Since big chopping my hair last fall, my haircare routine has shifted from being length-retention-focused to being more vigilant about my scalp and hair health. I wash my hair more often (mostly because wash day is so much less complicated”>, and I’m more aware of what my scalp is doing in-between washes because there’s not so much hair covering it. Having dealt with hormone-sensitive moderately dry, flaky scalp for most of my life, I’ve just learned to cope with it through regular washing and oiling and hoping for the best.
So when I remembered I had the Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil—dubbed the best hair growth product of 2021 for all hair types by NaturallyCurly’s own community—unused on the bathroom sink, I took the opportunity to test it on my dry hair and itchy-flaky scalp to see if it lived up to the hype. But, I didn’t use this product with the intention to grow my hair, and that begs the question: do I think this product alone will make hair grow? No. But, if you have issues with breakage or extremely flaky and irritated scalp, the oil might help to create the right environment for hair to grow. And I’m all-in for products that promote strong hair and a healthy scalp.
Because the oil is multi-use, I wanted to try it in different situations, as directed on the label: as a scalp treatment, for daily use, and split end care.
Wash-Day Scalp Treatment
After admiring the easy applicator the oil is packaged in, the second thing that struck me about this product was the minty essential oil smell. To be honest, I was concerned that I’d be going around smelling like a walking medicine cabinet, but this one is easy on the nose. It smells exactly like its nominative ingredients rosemary and mint, but it’s mild and and even slightly refreshing. As long as you don’t overdo it with the application.
After washing and working my usual moisturizing products into my hair, I swapped the oil in place of my typical Jamaican black castor oil. The label encourages a “small amount” of product, so I filled the dropper twice and applied that amount primarily to my scalp and massaging it out to the ends of my hair. There’s a light tingly coolness that comes up on the scalp that is pretty calming after shampooing. Afterward I defined my curls with gel, as usual.
Daily Use
The directions for everyday use are pretty much the same as the directions for the scalp treatment, but I personally recommend using a little less in-between washes to avoid too much of an oily build-up. Just one dropper full at the most. One of the high points of this oil is that it distributes easily over the hair and scalp, and you don’t need a large amount of it to do the trick. Being used to heavier oils to seal in moisture, I was pleasantly surprised to see this oil even has similar sealing properties without creating that greasy-hair feeling.
This is my favorite way to apply the product because I noticed fewer flakes after a week of daily use, and my scalp felt less itchy and angry in the days leading up to the wash.
Split End Care
With only an inch of hair, split ends are less of a concern than they were a few months ago, but it’s worth noting the oil still left my dried-out winter hair feeling oh-so-smooth. To use the oil as a sort of hot oil treatment, apply the oil to the ends of the hair, break out a fresh plastic cap and sip on some hot tea for 10 minutes while you wait for it to do its magic. When you’re ready to get on with the process, simply rinse and shampoo as normal to enjoy softer, ultra smooth hair.
Considering the benefits of this oil and the modest price point, I’ll definitely be integrating it into my routine to give my scalp the attention it deserves. You can pick up Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil on Amazon for $9.99.