What's Inside Anther Hair Growth Oil — And Why We Chose Every Ingredient
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TL;DR — if you're short on time
"Most hair oils in India are 90% carrier oil with a trace of something interesting. The interesting thing is what we built around."
When I started working on what would become Anther Hair Growth Oil, I made one decision early: the active ingredients come first. Every other formulation decision follows from that.
Most brands build an oil around a base — coconut, mineral, or a generic carrier blend — and then add actives as a fraction of whatever's left. We went the other way. We started with the actives we wanted at the concentrations we knew were meaningful, and built the carrier system around them.
This post explains every ingredient in the formula, why it's there, and what it's doing. No marketing language. Just the reasoning behind each choice.
Before the ingredients — the method matters.
How an oil is made determines whether its actives survive into the final product. Heat destroys bioactive compounds. Most industrial hair oil manufacturing uses heat blending — fast, cheap, and effective at homogenising the formula. It's also effective at degrading the very compounds you're paying for.
Cold Press
Used for our base oils — Coconut, Pumpkin Seed, Castor, Amla. Mechanical extraction with no heat means the fatty acid profiles, antioxidants, and fat-soluble vitamins are intact. Cold pressed oils are nutritionally denser than heat-extracted equivalents.
Steam Distillation
Used to extract bioactive compounds from Rosemary, Peppermint, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Clary Sage, Basil, and Curry Leaf. Steam distillation isolates the active volatile compounds without chemical solvents — preserving their molecular integrity and potency.
"We didn't put in 15% Rosemary Extract and then make it with heat. That would defeat the purpose entirely. The method is part of the formula."
The ingredients — and the reasoning behind each one.
The formula works across four mechanisms simultaneously: DHT inhibition, scalp microcirculation, antioxidant protection, and scalp barrier support. Every ingredient maps to at least one of these.
The hero active
Rosemary Extract
The centrepiece of the formula. Rosemary extract inhibits 5-alpha reductase — the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, the hormone responsible for follicle miniaturisation and pattern hair loss. It also improves scalp microcirculation, keeping follicles in the active growth phase longer. A 2015 randomised trial found rosemary oil comparable to minoxidil 2% for hair count improvement over six months. At 15%, our formula leads with the ingredient that has the most meaningful clinical evidence behind it — not as a trace listing, but as the primary active.
Supporting DHT blockers
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Rich in delta-7-stearine, which has been shown to inhibit 5-alpha reductase through a different pathway than rosemary. A 2014 clinical trial published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found pumpkin seed oil increased hair count by 40% over 24 weeks versus placebo. At meaningful concentration in our formula, it's a genuine second DHT blocker — not a cosmetic addition.
Clary Sage Oil
Contains sclareol, a compound structurally similar to oestrogen that helps regulate DHT activity at the scalp level. Also balances sebum production — making it particularly relevant for people whose hair loss is accompanied by an oily, itchy scalp. Our third DHT inhibiting ingredient, working through a hormonal-balance mechanism.
Circulation & follicle activation
Peppermint Oil
The menthol in peppermint oil produces vasodilation — widening blood vessels in the scalp and increasing blood flow to follicles. A 2014 animal study compared peppermint oil directly to minoxidil and found it produced comparable increases in follicle depth and dermal papilla size. The cooling sensation it produces isn't just sensory — it's a signal that vasodilation is happening.
Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri)
Used in Ayurvedic practice for scalp health for centuries, with a mechanism that's now been partially explained — Brahmi improves nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation in the scalp and has been shown to reduce cortisol-induced hair loss in stress-related shedding. For many Indians, stress-triggered telogen effluvium is as much a driver of hair fall as DHT. Brahmi addresses that directly.
Carrier base — nourishment & penetration
Coconut Oil
Cold pressed. The only carrier oil clinically shown to penetrate the hair shaft rather than just coat it — due to its small molecular size and high lauric acid content. Reduces protein loss from the hair, protects the cortex, and acts as the primary carrier that helps deliver other actives deeper into the scalp.
Amla Oil
One of the highest natural concentrations of Vitamin C in any plant source. Amla oil is deeply antioxidant — neutralising the free radical damage on the scalp that accelerates follicle ageing. It also has a long history in clinical use for reducing scalp inflammation and premature greying. Cold pressed to preserve its Vitamin C content.
Castor Oil
High ricinoleic acid content — a unique fatty acid with strong anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Castor oil's density creates an occlusive layer on the scalp that extends the contact time of the other actives. It also coats the hair shaft effectively, reducing breakage during combing.
Fenugreek (Methi) Extract
Rich in lecithin and nicotinic acid — both of which strengthen and condition the hair shaft from root. Fenugreek is also an established source of plant-based protein that the hair follicle uses in the keratinisation process. Meaningful in an Indian hair care context because Methi is one of the few traditional ingredients that has genuine clinical backing.
Scalp harmony — balancing & protecting
Ylang Ylang Oil
Regulates sebum production — particularly important for scalps that swing between over-oily and over-dry. Also has mild antimicrobial properties that help keep the scalp microbiome balanced. In the context of the full formula, it supports the environment that the other actives are working to create.
Geranium Oil
Balances scalp oil production and reduces inflammation. Geranium is also one of the best-studied oils for improving scalp circulation alongside Rosemary — working synergistically rather than redundantly with our hero active.
Lavender Oil
Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. A 2016 study in Toxicological Research found lavender oil significantly increased the number of hair follicles and deepened follicular depth in animal models. Calms the scalp barrier — reducing the low-grade inflammation that many people with hair loss carry without knowing it.
Curry Leaf Oil
High in beta-carotene and proteins — two things the follicle actively uses in the anagen (growth) phase. Curry leaf extract has been traditionally used in Indian hair care, and the mechanism behind it — antioxidant activity and follicle nourishment — holds up under scrutiny. It belongs in this formula.
Vitamin E Oil
Acts as both a preservative for the oil blend and a direct antioxidant for the scalp. Free radical damage on the scalp accelerates follicle ageing — Vitamin E neutralises this. A small clinical study found Vitamin E supplementation increased hair count significantly over 8 months. As a topical, it supports the same antioxidant environment at the scalp surface.
Basil Oil
Rich in ursolic acid — the same compound that contributes to Rosemary's DHT-inhibiting properties. Basil and Rosemary share a chemical family; using both compounds the effect. Basil oil also has strong antimicrobial properties that help keep the scalp microbiome clean between washes.
Why 15 ingredients — not 3, not 30.
We get asked this. Why not just use Rosemary at 15% and nothing else? Or why not add 25 ingredients for more coverage?
The four mechanisms — and what covers each one
Every ingredient serves a mechanism. Nothing is in the formula because it looks good on a label. The limit is 15 because beyond a certain point, each added ingredient either duplicates a mechanism already covered or increases the risk of sensitisation without adding biological value.
How to use it — and the one mistake most people make.
Apply to scalp — not hair
Part your hair and apply directly to the scalp in sections. The follicles live in the scalp. Applying oil mainly to your hair strands misses the point entirely. The hair shaft is dead tissue — it won't regrow. The follicle can.
Massage for 4–5 minutes
Scalp massage independently improves blood flow and has been shown in clinical studies to increase hair thickness. Combined with a circulation-boosting formula, you're compounding both effects.
Leave overnight — this is the most important step
Contact time with the scalp is how actives like rosemary extract do their work. A 20-minute pre-wash application is better than nothing, but overnight is where results come from. Wash off in the morning with a pH-balanced shampoo.
Use consistently for 12 weeks before judging
Hair follicles cycle slowly. The clinical study that compared rosemary to minoxidil ran for six months. Most people quit after three weeks and conclude nothing is working. Give it real time. Take a photograph of your scalp on day 1 and compare at week 8.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the oil smell strongly of rosemary if it has 15%?
Because the scent of the full formula is a combination of all 15 ingredients — including the distinctly scented essential oils like Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Clary Sage, and Geranium. The overall fragrance profile is a blend, not a single note. Rosemary extract at 15% doesn't produce a proportionally louder rosemary scent when it's balanced by other botanicals. There is no added synthetic fragrance.
Can I use this if I'm already on minoxidil?
Yes. Anther Hair Growth Oil is not a pharmaceutical and doesn't interact with minoxidil. Many people use a natural hair oil alongside minoxidil for scalp nourishment. Apply the oil on days you're not applying minoxidil, or at a different time of day. Let each absorb fully before applying the other.
Is this suitable for women with hair thinning?
Yes. Female pattern hair loss is often driven by the same DHT mechanism as male pattern hair loss, particularly after pregnancy or during perimenopause. The three DHT-inhibiting actives in this formula are relevant regardless of sex. Brahmi's cortisol-modulating action also makes it specifically useful for stress-related shedding, which disproportionately affects women.
How is this different from other rosemary hair oils sold in India?
The primary difference is concentration and method. Most Indian hair oils that list rosemary contain it at 2–5% in a base of mostly coconut or mineral oil, often produced with heat blending. Anther leads with 15% Rosemary Extract, produced via cold press and steam distillation. The full formula adds two additional DHT blockers, two independent circulation mechanisms, and antioxidant coverage that most alternatives don't attempt. The ingredients list is not a marketing decision — it's an engineering one.
Anther Hair Growth Oil
15% Rosemary Extract. 15 active ingredients. Cold pressed & steam distilled.
No mineral oil. No synthetic fragrance. No filler.
Shop Hair Growth Oil →References
Panahi Y et al. (2015). Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for androgenetic alopecia: a randomised comparative trial. SKINmed, 13(1):15–21.
Cho JW et al. (2014). Peppermint oil promotes hair growth without toxic signs. Toxicological Research, 30(4):297–304.
Cho YH et al. (2014). Effect of pumpkin seed oil on hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Lee BH et al. (2016). Hair growth-promoting effects of lavender oil. Toxicological Research, 32(2):103–108.
Murata K et al. (2012). Promotion of hair growth by Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract. Phytotherapy Research, 27(2):212–217.