January 2026 in “RIGGS Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Business” This study analyzed the formulation and stability of pomade containing peppermint oil and minoxidil, determining that a particular formulation with 1% paraffin yielded optimal physical and stability characteristics for promoting hair growth, making it the best choice among the tested options.
August 2025 in “Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology” Combining minoxidil and rosemary oil in a gel promotes better hair growth than using them separately.
January 2025 in “Dermatologic Therapy” In this study, the combination of topical minoxidil and betamethasone was found to be more effective for hair regrowth and patient satisfaction in alopecia areata patients compared to betamethasone alone or with herbal oils, though further randomized trials are recommended.
19 citations
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July 2020 in “Journal of drug delivery science and technology” This study found that nano-sized minoxidil formulations significantly increased skin penetration and follicular drug delivery for alopecia areata treatment, compared to conventional ethanol-based solutions, and demonstrated effective controlled release over six hours.
10 citations
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April 2015 in “PubMed” This study found that rosemary oil and minoxidil 2% both increased hair count equally in patients with androgenetic alopecia after 6 months, with more scalp itching seen in the minoxidil group.
4 citations
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February 2015 in “PubMed” This study found that a minoxidil foamable emu oil emulsion significantly promoted hair growth in animals compared to a marketed 5% minoxidil solution, showing increased hair follicles in the anagenic phase.
December 2025 in “Processes” This study found that minoxidil had the highest solubility in shea butter, stearic acid, and rosemary oil, suggesting these natural oils may improve drug loading and encapsulation efficiency in lipid nanocarrier formulations for potential hair growth applications.
June 2025 in “Journal of the Faculty of Medicine Baghdad” This study found that Syzygium aromaticum oil may improve the anagen/telogen ratio in testosterone-induced alopecia in mice, indicating potential as an alternative treatment to minoxidil for androgenic alopecia.
7 citations
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December 2021 in “Pharmaceutics” This study developed a nanoemulsion of garlic oil and apple cider vinegar loaded with minoxidil to enhance drug permeation through skin, reporting improved ex vivo skin permeation parameters compared to an aqueous dispersion of minoxidil, suggesting potential benefits for treating alopecia areata.
November 2025 in “Discover Pharmaceutical Sciences” In this study, a nanoemulsion containing lavender, peppermint, and rosemary essential oils was developed and shown to promote hair growth in mice at a rate comparable to 2% topical minoxidil, suggesting a promising natural alternative due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
In this study, a nanoemulsion containing Lavender, Peppermint, and Rosemary oils significantly promoted hair growth in C57BL/6 mice, showing effects comparable to 2% minoxidil, following formula optimization and ex vivo skin permeation testing.
4 citations
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February 2021 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” This study found that pumpkin seed oil significantly improved hair parameters in females with pattern hair loss, demonstrating potential as a treatment comparable to minoxidil 5% foam.
2 citations
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January 2016 in “Journal of in silico & in vitro pharmacology” This study found that coencapsulating Minoxidil and Rosemary essential oil in liposomes increased Minoxidil's encapsulation efficacy, while Rosemary oil's entrapment was not significantly affected.
March 2026 in “Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research” This study found that Syzygium aromaticum and Rosmarinus officinalis oils, used alone or together, were effective in promoting hair regrowth in rats, with the combined oils performing better than 2% minoxidil by accelerating regrowth initiation, completion, and enhancing hair quality measures.
This study found that applying topical cinnamon essential oil on male wistar rats increased hair length and hair follicle diameter similarly to 2% minoxidil over 30 days.
January 2023 in “International journal of research publications” According to this study, rice bran oil was as effective as 2% minoxidil in improving hair growth parameters, such as VEGF expression, follicle diameter, and hair length, in Wistar rats treated for 21 days, showing potential for preventing hair thinning associated with aging.
March 2024 in “Journal of integral sciences” This review highlights the interest in rosemary oil as a natural remedy for hair growth, contrasting its bioactive components and antioxidant properties with minoxidil's vasodilating mechanism, but notes that comprehensive clinical comparisons of their long-term efficacy and safety are still lacking.
December 2023 in “Azerbaijan Pharmaceutical and Pharmacotherapy J” This study formulated a minoxidil-loaded submicron emulsion-based topical gel, which demonstrated effective in vitro release, ex vivo permeation, and stability, suggesting it may offer a targeted treatment approach for alopecia compared to traditional methods.
183 citations
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January 2018 in “Cosmetics” This review discusses side effects and allergy contact dermatitis caused by essential oils in cosmetic products and reports no new clinical results.
13 citations
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March 2019 in “Journal of ethnopharmacology” This study found that Cacumen Platycladi volatile oil promotes dermal papilla cell proliferation and enhances hair growth in mice, outperforming minoxidil and showing no obvious cytotoxic effects.
1 citations
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June 2010 in “Daehan miyong hakoeji” Rosemary oil promotes hair growth.
This study focused on developing a nanoemulsion-based gel for delivering minoxidil, aiming to enhance its contact time with the scalp and potentially improve skin absorption compared to conventional topical solutions.
November 2024 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” This review discusses various herbal alternatives, including rosemary oil and others, for managing androgenetic alopecia but reports that more research is needed to confirm the efficacy of these natural remedies.
August 2023 in “The Indonesian Biomedical Journal” This study on UVB-exposed mice found that topical application of 10% Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil significantly increased hair length and follicle diameter, attributed potentially to its antioxidant compounds.
This study found that an herbal extract from Marking nuts, when compared to a standard drug, effectively inhibited the dandruff-causing organism Malassezia furfur and promoted hair growth on mice, suggesting potential use for dandruff treatment and hair rejuvenation.
January 2010 in “Jounal of The Korean Society of cosmetology” Rosemary oil may promote hair growth by enhancing enzyme activities and IGF-1 expression.
April 2025 in “Natural Product Communications” This study found that essential oils from A. sinensis and L. sinense 'chuanxiong' were safe and significantly promoted hair regrowth in mice with dehydrotestosterone-induced androgenetic alopecia, outperforming 3% minoxidil in follicle number and dermal thickness improvements, suggesting potential use in hair loss treatments.
January 2024 in “Deleted Journal” This review reports that while essential oils are popular for hair health benefits like growth stimulation and hair quality improvement, scientific evidence supporting these claims remains limited and inconclusive.
30 citations
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December 2014 in “Toxicological Research” This study found that 3% peppermint oil significantly enhanced hair growth in C57BL/6 mice, showing increased dermal thickness, follicle number, and follicle depth compared to other treatments.
18 citations
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April 2016 in “Toxicological Research” This study found that lavender oil significantly promoted hair growth in female C57BL/6 mice by increasing hair follicle number, depth, and dermal thickness, while reducing mast cell numbers.