Rosemary Essential Oils

 
 

Rosemary Essential Oil Uses

Known for its welcoming and outdoorsy fragrance, rosemary essential oil can be applied topically or inhaled using aromatherapy. Whether you’re looking to soothe achy muscles, or enhance your haircare routine, the following are some of the popular uses for rosemary essential oil.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant evergreen herb, originally cultivated around the Mediterranean Sea and in Africa.1

While primarily used in a variety of dishes for flavoring, rosemary has a long history of use beyond the dinner table. The herb has been traditionally employed as a love charm and natural remedy for all matters of ailments, including memory loss, muscle pain, and hair loss.2

Today, rosemary essential oil is used in a variety of ways, from soothing indigestion and relieving muscle pain, to aromatherapy and reducing stress.

Rosemary essential oil is extracted from the needles of the rosemary plants using steam distillation, resulting in the clear, fragrant essential oil.

Benefits of Rosemary Essential Oil

 

Rosemary essential oil is used to help treat a long list of ailments and maladies. Recently published scientific studies and preliminary findings have confirmed many of rosemary essential oil’s benefits.  The benefits of rosemary essential oil are:

  1. Antioxidant Properties

  2. Antimicrobial Properties

  3. Anti-Cancer Activity

  4. Improve Scalp/Hair Health

  5. Mental Stimulant

  6. Natural Pain Relief

  7. Natural Stress Relief

  • Soothe an Upset Stomach

Applied topically to the stomach, rosemary essential oil may be used to help alleviate bloating, cramps, flatulence, and the other symptoms of indigestion. Simply add 1-3 drops of rosemary essential oil to a carrier oil such as jojoba or coconut, and rub onto the stomach. It is considered a gentler alternative to laxatives.

  • Ease Respiratory Issues

Rosemary essential oil is often used to alleviate symptoms of respiratory conditions. Adding rosemary essential oil into a diffuser or hot water and inhaling the vapors may help soothe irritated throats and ease congestion. 

  • Pain Relief

Rosemary essential oil can be used to help relieve muscle pain by massaging the diluted essential oil onto sore muscles. It has been used as a therapeutic tool to help alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and headaches. Add one or two drops of rosemary essential oil to a carrier oil and massage on areas experiencing pain.

  • Aromatic Bath

Promote mental and physical relaxation by adding a few drops of rosemary essential oil to a hot bath. The strong aroma is also thought to temporarily restore alertness and focus.

  • Antioxidant Properties

In the body, antioxidants help to remove potentially damaging free radicals that may cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, or become cancerous. Rosemary essential oil has been shown to exhibit antioxidant properties in both laboratory settings and animal models.3,5

  • Antimicrobial Benefits

Compounds present in rosemary essential oil have been shown to act as antimicrobial agents, slowing down and inhibiting bacterial growth in food.4 This property is what gives rosemary its colloquial claim as a preservative.

  • Healthy Scalp and Hair

Traditionally, rosemary was believed to be a cure for baldness and thinning hair. While these claims have yet to be tested, recent scientific studies have confirmed rosemary essential oil’s antimicrobial properties can be used in combination with shampoo to help eliminate dandruff and maintain a healthy scalp.

  • Mental and Memory Boosting Powers

Several studies have shown that aromatherapy with rosemary essential oil may temporarily influence cognitive abilities.

  • Pain Relieving

Clinical trials have shown evidence, both in animal and human testing, that rosemary essential oil contains bioactive compounds that may help reduce pain, particularly from rheumatoid arthritis. Inhalation has also been supported by human evidence to help reduce perceived pain.

Generally, rosemary essential oil is combined with other agents to reduce swelling and pain. But evidence from several studies suggest that aromatherapy with a combination of rosemary, lavender, marjoram, eucalyptus, and peppermint essential oils may help reduce perceived pain and temporarily alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression.5

  • Stress Relieving

Rosemary essential oil has been shown to reduce stress levels in individuals when used in aromatherapy. While patients self-reported, these changes shown that patients do feel less anxious and more relaxed after rosemary aromatherapy.

Rosemary Essential Oil Side Effects

Rosemary essential oil is considered safe when diluted and applied topically or used in aromatherapy.5
It is advised that rosemary essential oil be avoided by children and pregnant women.

Essential oils are highly concentrated and can be toxic if consumed. Rosemary essential oil should not be ingested orally.5 Always be sure to read and follow the label to make sure a product is right for you.