A homemade hair mask for hair growth and thickness won’t reverse hair loss or replace minoxidil. It can stop the hair you have from snapping and calm a flaky scalp, so your hair looks fuller.1 Below are 15 recipes built on rosemary, onion, aloe, coconut oil, honey, egg, rice water and flaxseed, each with exact amounts, a leave-on time and an evidence rating.
The short version
- Rosemary oil is the only mask ingredient with a randomized trial in pattern thinning. In 100 men, it raised hair counts about as much as 2% minoxidil, and it took six months.2
- Onion juice regrew hair in one small study, but only in patchy alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition.3
- Topical minoxidil is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter drug for pattern hair loss, and the only one approved for both men and women.45
Do homemade hair masks work?
Only on the hair you can see. That hair is dead protein, and a mask can coat it and keep it from breaking. It can’t reach a shrinking follicle or undo the genetics behind pattern hair loss.
So a mask makes hair look thicker, because fewer strands break. It doesn’t make hair thicker, because that takes more working follicles.
Coconut oil has the best lab data here. It gets inside the hair shaft,6 cuts protein loss when used before or after washing,1 and slows how fast hair soaks up water.7 That limits the swelling and shrinking that wears strands down.6 A coconut-oil company ran some of these studies.
For real regrowth, the evidence is thin. A 2024 review found no non-prescription product that beat topical minoxidil or oral finasteride.8 A 2025 review rated none of 16 herbal hair-loss trials at low risk of bias.9
Forums talk about “the big 3”: finasteride, minoxidil and ketoconazole shampoo. Finasteride (men only, by prescription) and topical minoxidil have the best evidence for pattern hair loss.10 Ketoconazole is an anti-dandruff shampoo used off-label. If your hair is going fast, read what actually works for hair loss first.
How strong is the evidence?
- Topical minoxidil regrows hair in pattern hair loss.StrongMany controlled trials. Approved for men and women.10
- Rosemary oil raises hair counts in pattern thinning.LimitedOne randomized trial of 100 men, no placebo group, never repeated.28
- Onion juice regrows hair in patchy alopecia areata.Limited38 people, tap water as the control, no blinding reported.3
- Coconut oil reduces protein loss from hair.LimitedLab studies on hair fibers, partly industry-run.16
- Aloe and honey calm a flaky, itchy scalp.LimitedSmall trials in seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.1112
- Egg, avocado, banana, yogurt or fenugreek masks grow hair.UntestedNo human study has tested these masks for hair growth.
Which homemade hair mask for hair growth and thickness is best?
For thinning at the part or crown, rosemary scalp oil. It’s the only recipe here with a trial in the most common kind of hair loss. For breakage, dryness and a flaky scalp, aloe vera and coconut oil.
| Mask | Best for | Time | Hair type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosemary scalp oil | Thinning at the part or crown | Overnight | All (scalp only) | Limited |
| Onion juice | Small bald patches, after a doctor’s visit | 15 to 30 min | All | Limited (patches only) |
| Aloe vera and coconut oil | Breakage and a flaky scalp | 30 to 45 min | Dry, damaged | Limited |
| Honey scalp soak | Dandruff and itch | Up to 3 h | All | Limited |
| Overnight coconut oil | Dry ends, protein loss | Overnight | Dry, curly, long | Lab only |
| Olive oil and honey | Frizz and dryness | 30 min | Coarse, dry | Lab only |
| Egg and honey | Body and shine | 20 to 30 min | Fine, limp | Untested |
| Banana and coconut (egg-free) | Softness and slip | 20 to 30 min | Dry, curly | Untested |
| Rice water | Tangles | 10 to 20 min | Normal to oily | Lab only |
| Green tea rinse | A light rinse | 15 to 30 min | Oily, fine | Lab only |
| Castor oil, diluted | Very dry ends | 1 to 2 h | Coarse | Untested |
| Fenugreek paste | Slip and conditioning | 30 min | Dry, frizzy | Untested |
| Curd (yogurt) | Softness | 20 to 30 min | Dull, dry | Untested |
| Avocado | Moisture | 20 to 30 min | Thick, curly | Untested |
| Flaxseed gel | Curl definition | 30 min or leave in | Curly, 4c | Untested |
15 homemade hair mask recipes
The list runs from the most evidence to the least. The rosemary and honey recipes are built on published protocols. The rest follow common practice, so scale the amounts to your hair length.
1. Rosemary scalp oil
Rosemary is the only ingredient on this list that has been tested against a drug. Researchers randomized 100 men with pattern hair loss to rosemary oil or 2% minoxidil for six months.2 At three months, neither group had changed. At six months, hair counts rose in both, and the gap between the groups wasn’t statistically meaningful. Rosemary also caused less scalp itching than minoxidil.
The numbers are small. The rosemary group gained about 7 hairs in the counted area and the minoxidil group gained about 2.8 The stronger 5% minoxidil wasn’t in the trial. So “as good as minoxidil” means as good as a weak dose that barely moved. And one trial without a placebo group can’t prove two treatments are equal.
Inside the rosemary trial
- Who
- 100 men with androgenetic alopecia, 50 per group.
- Product
- A rosemary oil lotion with 3.7 mg of 1,8-cineole per mL, 1 mL twice a day on the front, top and crown.8
- Compared with
- 2% minoxidil solution.
- Found
- No change at 3 months. At 6 months, hair counts went from 122.8 to 129.6 with rosemary and from 138.4 to 140.7 with minoxidil. No difference between groups.28
- Caveat
- Single-blind, no placebo, men only, and nobody has repeated it.
The trial used a standardized lotion. Rosemary oils vary by type, and by our calculation a 1% to 2% dilution of a cineole-type oil lands roughly at the trial dose. No trial has tested rosemary water, and its active compound dissolves in oil and evaporates. Our rosemary water guide covers it, and rosemary and peppermint oil covers the popular blend.
Rosemary scalp oil
A small rise in hair count after six months in one trial. It does nothing for your ends.
You need
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) jojoba oil
- 9 drops rosemary essential oil, ideally labeled “ct. cineole” (about 1%, or up to 18 drops for 2%)
Steps
- Mix in a dark dropper bottle.
- Part dry hair over the thin areas and apply about 1 mL, one dropper.
- Massage for two minutes, leave it overnight, then shampoo.
Timing
- Leave on: overnight
- How often: daily, because the trials used it once or twice a day
- Judge it at: six months
Caution Never use essential oil undiluted, and patch-test first. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, epileptic or asthmatic, ask a doctor. Don’t drop prescribed minoxidil or finasteride for it.
Hibiscus shows up in a lot of rosemary recipes. Its evidence is rats and lab dishes,13 so keep it on the lengths as a conditioner. Mix 2 tbsp hibiscus powder into 3 tbsp plain yogurt and leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes. The hibiscus guide has more.
2. Onion juice
Onion juice has the most dramatic result on this list and the narrowest one. In a 2002 study of 38 people with patchy alopecia areata, 86.9% of those using crude onion juice twice a day had regrowth by six weeks. In the tap-water group, 13% did by eight weeks.3
But alopecia areata is autoimmune, and patches often regrow with no treatment at all. The study was small and reports no blinding. Nobody tested onion juice on pattern thinning, and a lotion that mixed onion with three other plant extracts did no better than placebo.14 If you have bald patches, see a dermatologist first, because prescription treatments now exist for that condition.15 Our guides to onion juice for alopecia and onion juice for men go deeper.
Inside the onion juice study
- Who
- 38 people aged 3 to 42 with patchy alopecia areata.
- Groups
- 23 used crude onion juice and 15 used tap water, twice a day for two months.
- Found
- Regrowth in 73.9% at 4 weeks and 86.9% at 6 weeks with onion. 13% at 8 weeks with water.3
- Caveat
- Small, with no randomization method or blinding reported, and one condition only.
Onion juice
Regrowth in patchy alopecia areata in one small study. Untested for thinning.
You need
- 1 medium onion
- Cheesecloth or a fine sieve
Steps
- Grate or blend the onion and strain out 3 to 4 tbsp of juice. Make it fresh each time.
- Dab it onto the scalp with a cotton pad, away from your eyes.
- Leave 15 to 30 minutes, then shampoo twice to get the smell out.
Timing
- Leave on: 15 to 30 minutes
- How often: 2 to 3 times a week (the study used twice a day)
- Best for: small patches, after a doctor has seen them
Caution It stings, and onion can cause an allergic rash.16 Skip it if handling onions irritates your skin, and never put it on broken skin.
3. Aloe vera and coconut oil
This is the best-supported mask for the other kind of thickness. It protects the hair you have and does nothing for growth.
Coconut oil works on the lengths, and it’s the oil with the protein-loss data.1 Aloe works on the scalp. In a double-blind trial of 44 adults with seborrheic dermatitis, an aloe emulsion improved scaling and itch in 58% of patients, against 15% on placebo.11 If you only make one mask from this list, make this one.
Aloe vera and coconut oil
Less breakage and a calmer, less flaky scalp. No growth effect.
You need
- 2 tbsp fresh aloe gel, or a store gel with no alcohol
- 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted
Steps
- Massage about half the aloe into your scalp.
- Mix the rest with the oil and work it through the lengths.
- Leave 30 to 45 minutes, then shampoo.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: a dry, flaky scalp and damaged lengths
Caution Aloe occasionally causes burning, itching or a rash.17 If you get dandruff, keep the oil on the lengths.
4. Honey scalp soak for flakes
This recipe copies a published protocol. Thirty people with seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff rubbed in honey diluted to 90% with warm water every other day and left it for three hours. Itching and scaling cleared within a week. In the follow-up, none of the 15 people who kept using honey weekly relapsed, against 12 of the 15 who stopped.12 There was no placebo group, so treat it as a promising small study.
It takes the slot the dark chocolate and cinnamon mask holds on other lists. Cocoa has no hair study. The chocolate claims borrow from trials of procyanidin B-2, a compound purified from apples and tested as a 1% tonic,18 and cinnamon is a known skin allergen.19
Honey scalp soak
Less itch and flaking in a small study.
You need
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp warm water
Steps
- Stir the water into the honey.
- Part dry hair and rub it into the scalp, section by section.
- Cover with a shower cap, leave up to three hours, then rinse and shampoo.
Timing
- How often: every other day for four weeks, then weekly
- Best for: dandruff and an itchy scalp
Caution It’s sticky. Rinse with plenty of warm water before you shampoo.
5. Overnight coconut oil
An overnight mask should be plain oil. Egg, yogurt and avocado sit on warm skin all night and you’ll smell them by morning. Coconut oil is the one with protein-loss data when it goes on before washing.1 There are no overnight results.
Overnight coconut oil pre-wash
Less protein loss when you wash.
You need
- 1 tsp virgin coconut oil for fine hair, up to 2 tbsp for thick or long hair
- Optional: the rosemary scalp oil from recipe 1 on your scalp
Steps
- Warm the oil between your palms and coat dry lengths.
- Braid loosely and put an old towel over your pillow.
- Shampoo in the morning.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: dry, curly, bleached or long hair
Caution Keep heavy oil off a dandruff-prone scalp. It can make flaking worse for some people.
6. Olive oil and honey
Olive oil also soaks into hair over time, and warmth sped that up in lab tests.20 It’s heavier than coconut oil, so it suits coarse, dry hair better than fine hair.
Olive oil and honey
Softer, less frizzy lengths.
You need
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
Steps
- Warm the oil slightly and test it on your wrist.
- Stir in the honey and apply to the lengths and ends.
- Leave 30 minutes, then shampoo twice.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: dry, coarse, frizzy hair
Caution Keep it off an oily or flaky scalp.
7. Egg and honey
Egg is one of the most common hair masks online, and it has no human evidence for growth. The egg-yolk research people cite tested a processed peptide extract, in work run by a company that makes it.21 What a raw egg gives you is temporary body and shine.
Egg and honey
Temporary body and shine.
You need
- 1 egg, or 2 yolks if your hair is dry
- 1 tbsp honey
Steps
- Whisk until smooth.
- Apply to damp hair, lengths first.
- Leave 20 to 30 minutes and rinse with cool water before you shampoo.
Timing
- How often: every one to two weeks
- Best for: fine, limp hair
Caution Skip it if you’re allergic to egg. Hot water can set egg in your hair.
8. Egg-free: banana and coconut
This is the egg-free swap. Banana has no hair research. It adds slip, so detangling gets easier, and the coconut oil does the protective work.
Banana and coconut oil
Slip and softness.
You need
- 1 very ripe banana
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp honey
Steps
- Blend until completely smooth, because lumps are hard to rinse out.
- Apply to damp lengths.
- Leave 20 to 30 minutes, then shampoo.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: dry or curly hair
Caution If you’re allergic to latex, go carefully with banana and avocado. They can cross-react.22
9. Rice water
Rice water is a rinse more than a mask. A Japanese lab study found it cut friction on the hair surface, so combs snag less, and made strands more elastic. Used raw, it also left hair flaky, and the authors preferred processed extracts.23 No human trial has tested it for growth.
Rice water rinse
Less friction and easier detangling.
You need
- ½ cup uncooked rice
- 2 cups water
Steps
- Rinse the rice once, then soak it in the water for 30 minutes.
- Strain, then pour the water over clean hair.
- Leave 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: normal to oily hair that tangles
Caution It can dry hair out. Skip it if you have eczema or psoriasis on your scalp.24
10. Green tea rinse
EGCG, the main compound in green tea, made hair follicles grow in lab dishes.25 Nobody has tested a green tea rinse on people. Use it because it’s cheap and light on oily hair.
Green tea rinse
A light, non-greasy rinse. Its effect on growth is untested.
You need
- 2 green tea bags
- 1 cup hot water
Steps
- Steep for 10 to 15 minutes and let it cool completely.
- Pour it over your scalp after shampooing.
- Leave 15 to 30 minutes, or leave it in as a final rinse.
Timing
- How often: once or twice a week
- Best for: an oily scalp and fine hair
Caution Let it cool fully before it touches your scalp.
11. Castor oil, diluted
The growth claim for castor oil rests on a computer model that predicted one of its fatty acids might block a hair-loss signal.26 Nobody has confirmed that in people. What castor oil can do is coat dry ends, because it’s so thick.
That thickness has a cost. In one case report, a patient’s whole head of long hair matted into a hard mass right after a coconut and castor oil wash. It couldn’t be undone, and the hair had to be cut off.27 That’s rare, but it’s reason enough to dilute it.
Castor oil, diluted
Coats very dry ends. No proven growth.
You need
- 1 tbsp castor oil
- 2 tbsp jojoba or coconut oil
Steps
- Mix the oils.
- Work about ½ tsp into dry ends.
- Leave 1 to 2 hours, then shampoo twice.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: very dry, coarse ends
Caution Don’t pile oiled long hair on top of your head. Detangle gently, ends first.
12. Fenugreek paste
No human study has tested fenugreek on the scalp. As a paste it conditions and adds slip, and the smell is part of the deal.
Fenugreek paste
Conditioning and slip.
You need
- 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 3 tbsp plain yogurt or water
Steps
- Soak the seeds overnight.
- Grind them to a paste with the yogurt or water.
- Apply, leave 30 minutes, rinse well, then shampoo.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: dry, frizzy hair
Caution Fenugreek is a legume. Skip it if you’re allergic to peanuts or chickpeas.28
13. Curd (yogurt)
Curd is a staple of South Asian hair care, and nobody has studied it. People use it because it’s mild, rinses out easily and leaves hair soft.
Curd mask
Softness and shine.
You need
- ½ cup plain, unsweetened full-fat yogurt
- 1 tbsp honey
Steps
- Stir together.
- Apply to the scalp and lengths.
- Leave 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse and shampoo.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: dull, dry hair
Caution Rinse until the water runs clear, or your hair will smell sour.
14. Avocado
Avocado has no hair research at all. It’s fat and water in a spreadable form, which makes it a decent moisturizer for thick, dry hair.
Avocado mask
Moisture and slip.
You need
- ½ ripe avocado
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Steps
- Blend until smooth.
- Apply to damp lengths.
- Leave 20 to 30 minutes, then shampoo.
Timing
- How often: weekly
- Best for: thick, dry or curly hair
Caution A latex allergy can cross-react with avocado.22
15. Flaxseed gel
Flaxseed gel is a styling product you can use as a mask. Simmered flaxseed releases a slippery gel that holds curls without crunch. The method comes from curly-hair communities, and nobody has studied it.
Flaxseed gel
Curl definition and light hold.
You need
- 2 tbsp whole flaxseed
- 1 cup water
Steps
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it looks like egg white.
- Strain while hot through a fine sieve or a clean stocking.
- Cool, then use 2 to 3 tbsp as a 30-minute mask or as a leave-in.
Timing
- How often: once or twice a week
- Best for: curly, wavy and 4c hair
Caution Keep it in the fridge and throw it out after a week, or sooner if it smells off.
Pick a mask by hair type
Your hair type decides where the oil goes and how heavy the mask can be.
| Hair type | Best picks | Go easy on |
|---|---|---|
| Curly or 4c | Flaxseed gel, avocado, banana and coconut, overnight coconut oil | Rice water every week |
| Low porosity | Aloe, green tea, light oils like jojoba on damp hair with gentle warmth | Castor oil and heavy butters |
| Thin or fine | Rosemary scalp oil, egg and honey, rice water, green tea | Any oil at the roots |
| Oily scalp | Green tea, rice water, aloe | Oil masks on the scalp |
| Dry | Olive oil and honey, avocado, overnight coconut, diluted castor oil | Rice water more than weekly |
Oil films slow water loss,7 which is why heavier masks suit curly and coily hair. Comb it damp, with a wide-tooth comb.29 Our guide to the best oil for 4c hair compares the oils. Low porosity hair resists absorption, and warmth helped oil soak in during lab tests,20 so a warm towel over the mask can help.
Pick a mask by problem
| Problem | What helps | Masks that fit |
|---|---|---|
| Hair fall | Find the cause first. Pattern thinning responds to minoxidil and, in men, finasteride. Shedding after illness, stress or childbirth usually settles. | Rosemary scalp oil |
| Dandruff | An anti-dandruff shampoo and less oil on the scalp | Honey scalp soak, aloe and coconut |
| Frizz | Moisture, and blotting hair dry instead of rubbing | Flaxseed gel, olive oil and honey, overnight coconut |
| Split ends | No mask repairs a split end. Trim it, then prevent the next one. | Overnight coconut oil before washing |
Sudden hair fall is a different problem from slow thinning. It’s usually shedding set off two or three months earlier by something like a fever, surgery or a crash diet, and it tends to stop within three to six months.30 Our guide on how long hair takes to grow back covers the timing.
How to apply a hair mask
- Oils go on dry hair, before you wash. The coconut oil data comes from use before and after washing.1
- Food masks go on clean, damp hair. Blot it with a towel first, because rubbing wet hair causes breakage.29
- Massage your scalp for two to four minutes, even though the evidence is thin. Nine men who used a massage device for 24 weeks ended up with slightly thicker hairs, and there was no comparison group.31 It costs nothing, so do it anyway.
- A shower cap is optional. Warmth helped oil soak into hair fibers in the lab.20 Nobody has tested a cap on a real head.
- Rinse egg out with cool water. Shampoo oils out twice, then condition.
How often, and how long until you see results
Once a week suits most hair. Adjust it for your hair type.
| Hair type | Lengths mask | Rosemary scalp oil |
|---|---|---|
| Fine or oily | Every 1 to 2 weeks | Daily, small amount |
| Normal | Weekly | Daily |
| Dry, curly or 4c | Once or twice a week, plus overnight oil weekly | Daily |
| Damaged or bleached | Weekly | Daily |
Hair grows about a centimeter a month,32 so anything that changes hair count takes months to show. Here’s what to expect from a mask routine with rosemary oil.
- Softer hair, same countAny mask changes how hair feels after one use. Take baseline photos now, in the same light and at the same angle.
- Less breakageIf your masks are protecting the lengths, you’ll find fewer short, snapped hairs in your brush.
- Nothing measurable yetIn the rosemary trial, neither group’s hair count had changed at three months.2 Don’t quit here.
- The fair verdictHair counts rose in the trial at six months.2 Compare photos. If nothing changed, look at medical options.
- Minoxidil’s verdictIf you add minoxidil, give it six to twelve months before you judge it.4
Are homemade hair masks safe?
Mostly, but your scalp is skin. Treat a new mask the way you’d treat a new skin product.
Before your first mask
- Patch-test it. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests applying a small amount to your inner forearm twice a day for four to five days. Redness, itching or burning means no.33
- Skip egg if you have an egg allergy, and fenugreek if you’re allergic to peanuts or chickpeas. With a latex allergy, go easy on banana and avocado.2822
- Never use essential oils undiluted. Allergic reactions to them are being reported more often.34
- Keep lemon and lime out of masks. Citrus juice plus sunlight can cause burn-like blisters and dark patches that last for years.35 That’s why none of these 15 recipes uses citrus.
- Use castor oil sparingly on long hair. It has caused rare, permanent matting.27
When to see a doctor
See a doctor or dermatologist first if36
- hair falls out suddenly, or a bald patch appears within a day or two
- hair comes out in clumps when you brush or wash it
- you have patches on your scalp, eyebrows or beard
- your scalp hurts, burns, scales or has sores
- your hair isn’t back to normal a year after giving birth. Shedding usually peaks about four months after delivery.37
- shedding after an illness keeps going past six months30
- you also have new tiredness, weight change or other symptoms, because your doctor may want to check your thyroid and iron
For pattern hair loss, topical minoxidil is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter drug, and the only one approved for both men and women.4 Finasteride 1 mg is a prescription pill for men only.5 A newer topical, clascoterone, isn’t approved for hair loss yet, and its maker plans to file with the FDA in early 2027.38 Here’s where clascoterone stands.
Masks protect the hair you have. Rosemary oil is a small, slow bet on more.
Aloe vera and coconut oil is the best-supported all-round mask for breakage and a flaky scalp. Rosemary scalp oil is the only recipe here with a trial in pattern thinning, and it needs six months of daily use. If your hair is falling out fast or in patches, see a doctor before you mix anything.
Questions people ask
Are homemade hair masks safe?
How often should I use a hair mask?
Once a week suits most hair. Fine or oily hair needs less, and dry, curly or 4c hair can take two a week. Rosemary scalp oil works differently. The trial used it daily, so use it daily and judge it at six months.2
What’s the best overnight hair mask?
Plain oil. Put coconut oil on the lengths, and diluted rosemary oil on the scalp if you’re targeting thinning. Don’t leave egg, yogurt, banana or avocado on overnight, because they spoil. There are no overnight results, whatever the label says.1
What’s a good egg-free hair mask?
Banana and coconut oil, blended smooth, for slip and softness. For breakage and a flaky scalp, aloe vera and coconut oil has better evidence and no egg.11
How long until I see results?
What’s the best hair mask for curly hair?
Flaxseed gel for definition. For moisture, avocado, banana and coconut, or overnight coconut oil. Detangle while your hair is damp, with a wide-tooth comb.29
References
- Lab study · hair fibers · industryRele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. 2003;54(2):175-192. PubMed 12715094
- Randomized trial · 100 men · 6 monthsPanahi Y, Taghizadeh M, Marzony ET, Sahebkar A. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Skinmed. 2015;13(1):15-21. PubMed 25842469
- Controlled trial · 38 people · 8 weeksSharquie KE, Al-Obaidi HK. Onion juice (Allium cepa L.), a new topical treatment for alopecia areata. J Dermatol. 2002;29(6):343-346. doi:10.1111/j.1346-8138.2002.tb00277.x
- Professional guidanceAmerican Academy of Dermatology. Female pattern hair loss: diagnosis and treatment. aad.org
- Regulatory recordU.S. Food and Drug Administration. Drugs@FDA: Propecia (finasteride) 1 mg, NDA 020788, approved 19 December 1997. accessdata.fda.gov
- Lab study · hair fibersRuetsch SB, Kamath YK, Rele AS, Mohile RB. Secondary ion mass spectrometric investigation of penetration of coconut and mineral oils into human hair fibers: relevance to hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. 2001;52(3):169-184. PubMed 11413497
- Lab study · hair fibersKeis K, Huemmer CL, Kamath YK. Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair. J Cosmet Sci. 2007;58(2):135-145. PubMed 17520153
- Review · 13 controlled trialsGupta AK, Wang H, Wang T, Talukder M. Do non-prescription products help in managing androgenic alopecia? Skin Appendage Disord. 2024;11(3):270-281. doi:10.1159/000542880
- Systematic review · 16 trialsAllam AT, et al. Pathophysiology, conventional treatments, and evidence-based herbal remedies of hair loss with a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2025;398(12):16311-16354. doi:10.1007/s00210-025-04286-6
- Evidence reviewVarothai S, Bergfeld WF. Androgenetic alopecia: an evidence-based treatment update. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2014;15(3):217-230. doi:10.1007/s40257-014-0077-5
- Double-blind trial · 44 adultsVardy DA, et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of an Aloe vera (A. barbadensis) emulsion in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis. J Dermatol Treat. 1999;10(1):7-11. doi:10.3109/09546639909055904
- Open study · 30 peopleAl-Waili NS. Therapeutic and prophylactic effects of crude honey on chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Eur J Med Res. 2001;6(7):306-308. PubMed 11485891
- Animal and lab studyAdhirajan N, et al. In vivo and in vitro evaluation of hair growth potential of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003;88(2-3):235-239. doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(03)00231-9
- Pilot randomized trial · 35 peopleKang D, et al. Impact of a topical lotion, CG428, on permanent chemotherapy-induced alopecia in breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer. 2020;28(4):1829-1837. doi:10.1007/s00520-019-04982-z
- Regulatory recordU.S. Food and Drug Administration. Novel Drug Approvals for 2023: Litfulo (ritlecitinib) for severe alopecia areata. fda.gov
- Case and lab studyAlbanesi M, et al. Immunological characterization of onion (Allium cepa) allergy. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2019;36(1):98-103. doi:10.5114/ada.2019.82829
- Government health guideNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Aloe vera: usefulness and safety. nccih.nih.gov
- Randomized trial · 29 men · industryTakahashi T, et al. The first clinical trial of topical application of procyanidin B-2 to investigate its potential as a hair growing agent. Phytother Res. 2001;15(4):331-336. doi:10.1002/ptr.800
- Case series and reviewIsaac-Renton M, et al. Cinnamon spice and everything not nice: many features of intraoral allergy to cinnamic aldehyde. Dermatitis. 2015;26(3):116-121. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000112
- Lab study · hair fibersKeis K, Persaud D, Kamath YK, Rele AS. Investigation of penetration abilities of various oils into human hair fibers. J Cosmet Sci. 2005;56(5):283-295. PubMed 16258695
- Lab, animal and human study · industryNakamura T, et al. Naturally occurring hair growth peptide: water-soluble chicken egg yolk peptides stimulate hair growth through induction of vascular endothelial growth factor production. J Med Food. 2018;21(7):701-708. doi:10.1089/jmf.2017.4101
- Systematic reviewGromek W, et al. Revisiting latex-fruit syndrome after 30 years of research. J Clin Med. 2024;13(14):4222. doi:10.3390/jcm13144222
- Lab study · hair fibersInamasu S, Ikuyama R, Fujisaki Y, Sugimoto K. The effect of rinse water obtained from the washing of rice (YU-SU-RU) as a hair treatment. J Soc Cosmet Chem Jpn. 2010;44(1):29-33. doi:10.5107/sccj.44.29
- Journalism · dermatologist interviewTODAY. Dermatologists on whether rice water is good for your hair. Updated 13 February 2024. today.com
- Lab studyKwon OS, et al. Human hair growth enhancement in vitro by green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Phytomedicine. 2007;14(7-8):551-555. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2006.09.009
- Computer modeling studyFong P, et al. In silico prediction of prostaglandin D2 synthase inhibitors from herbal constituents for the treatment of hair loss. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015;175:470-480. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2015.10.005
- Case reportMaduri VR, Vedachalam A, Kiruthika S. “Castor oil”: the culprit of acute hair felting. Int J Trichology. 2017;9(3):116-118. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_22_17
- ReviewOuzir M, et al. Toxicological properties of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum). Food Chem Toxicol. 2016;96:145-154. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2016.08.003
- Professional guidanceAmerican Academy of Dermatology. 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair. aad.org
- Medical center guideCleveland Clinic. Telogen effluvium. clevelandclinic.org
- Small study · 9 men · no control groupKoyama T, et al. Standardized scalp massage results in increased hair thickness by inducing stretching forces to dermal papilla cells in the subcutaneous tissue. Eplasty. 2016;16:e8. PubMed 26904154
- Medical center guideCleveland Clinic. Hair follicle: anatomy, function and growth cycle. clevelandclinic.org
- Professional guidanceAmerican Academy of Dermatology. How to test a new skin care product before using it (inner-forearm method). aad.org
- ReviewSindle A, Martin K. Essential oils: natural products not necessarily safe. Int J Womens Dermatol. 2021;7(3):304-308. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.10.013
- Dermatology referenceDermNet. Phytophotodermatitis. dermnetnz.org
- Professional guidanceAmerican Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: signs that you should see a dermatologist. aad.org
- Professional guidanceAmerican Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss in new moms. aad.org
- Company press releaseCosmo Pharmaceuticals. Clascoterone 12-month safety results; U.S. FDA filing planned for early 2027. 15 April 2026. cosmohealthconfidence.com
How this guide was made
We rated each ingredient by the best published human evidence we could find and opened every study we cite. Evidence is graded Strong, Limited, Lab only or Untested from the design and size of those studies. Amounts and leave-on times follow the study protocol where one exists (rosemary and honey) and common practice everywhere else. This is information, not medical advice.
