Fight Hair Loss and Menopause Symptoms With This Essential Oil

Before and after menopause, our hormones go through rapid changes that can cause frustrating symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, and even hair loss. Luckily, natural remedies, like clary sage essential oil, can help manage these symptoms so you can look and feel your best. 

Essential oils are often used in traditional medicine practices like Chinese traditional medicine and Ayurveda, the Indian sister science of yoga. Specifically, the oil extracted from the clary sage plant is one of the most revered when it comes to menopause symptoms and thinning hair. 

Clary sage is a flowering herb that grows natively in the Mediterranean region that has a refreshing scent that’s said to calm the mind and reduce anxious feelings. It was used traditionally to benefit eye health, but more recent research says it could be particularly helpful for aging women. 

Aromatherapy is often used as a stress-management tool, and clary sage oil has shown to be particularly effective. One small study in women found that inhaling the scent of clary sage essential oil before a stressful medical test helped to reduce blood pressure and tame anxious feelings. Other research on menopausal women showed that inhaling clary sage oil helped lower levels of cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone. Lower levels of cortisol are also associated with better-quality sleep. So if, especially now, you’re struggling with anxious feelings or insomnia, clary sage oil could bring some real relief.

But if hot flashes and night sweats are more your issue, clary sage oil can help with that, too. It contains a plant compound called sclareol which is said to mimic estrogen in the body. During the onset of menopause, our estrogen levels start to decline, which is a major cause for many menopausal symptoms. According to menopause.org, low estrogen levels can lead to night sweats, hot flashes, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, bone loss, and vaginal dryness. Since sclareol acts the same way on the body that estrogen does, it can help to relieve some of these conditions. 

One study found that rubbing clary sage oil on the bottoms of the feet helped to reduce hot flash intensity after just one use. This research also suggested that because clary sage oil is an antispasmodic, it could reduce pelvic pain and cramping. Another study in women who struggled with painful periods found that applying a cream containing clary sage oil reduced cramping significantly compared to the control group.

And if that weren’t enough, clary sage oil could also help you regrow your mane. Hair loss is yet another symptom of the hormonal changes that occur with menopause. Clary sage oil contains another chemical compound, linalyl acetate, which has shown to increase hair growth. This compound makes hair grow faster and makes the hair shaft itself more difficult to break. It’s said to also regulate sebum (oil) production on the scalp and ward off scalp conditions like dandruff, which can also cause hair to fall out.

How to Use Clary Sage Oil for Stress

So now, you’re sold on clary sage oil. As for the best ways to use it, that depends on what you need it for. Many of these benefits can be enjoyed by simply inhaling the scent of clary sage oil. To use if for aromatherapy, you can hold your nose to a bottle of oil and take deep inhales, holding the breath at the top for a few seconds, and then exhaling. Repeat this process for a few minutes until you feel calmer. You can also diffuse clary sage oil with a diffuser in your home. 

For Menopause Symptoms or Cramps

If you’re using clary sage oil for menopause symptoms or cramps, you might want to apply it topically. Always perform a test patch on your skin to ensure there are no adverse reactions. For hot flashes and insomnia, try mixing together a few drops of clary sage oil with a carrier oil of your choice. You can also add other healing oils like bergamot to your mixture. Use the oil to give yourself a foot massage, focusing on the soles of your feet. If you’re using your massage oil for cramps or muscle spasms, massage the oil on the bottom of the abdomen near your uterus. You can also rub some of this mixture into your temples to calm your mind. 

For Hair Growth

If you’re using clary sage oil for hair growth, there are a few ways to do it. You can mix a few drops of clary sage oil with your conditioner and apply it to your hair from root to tip after shampooing. Focus heavily on the scalp and massage gently. Leave the mixture in for a minute or two and rinse normally. You can also create a hair mask using clary sage oil by diluting five to 10 drops in two ounces of a carrier oil of your choice like coconut or sweet almond oil. Apply the oil mixture from root to tip, again being sure to saturate and massage the roots. Allow the mask to sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then wash as usual. 

For a clary sage oil we love, try this one from Gya Labs ($10.50, Amazon).

We hope you’ll make the most of this powerful, medicinal oil!