Castor Oil has
many medicinal
and curative uses, and the same properties that make it so effective in
healing the body also make it an excellent choice for maintaining beautiful and
healthy skin and hair.
1. Castor Oil Cures Acne
The
ricinoleic acid in castor oil works
to inhibit many viruses and bacteria, and as castor oil is able to
penetrate skin tissue deeply, this makes it an effective treatment for acne.
TO TREAT ACNE: Dab a hot damp washcloth all over your face in the evening before
you go to bed. The heat will gently open the pores on your face. After this, massage a little castor oil gently into
the skin. Leave on overnight. Repeat this daily for 1
to 2 weeks to see results. You can also repeat this twice in the day, once at
night and once in the morning.
2. Castor Oil Keeps The
Skin Looking Smooth, Youthful And Unlined
Castor
oil’s ability to penetrate more deeply than any other essential plant oil make
it an excellent way to keep skin looking youthful and fresh. Castor oil works better than any store-bought anti-ageing
creams. One of the best and
easiest ways to use castor oil is to rub
in a small amount around your eyes before bed, washing it off the next
morning.
You can also rub in
castor oil all over your face, but as it’s extremely thick and
sticky, use sparingly. A little goes a long way! You can rinse this off after
2-3 hours, but you can always keep it on for longer if you feel comfortable. This type of all-over application might feel more uncomfortable
in hotter and more humid climates. Thus, cooler days/nights or
fall/winter may be better for castor oil mask applications.
Done daily, this will keep
wrinkles at bay and the skin looking fresh, youthful and supple. With consistent use over
a few months, this can also help to fade old dark marks left over from
pimples/spots.
Note: If you intend to use castor oil
intensively (24 hours/day over many consecutive days without significant breaks),
you may
encounter some temporary “looseness” in
the area of application. This looseness/wrinkling effect is temporary, and the
skin will tighten back up again in 1-2 weeks if you take a break from castor
oil. However, you can avoid this risk by taking regular breaks. This
“looseness” should not happen when castor oil is used normally. To
clarify, 24 hours/day over many consecutive
days = NOT normal use.
Be sure to use only cold-pressed (or cold-drawn) castor oil
that is hexane-free. Any other kind could clog your pores. Another good reason
to use cold-pressed castor oil instead of refined castor oil is that
cold-pressed oils retain much more of their valuable nutrients. A study by a Turkish university showed that
more than 95% of the free fatty acids and carotenoids, and up to 61% of the
tocopherols were removed when an edible oil goes through the conventional
refining process. Read this comment for more information.
Castor oil is found in several anti-ageing creams, wrinkle
creams and under eye creams.
Commercial anti-ageing creams that contain Castor Oil:
- Reviva Labs Eye Complex Firming Cream
- Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Creme (UPDATE: they’ve since
removed castor oil)
- Borba Advanced Aging Recovery Crème
Castor oil and facial hair growth – fact versus fiction.
A few commenter's have questioned the wisdom of using castor
oil on the face given its ability to promote hair growth when used consistently
over months. i.e. won’t this cause hair to sprout all over the face?
This is a fair question and deserves a straight answer.
ANSWER: No, castor oil will NOT turn you into a bearded lady
or a wolf man!
Yes, it’s true that long-term and consistent castor oil
applications will promote hair growth. However, it cannot make hair appear on
areas where hair does not naturally occur for you. I have used castor oil
around my eyes every day for years now and I assure you, gentle reader, that I
have NOT turned into a bearded lady.
Castor oil use is ancient, and if it was able to create
bearded ladies or wolf men, the world would have heard about it by now through
folk tales and old stories. Not to mention, the modern medical, pharmaceutical
and scientific community would also have been all over this “miraculous” effect
by now if it were true.
(When in doubt, use your head!)
What hair growth REALLY means.
For most people, when castor oil is used on the face, this
means thicker and longer eyebrows/eyelashes and more rapid growth of them.
If you are a man with facial hair (a beard or a mustache),
castor oil use over those areas will promote faster growth and thicker hair.
This is also the same for some hirsute women.
However, castor oil use does not affect ‘vellus hair’.
Vellus hair is the fine, downy and near-invisible hair that we all have on our
faces (mostly over the cheeks).
What if you have had laser hair removal?
Applied consistently over months, castor oil can cause hair
to regrow after temporary and “permanent” hair removal — including laser hair
removal, waxing or tweezing.
For instance, after years of over-tweezing in my teen years,
some parts of my naturally thick brows have become sparse. Regular castor oil
use has filled in and thickened these sparse areas for me over time. However,
if you were born with naturally sparse facial hair, castor oil use is unlikely
to do much.
Similarly, if you have “permanently” lost hair from a wound
or an injury (like I did from a deep burn on my leg), castor oil will also
eventually return hair growth to normal.
If you do not want hair re-growth after laser hair removal,
then avoid use over those areas.
3. Castor Oil Breaks Up External and
Internal Scar Tissue, and Prevents New Scars From Forming
Castor oil’s unrivaled
deep tissue penetration help to soften and remove both
external and internal scars, like those that form following
surgery.
Castor oil will penetrate
deep into the tissues to slowly break up scar tissue. Amazingly, castor
oil is able to distinguish between healthy cells and abnormal ones. In healthy cells, castor oil
will detoxify and stimulate them, while increasing circulation. In
abnormal cells like scar tissue and growths, castor oil will instead work to
aggressively dissolve cells thanks to its solvent property.
To break down internal
scarring, soak a piece of clean cloth with castor
oil and place it over the scar area for an hour or two each day. You can also simply rub castor
oil over the scar each day. More serious internal scarring will take longer to
break down.
On another note, castor
oil can also prevent scars from forming in
the first place. Applying castor oil over cuts or scrapes will promote
excellent skin healing.
Remarkably, applying castor oil
after surgery, cuts or wounds will also minimize scar formation. This
could be because of castor oil’s ability to increase our body’s lymphocytes
(because of this, castor oil packs are especially useful for people with HIV or
AIDS). Lymphocytes, or white blood cells, appear to regulate wound healing. And
studies have shown that T lymphocytes may play an important role in wound
healing and scar formation. Babies and young children have naturally higher
levels of lymphocytes than teenagers and adults, which could be one of the
reasons why our skin healed with much less scarring when we were younger.
Several commercial scar reduction creams also contain castor
oil (eg Scar Zone, Scar Repairex). However, they also contain more chemicals than they do castor oil!
Both Scar Zone and Scar Repairex list castor oil as an ingredient
4. Castor Oil Soothes Shingles
Denise talked about how castor oil
seem to be the only thing helping soothe the pain from her shingles.
She wrote, “I have been applying castor oil on my
shingles. So far it has soothed them and softened the whole horrible thing. I
am going to keep using it as Ive tried everything and its the only thing that
seems to be working better than all. What do you feel about shingles and castor
oil. I feel its my only hope as I know in the past its relieves pain and
redness...”
Shingles are a type of
viral infection and as castor oil has been proven to
boost the body’s lymphocytes, it
could be why castor oil applications appear to be helpful for anyone with
weakened immune systems.
5. Castor Oil Thickens Eyelashes
And Eyebrows
Rub a little castor oil
over the base of your eyelashes before bed. This prevents
thinning and promotes rapid growth, leading to thicker and fuller
lashes. In fact, many commercial products for
eyelashes contain castor oil. To thicken sparse eyebrows, rub a
little castor oil over the brow line before bed.
6. Castor Oil Prevents Hair Loss
And Regenerates Hair
The anti-bacterial and
anti-fungicidal properties of ricinoleic acid in castor oil protects
the scalp and hair from infections
that can cause hair loss. The omega-9 fatty acids in castor oil also nourish
the hair and prevent the scalp from drying.
Rubbing castor oil on
your scalp and the roots of your hair will regenerate new hair
growth within months. This will also thicken
thinning hair.
To treat baldness, it is also a good idea to look at
improving your overall diet and seek to maintain healthier mental/emotional
states at the same time. Otherwise, baldness may simply recur after castor oil
treatments. Many things can lead to baldness, but one of the most common causes
is magnesium deficiency, which is rampant in modern society.
Even if we have a healthy diet, sustained
fear/stress/anxiety will deplete our bodies’ magnesium stores. Drinking coffee,
alcohol, smoking or excessive exercise will also do this. Thus, eating foods
that are high in magnesium (such as dark green vegetables or certain
nuts/seeds), supplementation with magnesium chloride/magnesium citrate, or
transdermal magnesium therapy can help greatly. Magnesium also has a wonderful
calming and relaxing effect, which will be especially useful if stress is your
issue (read my original comment about this).
For a deep healing treatment, rub castor oil
into your scalp and leave it on overnight. You
can wrap your hair up in a towel or a shower cap to keep the oil on your scalp
and away from your bed linen (castor oil stains are almost impossible to
remove).
For a lighter treatment during the day, rub
a very small amount of castor oil into your scalp or hair (whichever
you feel needs help). Castor oil is very thick and viscous, so a little goes a
long way. You can either wash this off at the end of every day, or leave it in
if you feel comfortable (to maintain your regular schedule of hair washing,
whatever that may be).
However, if you have fine
or weak/brittle hair, it’s a good idea to mix castor oil with a lighter oil so
that it’ll be easier to wash out later
(baking soda will also help remove castor oil, but it can be temporarily
drying).
Some have reported good
results from mixing castor oil with coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil is especially good for
restoring damaged and weak hair because of its high nutrient content.
nautress wrote, “I mix virgin coconut
oil and castor oil together and they do wonders to my hair. I mix 1 ounce
castor oil and 2 ounces of virgin coconut oil. I oil little all over my scalp
and massage it in, which later comes down the shaft of the hair, and oh my
goodness, softness.”
Anonymous wrote, “I find that castor
works!!!! I am going through menopause and my hair was falling out something
awful. I recall reading in a beauty book long time ago when i was a teenager
about castor oil making your hair grow. Well it is true.i can’t stress enough
how it rescued me, i once had a woman to ask me did i have on a lace wig and i
received many compliments about my hair and lots of women ask me “if it is my
hair”, even my own sister did a double take. My hair grew longer and thicker.
Be careful not to apply too much, the oil is thick, but i swear by it. They
also say olive oil does the same never used it but thinking about trying a lil
mixture of both castor oil and olive oil. But i tell many of my african sisters
about this especially when i see the damage extensive weaves have done,and around
the edges where too-tight braids have thinned the hair. I swear by this product
and will use nothing else.!!!!!!!!!”
bb wrote, “I can verify that castor
oil works for lengthening and thickening hair… it does not need to be rinsed
out. If you wash hair regularly (for me that is 3x/week) and apply small
amounts of castor oil to the ends, leaving it in, it does wonders for keeping
the hair protected and moist so that it can grow and not break… ”
Retta wrote, “…I have started using
the castor oil in my hair, (via internet reviews :youtube etc.). I don’t use
the Jamaican black castor oil. But I use a grocery store brand, I paid $3.00
for a relatively small bottle. Any way, it was very thick and seemed somewhat
sticky; I mixed mine with some tea tree oil, rosemary oil. I have been using it
now for two weeks, 3 times per week. Some complain of build up, I don’t have
that problem at all, my problem is my hair soaks it up!!! I mean, it has helped
my hair a great deal. In two weeks I have noticed a remarkable difference in my
hair, and its texture, it is so soft, it also feels thicker. My only regret is
I wish I would have known about castor oil when I was a teenager, I would have
better hair this very day…”
rbooh wrote, “Thank goodness I found
castor oil! I moved to a new city and my hair was not adjusting so I
tried a few different things ( I do NOT recommend the “no-poo” method if your
hair is color treated BTW ) and wound up breaking TONS of my waist length hair
off. I was desperate to find something and I stumbled onto castor oil. After
researching it I tried it as an overnight leave in and my hair just LOVED it;
my hair was 75% better after just one use. I mixed a generous dollop into my
hair conditioner and use that as well as a light leave-in application of
straight castor oil on my damp hair.
I also did my own experiment using castor oil on my face.
I used castor oil on one half and my regular lotion ($50.00 for a few oz) on
the other half and in just one week I noticed a visible difference. The castor
oil side was plump, smooth and blemish free, not to mention my luscious lashes.
Most amazing of all!! Castor oil totally, as in
completely!! removed a WART from my chest. I can’t believe its gone since I’ve
had the darn thing for 6 months and even 1% Retin A didn’t do a thing for it. I
rubbed pure castor oil into the wart for 2 nights before bed and voila, GONE.
Perhaps not everyone needs the heavy oil and I read quite
a few negative opinions about using it straight in your hair, but if you have
really dry hair and skin, it truly is amazing. The odor is kind of odd and can
take some getting used to. But I love that I can touch my face after touching
my hair and not worry that my hair products will make my face break out.
I highly recommend castor oil to anyone, I even use it on
my 9 year old sons eczema!”
7. Castor Oil Keeps Hair Looking
Soft And Shiny
Castor oil is a humectant
as it draws moisture into the hair and skin. Applying castor oil on
hair will keep it looking soft, shiny and strong.
8. Castor Oil Softens Thick
Calluses And Removes Corns
Castor oil application will soften
any rough or thickened skin, including calluses and corns. To treat corns, apply
castor oil over your feet and put cotton socks on before going to bed. (Incidentally,
sleeping with castor oil socks on will also soothe painful heels and foot
pain.)
9. Castor Oil Cures Skin
Infections Like Athlete’s Foot And Ringworm
Apply a castor oil soaked cloth
on the affected area. If it is small enough, a bandaid
with a few drops of castor oil can be used instead.
10. Castor Oil Prevents Stretch
Marks
Rub a small amount of
castor oil over your stomach and thighs daily to prevent stretchmarks
during pregnancy or periods of weight gain.
11.
Castor Oil Will Remove Moles
and Warts (Apply Heat For Faster Results)
Rub castor oil into moles
or warts every
night. The moles (or warts)
will start to shrink over a few weeks, and continued use will eventually remove
the mole without any scarring. Complete removal may take 2-3 months, but this
slow healing will also ensure there is no “hole” in your skin. (The surgical
removal of moles will often leave a hole where the mole was. This indentation
can often be permanent.)
Diana kindly shared a useful tip she
discovered. She wrote, “I used castor oil on moles, but I think the secret is
to use heat with it. For instance, keep a hot, wet towel on the mole for a
minute, and then apply castor oil, and then reapply the hot towel, for another
minute. Do that for about 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times every day. I did this and I
started to see results in 4 days.”
12. Castor Oil Will Remove Age
Spots (Liver Spots)
Rub castor oil into your age spots
every night. The age spot will lighten over
time, and continued use will eventually remove the age spot completely.
TIP:
REMOVE CASTOR OIL RESIDUE WITH BAKING SODA
Castor oil is thick and
viscous, but it can be washed out with regular soap and a good lather. However,
if you find it more difficult than usual to wash castor oil out of your hair or
skin, try mixing in some baking soda and water. Baking soda can cause
some temporary dryness, but is very effective in removing all traces of castor
oil.
WHERE TO BUY CASTOR OIL
Castor oil can be found
in most good health food stores. Check the label to make sure it’s
cold-pressed (or cold-drawn) and hexane-free. This is especially
important if you plan to put castor oil on your face, around or in your eyes, or
if you plan to ingest it for internal cleansing.
Some supermarkets
or pharmacies may also sell castor oil in small
bottles in the laxatives section/shelf. Again, check the labels.
You can also find castor
oil in shops
that cater to Indian communities. If you have a ‘Little India’ in
your town or city, you can probably find it there as castor oil is a popular
hair tonic among Indians. However, the downside is that these mom-and-pop
stores are unlikely to sell castor oil that’s labeled cold-pressed or
hexane-free.
If you prefer to buy castor oil online, several websites
sell bottles in a variety of sizes. I buy mine from iherb.com (I
found the shipping to be reasonable even for the largest,
heaviest bottles. There’s a discount code at the top-right of this page if
you’re interested). Other websites that sell castor oil include Vitacost and
Amazon.
http://skinverse.com/castor-oils-many-uses-for-beautiful-skin-and-hair/
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