What are the benefits of rose geranium essential oil for hair?

The rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is a shrub belonging to the Geraniaceae family. Its essential oil is widely used for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, it is found in skincare products, but also in haircare products such as shampoos, conditioners, and hair serums. In these products, it is credited with soothing and purifying properties for the scalp, and improved hydration of the hair fiber.

However, to date, there is no scientific evidence supporting any benefits of rose geranium essential oil for hair.

Nevertheless, assumptions can be made about its potential effects on hair. Firstly, in a study, Maamar MEKARNIA and his team found that the topical use of rose geranium essential oil could reduce symptoms of skin inflammation, such as edema, and that it could decrease skin thickness, a phenomenon associated with the proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes caused by inflammation. Therefore, it is possible to assume that the anti-inflammatory properties of rose geranium essential oil, contained in shampoos for example, can limit scalp irritations and soothe associated redness and itching.

Furthermore, this essential oil is attributed with antioxidant activity. Petar D. MARIN and his colleagues observed that rose geranium essential oil could reduce free radicals by up to 50%, thereby stabilizing them and limiting their impact. Several studies have shown that photo-aggravation of hair oxidation leads to a loss in hair fiber quality, linked to lipid oxidation (lipoperoxidation). Hair pigments provide photochemical protection for hair proteins, such as keratin, by absorbing and filtering radiation, then dissipating this energy as heat.

However, in the process of preserving these proteins, the pigments themselves can be affected, leading to the onset of gray hair. It can be hypothesized that rose geranium essential oil, with its antioxidant effect, could protect the hair against the action of oxidative stress. This would allow them to be less dry and less irritated. Furthermore, it is possible that it may contribute to preventing or reducing the graying of hair by preserving the hair pigments.

All these ideas remain hypotheses, and scientific evidence is necessary to confirm these statements.