Most hair products work on the strands — the part that’s already dead. The living part, the part that actually grows hair, is the scalp. Think of it like soil: feed the soil, improve the circulation, and what grows out of it does better. Starve it, and no amount of conditioner downstream will fix that.
That’s the whole idea behind this little bottle. Bare to Hair Oil is a make-it-yourself scalp oil — three nourishing carrier oils carrying a few stimulating essential oils — that you massage into your scalp and hair and let do its quiet work. No mystery “fragrance,” no fillers, no fifteen-syllable ingredients. Just oils you can name.
Why a scalp oil — and why these oils
Two things help a scalp grow better hair: nourishment (the right fatty acids and a little moisture) and circulation (more blood flow means more of what a follicle needs to do its job). This blend goes after both.
The carriers do the nourishing:
- Extra-virgin olive oil — the base. Moisturizes the scalp and conditions the hair.
- Apricot kernel oil — lightweight; lends strength and shine without weighing hair down.
- Castor oil — the thick, classic hair oil. Long used to give hair body and to soothe the scalp.
The essential oils do the stimulating — and one of them has more than tradition behind it. Rosemary is the headline. In a 2015 randomized trial, rosemary oil was compared head-to-head with 2% minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) on people with pattern hair loss; after six months, the rosemary group saw hair-count improvement comparable to the minoxidil group — with less scalp itch. That’s a real, published result, not a folk claim.
The rest round out the blend:
- Peppermint — the bright, tingly one. A preliminary animal study found topical peppermint oil promoted hair growth in mice; in people it’s prized for the cooling, wake-up-the-scalp feel.
- Eucalyptus — traditionally used to stimulate scalp circulation.
- Marjoram — the soothing counterweight that gentles the blend.
A note on the rosemary research: the trial above is genuinely encouraging, but it’s one study on pattern hair loss, and results vary person to person. This is a nourishing scalp-care ritual with real plant oils — not a drug, and not a guaranteed cure.
What’s in it, and how much
This makes about a 100 mL bottle’s worth — enough to last a good while at two squirts a day. You’ll want a 4 oz (about 118 mL) bottle with a squirt top.
The carrier base:
Amounts are given two ways — by volume (mL) and by weight (grams) — because oils each have a slightly different density, and weighing on a cheap 0.01 g kitchen scale is the more repeatable way to hit the same blend every time.
| Carrier oil | Volume | Weight | What it brings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra-virgin olive oil | fill to ~100 mL (≈55–60 mL) | ~54 g | Moisturizes scalp and hair |
| Apricot kernel oil | 15 mL | ~13.7 g | Lightweight strength and shine |
| Castor oil | 15 mL | ~14.4 g | Body, thickness, soothes the scalp |
The essential oils:
| Essential oil | Volume | Weight | What it brings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eucalyptus | 4 mL | 3.66 g | Stimulates scalp circulation |
| Peppermint | 4 mL | 3.62 g | Invigorates and cools the scalp |
| Marjoram | 2 mL | 1.79 g | Soothes |
| Rosemary | 1 mL | 0.90 g | The hair-growth headliner |
| Lemon (optional) | ~0.88 mL (~20 drops) | 0.75 g | Naturally lightens hair color. Phototoxic — only apply before bed and keep treated hair and skin out of the sun (see cautions) |
That’s about 10 grams of essential oil in the bottle — around 11% of the blend, the same whether you measure by volume or by weight (these oils all sit near 0.9 g/mL). Patch test before your first full use, then you’re set.
Make it yourself
- Into a clean, dry 4 oz squirt-top bottle, add the essential oils first — eucalyptus 4 mL (3.66 g), peppermint 4 mL (3.62 g), marjoram 2 mL (1.79 g), rosemary 1 mL (0.90 g), and the lemon (~0.88 mL / 0.75 g, ~20 drops) if you’re using it. By drops, by mL, or — best for repeatability — on a small scale.
- Add the apricot oil (15 mL / ~13.7 g) and castor oil (15 mL / ~14.4 g).
- Top off to about 100 mL with extra-virgin olive oil (~54 g).
- Cap it and invert gently a few times to combine. Label it with the name and the date.
- Store it cool and dark — olive and apricot oils keep best away from heat and light. A few drops of vitamin E will help it last.
How to use it
- Two squirts to the top of your head.
- Massage it into your scalp and through your hair — take a minute; the scalp massage is part of the point (it’s good for circulation on its own).
- Use it consistently and give it about three weeks to start showing — hair works on hair time, not overnight.
If you used the optional lemon: apply it before bed and keep your scalp and hairline out of the sun. Here’s why that matters ⤵
A few honest cautions
Natural doesn’t mean “anything goes”:
- Patch test first. A drop on your inner forearm, wait a day, before the first full use.
- Keep it out of your eyes. Peppermint and eucalyptus sting sharply on contact with eyes and mucous membranes. If it gets in, flush with a plain oil (not water).
- Skip it during pregnancy, and if you have a history of seizures — that’s the standard guidance for rosemary.
- The lemon is phototoxic (only an issue if you use it). Lemon essential oil makes skin react to sunlight (photosensitivity). Sun on a lemon-treated scalp or hairline can cause dark skin patches (hyperpigmentation), redness, or even blisters. So only apply it before bed, and keep the treated area out of the sun. Leave the lemon out entirely and this caution goes away.
The barefoot part
The point of making this yourself isn’t only the few dollars you’ll save (you will). It’s that you’ll know exactly what’s on your head — three seed oils and four essential oils, every one of which you can name and pronounce. No mystery “fragrance,” no filler, no label you need a chemistry degree to read. You made it, so you trust it.
That’s the whole idea around here: fewer, better things, made by your own hands.
Make it the easy way
Want this recipe as a printable card for your bathroom shelf? Get the printable Bare to Hair Oil card — we’ll email you the PDF, along with the occasional recipe worth making.
Don’t have the essential oils on hand? We carry them — shop the blend ingredients and mix your first bottle this week.
Sources & further reading
- Panahi Y., et al. “Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial.” SKINmed Journal, 2015;13(1):15–21. — Rosemary oil comparable to 2% minoxidil over six months, with less scalp itching.
- Oh J.Y., et al. “Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs.” Toxicological Research, 2014;30(4):297–304. — Preliminary animal (mouse) study.
- Tisserand R. & Young R., Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed. — dermal-safety and dilution guidance (peppermint, lemon phototoxicity, rosemary cautions).