WHAT IS ROSEMARY ESSENTIAL OIL?

Rosemary essential oil really possesses a very large number of pharmacological properties.

How to Use Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil easily more than 100 uses. These are some of the most common uses of rosemary essential oil based on its properties and health benefits.

 Rosemary oil for Hair
Rosemary essential oil helps to speed up growth of hair. People who want their hair to grow a bit faster can make use of rosemary essential oil. Add 6 - 8 drops of rosemary essential oil in a shampoo ( preferably herbal shampoo ) and rinse the scalp with it. After washing the hair, massage the scalp with a warm hair oil, like jojoba oil or coconut oil which has few drops of rosemary essential oil. This two step treatment done at home can help one achieve longer hair in lesser time.
Applying rosemary essential oil on the scalp is helpful in regrowing hair on bald patches in Alopecia areata. In a study, 84 people rubbed rosemary essential oil and some other ones like lavender, sage etc in smaller amounts on their scalp, while few others were placebo. People who applied the essential oils experienced improvement in terms of regrowth of hair over bald scalp. It is believed that this effect is primarily due to rosemary essential oil. This hair growth effect may take time to show up and it really varies from person to person as to when the closed hair roots will spring back to life.
Rosemary essential oil helps in preventing fungal scalp infections ( which often lead to hair loss ) like tine capitis , dissolving away dandruff and reduces scalp pimples ( these are quite common ). In fact, many people lose lot of hair when a large pimple oozes fluid. Scalp acne or pimples should be taken seriously.
Do not use rosemary essential oil undiluted on scalp. Dilute it in a carrier oil.

 Rosemary oil for skin
Rosemary oil should be applied by adding 4 drops of this essential oil in about 20 ml of carrier oil. Dilution is necessary when using rosemary oil. Perform a mild massage on the skin with this oil and let it get soaked into the skin. These are the uses and health benefits of rosemary oil for skin.

• Reduces Saggy Skin - Rosemary oil is an astringent. When applied on the skin, it pulls the skin cells together as though trying to shrink or compress them. This effect reduces sagging in skin and makes it stronger and more supple.
• Reduces any kind of marks or scars - Add rosemary oil and vitamin E to carrier oil. This combination helps to reduce the visibility of stretch marks, acne scars and scars created by cuts, scrapes and wounds. It also reduces wrinkles and fine lines.
• Protect the skin from free radicals - Rosemary essential oil has strong antioxidant capacity. It thus defends the skin cells from damage by free radicals in our environment.
• Apply on insect bites - Once the sting of an insect bite reduces, there is still lots of swelling left. One generally applies ice on this. However, applying some rosemary essential oil can reduce the swelling and the redness of the bite.
• Treat fungal skin infections - Rosemary essential oil can be applied directly to fungal infections , like athlete's foot and ringworm. One can use it undiluted ( neat ) for stronger power.
• For dermatitis and eczema - In these conditions, skin is irritated and itchy. Add aloe vera gel, rosemary essential oil in a beeswax base and apply only on eczema lesions. This combination is completely natural and relieves itching. This may also work for psoriasis.

 Rosemary oil to relieve pain
For most kinds of body pain, aches and muscular stress, massage with rosemary oil. Add 3 - 4 drops of rosemary oil in about 30 ml of carrier oil ( any good massage oil ) and then massage it over the painful area. Let the oil sink into the skin. This should provide relief from pain and fatigue. For pain due to muscular knots, like in the back, use knuckles to massage the oil.
For arthritic pain in the joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis, add 6 - 8 drops of rosemary oil in a carrier that is powerful anti-inflammatory, like olive oil. Apply copious amount of oil and cover it with a cloth to prevent the oil from getting rubbed off.
This health benefits comes from the fact that rosemary essential oil is antinociceptive and analgesic in nature.

Mental health benefits
Rosemary smell awakens a person, making a person more conscious and aware. It relieves fatigue and is invigorating. However,some people find the oil relaxing. Inhaling the aroma of rosemary oil straight from the bottle or using a vaporizer can aid in reducing depressive thoughts and think positively. Rosemary oil seems to interact with the mind and calm it down. It can help the person focus and think better and crystal clear.
Rosemary oil also has nervine property. Using it to massage the entire back helps to keep the nervous system healthier. Our nerves emerge from the spinal cord. So, a deep massage of the back, especially over the backbone helps to protect and strengthen the nerves. Rosemary essential oil reduces inflammation which is a main cause of nerve damage.

• Its smell improves alertness.
• Its aroma can make one feel more confident about something, so it is great for workplace or in business office. Also great for use in your car when you need to stay super alert on long distance drives.
• It can reduce mental fatigue and help one overcome the emotion of exhaustion.
• May be able to help with your reflexes.
• Improves memory faculty of the brain.
• Aromatherapy performed using rosemary essential oil and lemon essential oil is helpful for Alzheimer's patients. Daily aromatherapy sessions using these essential oils boosts cognitive function scores.

Other health benefits of Rosemary Essential Oil
These are some other benefits that one can reap by using rosemary oil.

• Better blood circulation - Inhaling the rosemary essential oil improves blood circulation.
• Low blood pressure - people who suffer from hypotension ( chronic low blood pressure ) can benefit by inhaling rosemary oil. It increases blood pressure slightly.
• Anxiety and Nervousness - Deeply inhale the rosemary essential oil. This relieves anxiety and is good for the nervous situations.