DIY Hair Growth Serum Recipe

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DIY Hair Growth Serum Recipe
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Hormones affect every aspect of health, and lately I’ve seen the affect of hormones on hair and scalp health.

After eight years of pregnancy and nursing, my body was tired and after that many years of my hormones being elevated from pregnancy/nursing, the postpartum hair loss finally occurred… and did it ever.

This happens because most hair follicles grow hair for a few months and then rest for a few months with an average of 10% of the head’s follicles resting at once. This resting period lessens considerably during pregnancy and women typically lose less hair during pregnancy, but the postpartum hormones can cause the body to catch up on the rest period for hair follicles, leading to more than normal hair loss. It is a normal process, but after 5 pregnancies and not experiencing the postpartum hair loss, it finally caught up with me.

On top of that, I had a really stressful few months and stress can make hair loss worse. I addressed the stress and the hormones and it stopped the hair loss, but I wanted to do something to help my new hair grow more quickly and to protect my hair/scalp in the summer months.

This hair growth serum is the result.

Some women go to a dermatologist or a beautician for hair-related problems. I go to my pantry.

As with my homemade hair spray, sea salt spray, and dry shampoo, this homemade hair growth serum is less expensive than commercial options without the harmful chemicals.

Hair Growth Serum Recipe

This serum combines herbs and essential oils that are good for scalp health and hair growth:

  • Nettle– Rich in iron and vitamins A, C, and K plus potassium and magnesium. It is often used in natural hair products and helps stimulate hair growth
  • Horsetail– High in silica and excellent for hair supporting hair growth.
  • Aloe Vera Gel– Naturally thickens and soothes the scalp and serves as a silkening base for this serum.
  • Essential Oils- Essential oils of Clary Sage, Rosemary, and Lavender are great for hair and scalp health.
DIY Hair Growth Serum Recipe
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4.43 from 95 votes

Hair Growth Serum Recipe

Help stimulate hair growth with this aloe very, herb, and essential oil recipe.
Prep Time25 minutes
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • In a small pan, bring the distilled water to a boil.
  • Remove from the heat and add the dried nettle leaf and horsetail leaf.
  • Let the herbs sit in the water for at least 10 minutes or until the water cools.
  • Strain the herbs out and pour the herb infused liquid in to a spray bottle.
  • Add the aloe vera gel and essential oils and shake well.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months and shake well before use.

Notes

Spray liberally on hair roots once or more per day. I found that it was easiest and worked the best to spray on before bed each night.

How to Apply Hair Growth Serum

Spray liberally on hair roots once or more per day. I found that it was easiest and worked the best to spray on before bed each night.

Where I Get Ingredients and Supplies

I got the nettle leaf, and horsetail leaf from Mountain Rose Herbs and the natural aloe vera here.

I re-used an old spray bottle, but it is very similar to this bottle. I also like this stainless steel bottle and this glass option.

For the essential oils, any high quality option will work. I typically order oils from Plant Therapy.

Have you ever had postpartum hair loss? What did you do to help it? Share below!
This natural hair growth serum combines herbs like nettle and horsetail with aloe vera gel and essential oils of lavender, rosemary and clary sage.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

361 responses to “DIY Hair Growth Serum Recipe”

  1. YVONNE Avatar

    Hi! I’m really excited to try this recipe. I’m really new to DIY and I’ve tried a few of your recipes already and they’ve worked out fantastically!!! Thank you 🙂 I have nettle and horsetail in powder form. Can I use that instead? How much would I use for this recipe?

  2. Irina Vilgers Avatar
    Irina Vilgers

    Well, it’s a long story…. but as a result ….. I have a half sister, who HAD a problem.
    She WAS absolutely bold. As a rubber toy.
    My parents adopted her at age 8 (now she is 38) and spent whole year – to get a result. An eye lashes. It was the First Victory.
    After that – every thing was EASY.
    The recipe the same like yours PLUS Cinnamon essential oil 5 drops in 200ml of yours “treatment”.
    But more important- to apply this treatment – EVERY DAY TWICE.
    And – NO chemical/commercial shampoo and conditioner.
    PLUS – ones a week -hair mask with ANY oil, coconut/olive/avocado…… preferably warm temperature mask at least for 30 minutes

  3. Mj Avatar

    I love the recipe for the hair serum. Question: I have blonde hair and frequently use chamomile tea to help lighten. Will the nettle or horsetail DARKEN my hair????

  4. Mia Avatar

    Will this work perhaps for my 4 y/o? She has very short hair still. Can just barely do tiny pigtails. I haven’t seen any advice on this here. She hasn’t had wheat in one year because of eczema and has so far been taking FCLO/butter oil for 1 month. I can’t find much online about this. We don’t make it a big deal at all.i don’t want her to be self conscious about it. Any advice?

  5. Hannah Avatar

    Hi Katie! I’m just curious how this ended up working out in the long haul? Did you notice any significant hair growth or thickening? Thanks!

  6. Ashley Avatar

    Can you use nettle and horsetail herbs from a tea bag or are they too finely ground? Would the whole leaf work better?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      It might work… I guess you wouldn’t find out until you went to strain it. But then again it’s not too fine to stay in the tea bag. I think it’s worth a try. Let us know how it goes!

  7. Tansa Avatar

    Thank you for your wonderful site. Your knowledge is invaluable.

    Please let me know how this Hair Growth serum is working out for you. I am taking biotin, probiotics, eating Paleo (except mistakenly added grains after 2.5 years thinking I needed them…not…. they are gone), got rid of a major stress contributor, went to dermatologist and even had a scalp biopsy. It revealed “early onset female patterned baldness”. My hair is growing back, but still losing. I have been told it is my “age”(54) and I don’t buy that.

    I know that we all are chemically different and we need to know our bodies…but still interested in how it works for you and others.
    Many thanks and blessings!!

  8. Sharan Avatar

    Hi Katie,

    How long would you expect this to last in the fridge if I was using filtered water instead of distilled?

    Thank you
    Sharan

  9. Gloria Avatar

    Hi can I use the nettles growing in my yard? If yes do you suggest using younger plants or older ones?

  10. Alex W Avatar

    Can this be applied in the morning instead of at night? Does it smell? Is it very heavy?

  11. Amanda Avatar

    okayy and how long does it take to start to see results? And how often should I use it?

  12. Amanda Avatar

    when you say you have to store it in the fridge for 3 months does that mean you have to wait 3 months to be able to use it?? I got a bad hair cut and i am in desperate need to grow my hair out and I wouldnt want to wait three months to try this

      1. Amanda Avatar

        How long does it take for you to start to see results? And does it make your hair look greasy? Like I take showers at night so if I sprayed it in my hair after I shower and then go to bed would my hair look greasy in the morning?

  13. Sharan Avatar

    Hello Katie,

    My husband’s hair is thinning and going grey. Can I combine your hair growth serum with your natural herb hair colour recipe for dark brown hair? Will it achieve both goals if I do?

    Thank you
    Sharan

  14. Lisa Avatar

    One thing to consider is that gluten in the diet (especially in the excessive amounts we have in food today) causes gut damage, malabsorption of nutrients and thyroid issues in many people, which leads to thinning and hair loss. If you have tried everything else and it doesn’t seem to help it might be something to look into. If you can’t afford to be tested for gluten sensitivity, just change your diet and see if you notice a difference in the way you feel and the way your hair is doing. It will take several months to see a difference, but you can feel the difference quickly. You have to be very strict though… any at all and it wont work. Gluten is hidden in almost everything and it is an adjustment and takes willpower, for sure! If you are gluten sensitive it takes up to 3 years for your intestines to heal and to be able to absorb nutrients fully again.

  15. Nirali Avatar

    Hey there!

    I am excited to try this since I am trying to grow out my hair – fast!
    1) How much did this help your hair growth
    2) How consistently did you use it?
    3) How long did you use it?
    4) Did you notice that getting your hair wet with the serum and letting it dry a few times a day made it dry?

  16. Maria Avatar

    I am from south Africa and I am mixed race, my hair is thinned ever since I moved to the UK in 2005.

    Now so even more, I wanted to send you a picture but it does not have an option on the site. I have changed my shampoo 2 weeks ago to your no poo . T

    here is definitely a change, my hair does not fall that much in the bath. I use acv as a conditioner.

    Can someone please tell me if they have tried this serum and does it work on hair type that is similar to mine ?

    Thank you so much for this, you should tell more women about this (TV or radio)

    My hair type is like indian hair (dark brown and wavy). My hair fell a lot in the last 6 months, I am due to visit the dr to check if there is anything wrong but I doubt it as I do take much care of myself.

    I need something to stimulate hair growth as it is getting so bad.

  17. Jenifer Avatar

    Hi Katie ~ I’m thrilled to see this and will be making it just as soon as I can get the ingredients in hand. I’m 10 weeks with my 4th pregnancy and have been losing hair for what seems like a year. I am wondering how you balanced out your hormones. Can you share? Thanks for all you share!! ~Jen

  18. Vickie Avatar

    Ok, I have a stupid question. I don’t guess there is a way to get it on the roots of your hair without getting the rest of your hair all wet too is there? Mine is short now but I want it to grow long. My hair has always grown very slowly and never been longer than just touching my shoulders so I am hoping this works for me. Thanks!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      If your hair is very short, you may not be able to keep it off the rest of your hair, but I find that really just shoving the nozzle well into my roots and spraying keeps the majority of it where I want it.

  19. Mary Forbes Avatar
    Mary Forbes

    Will freeze dried Nettles(400mg) & Horsetail grass(440mg) which they have at Whole Foods work ? They both are in capsule form. I would like to make this for my Niece who just finished 8 months of Chemo treatments. (she is in remission now) Thanks. Hoping for quick response.

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