Castor Oil – The Miracle Oil

Written by KIT

Castor Oil, made from the seeds of a plant called Ricinus Communis, can be used for a wide variety of things. This post will outline the different uses, from skin, to hair, to internal cleansing. If you have ever been confused about the uses and science behind castor oil, this post will hopefully help you. Ill break down all of the ways you can incorporate it into your daily skin/hair care, Ill even include some ways that I use it in my life for my own use and some ways to mix it up so you can use it too. Lets start!

The Facts – Backed by Science

Castor Oil, even though its gone viral as the “cure – all your skin and hair problems” oil, has actually only been medically approved by the FDA as a “stimulative laxative”. There have been studies showing its uses in inducing labor, and other uses that are for skin and hair. A few are listed below:

• Has ricinoleic, which is an Omega 9 fatty acid that makes up more than 90% of castor oil. It helps to hydrate skin.
• Can reduce inflammation.
• For some people it will be able to act as an antimicrobial, which can help with acne and other breakouts.
• For some people it will be able to support hair growth and a healthy scalp.

Since I’m here to relay the facts, though, I also have to say that there’s some bad parts of Castor Oil. Dr. Hopkins, in an interview with the Cleveland Clinic said that castor oil can lead to “acute hair felting”, which is where you hair becomes so tangled, that it has to be cut off or shaved.

There have also been reports made about allergic reactions coming from Castor Oil. Always check with a medical professional before changing any routines, and please be sure to do small area tests to make sure you are not allergic.

How I use it

Now I will get into personal opinions, I personally use castor oil for nearly everything – except ingestion. My skin, my hair, and… that’s it to be honest, but I use it in certain ways. Again let me warn you to always be sure to check if Castor Oil will cause an allergic reaction and do an area test before using any of the below methods, this is just what works for me, everyone is different! Lets dive in!

Skin –

I use Castor Oil on my legs. I may have healed my skin from one condition, but all over my legs I still have some dis-pigmentation. I have found it gets better by mixing equal parts moisturizer and Castor Oil. This really helps keep my skin hydrated and glowing throughout the day. My preferred moisturizer is One Skin’s Skin Probiotic. No matter how much you use, it always leaves your skin smooth and glowing, even without being mixed with anything.

I also use Castor Oil on my lips, and if you have dry, cracked lips, trust me on this, it works. It helps keep your lips hydrated, and helps them heal. This works for about an hour, and then you can apply your favorite lip gloss and, voila! Bye, bye dry, cracked lips! I spot treat acne with Castor Oil as well, there are some articles out there saying this won’t work and it will cause more breakouts and oily skin. I’m a firm believer that everyone’s skin is different, and it works for me! If you are going to use it on your entire face, though, I suggest you do dilute it with equal parts face cream, and Castor Oil. Be Warned, your skin will be super smooth and shiny for so long, people will ask why you long so beautiful!

Hair –

I never really use Castor Oil on my hair, due to the fact that it can make your hair super greasy, and I already have greasy hair as it is. I do have a friend who swears by it though, she uses it to grow her hair and darken it. She showed me before and after pictures, and her hair grew from her shoulders to midway down her back in like 3 months. Her hair got a little darker, as she had dark hair as it was, but she counteracted the darkness with another homemade remedy that I’ll share in another post (maybe 😉). She would massage the Castor Oil into her scalp, let it sit for a few minutes, and then wash it out. I have to give you fair warning, I tried this and my hair came out very greasy, when usually it takes a few days to get to that point, so it works for some people and with others it doesn’t. By the way, that homemade remedy I was talking about, her hair was golden- brown by the time she stopped using it some time later, so it works! The friend I’m talking about is Lynn from @Lynn&Lexie. Go check out her beautiful hair color and her fun channel on YouTube!

The one way I do use it on my hair, is I take an old eyebrow brush – the type with the makeup-storing container- and wash it out. Then I dilute the Castor Oil in water (you can make your own mix, depending on how much hold you want. I use a 1 to 1 ratio), then I just go ahead and mix it up, and use it on my eyebrows. I have thick eyebrows already, this gives me the hold and fuller shape I like, completely natural! You can also do the same with an empty mascara bottle, but it will come out too sticky with a 1:1 ratio, you could 2 parts water to 1 part Castor for the perfect combination. This is just my suggestion though, so you can go ahead and find your own perfect ratio!

Where – and how- to buy

Castor Oil is best bought in dark glass bottles. The method used for Castor Oil helps determine how long it last, and how pure it is. The best company that I have found is Queen of Thrones. This sells the Castor Oil cold -pressed – the method you want👍🏽- and in dark glass bottles, which help the Castor Oil last longer. Fun fact: Castor Oil is really absorbent. If you put it in a plastic bottle, it could absorb the plastic, and potentially harm your skin and you! So be sure to buy your oil, cold pressed and in dark colored glass bottles.

Thank you for Reading!

Thank you for supporting this blog and I hope you enjoyed learning about one of my favorite natural skincare products. Remember, this post is not meant to replace the opinion of a medical professional. Please spot check all products before using to avoid major allergic reactions. Everyone is different, embrace your skin, and to all the people out there, thank you!

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