Hair-growth advice is everywhere right now. Rosemary water. Scalp massages. Pumpkin seed oil. Caffeine. Saw palmetto. Rosemary oil. Some of these have interesting research behind them. Others have much more marketing than evidence.

As someone who spends a lot of time talking about curly hair and hair care, I think it’s important to separate supportive hair-care habits from actual treatments for hair loss.

So let’s rate some of the popular hair-growth trends.

Important distinction: Hair shedding and hair loss can have many causes. A cosmetic ingredient or home routine isn’t automatically a treatment for the underlying cause.

1. Rosemary Water — 1/10

Rosemary water is one of those trends that sounds convincing because rosemary oil has been studied. But those are not the same thing.

I often see videos showing rosemary being boiled in water and the resulting liquid being promoted as a hair-growth treatment. The problem is that boiling rosemary in water does not extract the same compounds, in the same concentrations, as an essential-oil preparation. Some of the plant’s volatile compounds can also be lost during heating and evaporation.

So while rosemary water may be a pleasant addition to your hair-care routine, we shouldn’t take the research on rosemary oil and assume the same results apply to homemade rosemary water.

The clinical study that gets cited most often looked at rosemary oil, not rosemary water. There isn’t comparable clinical evidence showing that spraying rosemary water on your scalp promotes hair growth.  

So would I use rosemary water because you enjoy it? That’s your choice.

Would I recommend it specifically as a hair-growth treatment? No.

The fact that an ingredient has research behind one preparation doesn’t mean every DIY version containing that ingredient has the same effect.

2. Scalp Massage — 8/10

This one is much more interesting. There is some human research looking at regular scalp massage and hair characteristics.

One small study had nine healthy men perform four minutes of standardized scalp massage every day for 24 weeks. The researchers found an increase in hair shaft thickness, although they did not find a significant increase in hair density.  

So I’m giving scalp massage a 8/10. But I want you to understand what that rating means.

It doesn’t mean: “Massage your scalp and your hair loss will disappear.” It means there is some evidence that makes it worth considering as a supportive habit. And consistency matters.

If you’re going to try it, think of it as part of your overall scalp-care routine rather than your only strategy for hair loss.

3. Pumpkin Seed Oil — 7/10

Now we’re getting into an ingredient with some interesting clinical research.

A randomized comparative trial looked at pumpkin seed oil in women with female pattern hair loss and found promising changes over three months. 

There is also broader research looking at pumpkin seed oil and other non-prescription approaches for androgenetic alopecia. The results are interesting, but the evidence base is still much smaller than what we’d want before calling pumpkin seed oil a proven treatment. Reviews continue to point out the need for larger, higher-quality studies.  

So: 7/10 for evidence worth watching.

Not: 10/10 miracle oil.

That’s an important difference.

4. Caffeine — 7/10

Caffeine is another ingredient that keeps popping up in hair-growth products.

And there is some promising research around topical caffeine. The proposed mechanisms include effects on hair-follicle activity and the hair-growth cycle, but the clinical evidence isn’t strong enough for me to tell you that caffeine products are a guaranteed solution for hair loss.  

So I’m giving it: 7/10. Promising? Yes.

Proven solution for everyone’s hair loss? No.

This is exactly why I like looking at the research instead of simply repeating what a product’s marketing claims.

5. Rosemary Oil — 6/10

Now let’s talk about the rosemary ingredient everyone knows.

There actually is a randomized study comparing rosemary oil with 2% minoxidil in people with androgenetic alopecia. After six months, both groups had increased hair counts, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in that study.  That sounds impressive.

But here’s the part that often gets left out on social media: One study does not establish that rosemary oil is equivalent to every hair-loss treatment. And the study had a specific formulation, population, protocol and timeframe.

So I’m giving rosemary oil: 6/10.

There is real research here. But the internet has taken that research much further than it actually goes.

6. Saw Palmetto — 6/10

Saw palmetto is another ingredient you’ll see in hair-loss supplements and topical products.

There is emerging research here too. A 2023 randomized placebo-controlled study of a standardized saw palmetto preparation reported reductions in hair fall and increases in hair density in people with androgenetic alopecia.  

There are also newer studies showing promising results, but we still need more independent research before treating saw palmetto as a replacement for established medical approaches.  

So: 6/10. Interesting enough to research. Not something I’d call a guaranteed hair-growth solution.

So What’s Actually Worth Your Attention?

Here’s where I want to bring this back to you.

If you’re noticing more hair shedding than usual, widening of your part, visible thinning, or changes that continue over time, don’t spend months jumping from one viral oil to another.

First ask: Why is this happening?

Hair loss can have multiple causes, including genetic, hormonal, nutritional and other factors. Female pattern hair loss is one common cause, but it isn’t the only one.  And that’s why a “natural” ingredient isn’t automatically the right answer.

Your hair doesn’t need the trendiest ingredient. It needs the right approach for the reason behind the problem OR as I like to call it “triggers”.

My Hair-Growth Trend Ratings

The HONESTLIZ takeaway

You don’t have to try every hair-growth trend you see on Instagram.

Learn to ask:

What evidence actually exists?

Was the study done on humans?

Is it the same ingredient and formulation I’m using?

Was it actually studying hair growth or just a lab mechanism?

And most importantly:

Do I know what’s causing my hair loss?

That’s a much better place to start than buying another viral oil.