Castor oil has to be one of the most underrated oils of all time. The plant’s history dates back more than 6,000 years and there’s a good reason it is still being used today. Castor oil can be used for a wide array of things, including making it a part of your beauty regimen. As a bonus, it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which can help out with dry skin and scalp issues.
Harvested from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant, which are native to tropical parts of Africa and Asia, castor seed oil is abundant in monounsaturated fatty acids. Ancient civilizations introduced the oil’s medicinal remedies, but the seed wasn’t initially intended for use in beauty products.
While it may not be an essential oil, there’s no stopping its abilities. And a word of advice: choose cold-pressed or cold-processed oil to ensure purity. It can make a huge difference in the results that you experience.
Eyelash Growth
Cold-pressed castor oil is rich in essential fatty acids, proteins, and vitamin E, making it an affordable, nontoxic solution to encourage hair growth for eyelashes. Apply oil over lashes nightly, hair follicles take in nutrition, which helps reverse the damage that made them latent. We like Kate Blanc castor oil for just this purpose. Do you have thinning eyebrows? You can even use it on them if you want!
For Skin and Nails
The thickness of castor oil enables it to stay put, while its highly concentrated fatty acids penetrate deeply, nourishing skin. Castor oil may feel sticky at first when applying it to your body or face, but it absorbs quickly, leaving no oily feel or residue. However, before you apply a heavy application keep in mind that a little goes a long way.
Castor oil is commonly incorporated into lipsticks and lip balms. Beauty companies like Stila and Caudalie use it often, but you can also elect to skip the color and use straight castor oil. Once again, use it sparingly and consider mixing it with an essential oil to improve its unpleasant taste.
If you have thin, brittle nails (especially after the cold winter weather), using castor oil on nails and cuticles several times a week can lead to stronger nails that grow faster.
Finally, if you’ve found that after a long winter of cold, dry air that your heels are cracking and you just can’t seem to get enough moisture you should consider substituting castor oil for your normal cream. It can make a huge difference on your dry feet and heels, and as mentioned above, it absorbs quickly so you won’t leave oily footprints around your home.
Fight Dandruff
Because castor oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties, it can help with dandruff, scalp issues, and dry ends. It can also prevent hair loss if you’re seeing more hair in the brush than normal. There are a few ways to incorporate castor oil into your haircare.
One way to use castor oil in your hair is to make a hair mask. These are simple to make, with just three ingredients. Mix 1 tablespoon castor oil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the juice of half a lemon together, and then apply it to the roots of your hair. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then wash it out with shampoo.
You could also warm a little castor oil in your hands and then massage it into your scalp down through your hair to the tips. You can leave castor oil in your hair for up to 8 hours or as few as one.
Or you can give yourself a hot oil treatment with Jamaican black castor oil. For a quick hot oil treatment, pour some oil into a small heat-safe jar or bottle, place in a bowl of hot water, and wait a few minutes for the oil to heat. Apply oil to damp hair, saturate from root to ends, and massage into scalp. Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on for the desired amount of time. 20 – 40 minutes.
Your New Oil?
While it wasn’t originally intended for use in beauty products, castor oil has found its place in a variety of products and uses when it comes to taking care of ourselves. If you’re looking for an easy solution for dry hair or nails, consider finding a product with castor oil on its ingredient list. Or, buy some of your own and create your own beauty treatments. Add them to your beauty regimen and watch the results!
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