Curly Butter which I nees to use up. So yeah, I am up for a challenge 🙂
I vote big time for a post on this topic! I’m eager to hear your thoughts… Admittedly, I haven’t done extensive research but I know the hair on my head stayed dry, rough, and dull strands for nearly a year after my first BC (I imagine 30 years of relaxing did a number on me hair follicles but a derm Dr. confirmed that I did not have perm scalp damaged. Whew!). Still, it was bad and bad looking…. The so called hair dresser that made the videos for Tyra’s website comes to mind – only worse. I mostly wore protective styles for the first year but one day while twisting my hair after a DC, I could clearly see and feel the difference in about two inches of new growth vs. the rest of my hair and became so I excited that I big chopped again. A year later, I still have soft, beautiful and shiny hair (and coils) growing from my scalp that is very different from the rough, dry and dull brillo pad that was growing out the first year. Scab hair? I don’t know but it was something awful!
Elle, I’d love to join you in this challenge, but I have a feeling that it would just add to my confusion regarding my hair! 😳 Sad to say, I still haven’t figured out when my hair has enough moisture, when I’m including too much protein into my regimen as opposed to not enough, or what the source for my breakage is 🙄 And to think, I’ve been natural since the 90s…there needs to be a remedial natural hair care course for me! 😆 Can’t wait to read about your results though while I simmer in my hair envy 😀
scab hair – Oh my …I never knew what that crazy mess was called till now… My daughters first 3 inches of new growth, after I stopped relaxing he hair was line that… Freaked me out! The hair that she has how is softer and not as wiry…. Learned something new today!! (◡‿◡✿)
Hi Elle,
Great challenge! I’m just starting the CG method so that’s about all the challenge I can handle right now.
I must confess…sometimes I don’t read your posts or your videos because EVERYTIME I see something I want to purchase (finally caving in on the Knotty Girl Leave-In I love anything vanilla). UGH! Seriously, I appreciate the time you take to thoroughly review the products and how they work for you. Speaking of products…would you mind recommending a thick consistency conditioner(s) for someone who is protein sensitive? I’m looking to use this as a leave-in while doing the CG method.
Peace,
TMS
Curl Junkie Curl Rehab.
Thank you!
I’ll do the challenge with you!….I have that Tropical Traditions Rosemary Coconut Oil from our goodie bags. I think I’m going to give myself a trim before I start the challenge. So they’ll be nice and fresh!
I’ve been really into sealing my ends these last couple of months, so I will join you on this challenge! I don’t have near as many products containing rosemary as you do, but I have a few! Btw Elle, I’ve been following you for well over a year You’ve been an excellent guide for me seeing that our hair(3c) is very similar! Just wanted to say thanks!
Nikki
YouTube newbie:amrobinson501
I’d love to try this! I would also be interested in scab hair. I am transitioning and started out with a pretty short relaxed style. The very back of my head is natural (I cut the permed ends off myself and some of the permed ends broke off on their own!). I was wondering about the scab hair too. In the back the ends are really dry and I can’t twist, braid or coil them but closer to the root it’s a much softer texture. I had a hairdresser tell me I needed to grow it out and then just cut it off and based on what I have read about scab hair it seems like the hair back there along my nape may be scab hair.
I actually have a question on CD about scab hair, so I am going to answer it over there. Stay tuned!
Krystal, sounds like we have the same cut and same issues…good luck!
Thanks! I’m cutting it in 2 weeks so hopefully that helps. I think i’m going to taper it so I get most of the nape off.
I would join in, but I’m already ding the JBCO challenge for the summer! Lol Good luck, I never really pay attention to rosemary in my products.
I think it exists…Ive been commenting on how different my whole texture this time, my crown is a wiry, dry, fizzy, uncooperative mess…the left side of my head is just fuzz- no curl, no life, just fuzz :(…ive been using products to help, but that coupled with high porosity (which i now know is damaged) hair, Im frustrated 😦
Hey Elle! I would LOVE to do the challenge with you…but first Ive got a few inquiries:
What is your experience with scab hair (cuz I seem to have a head full it)#knarly?
Can a transitioner like me do the challenge?..and what in the hey are SSK’s? 🙂
Thhhhaaaaanks!
I should do a post on scab hair… there is a debate as to whether it exists or not. And of course you can! SSKs are single strand knots – I have talked about them before and you often get them with curly hair.