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.
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- Castor Oil cures acne
- Castor Oil keeps the skin looking youthful and unlined
- Castor oil and facial hair growth – fact versus fiction
- Castor Oil breaks up external/internal scar tissue and prevents new scars
- Castor Oil soothes shingles
- Castor Oil thickens eyelashes and eyebrows
- Castor Oil prevents hair loss and regenerates hair
- Castor Oil keeps hair looking soft and shiny
- Castor Oil softens thick calluses and removes corns
- Castor Oil cures skin infections like athlete’s foot and ringworm
- Castor Oil prevents stretch marks
- Castor Oil will remove moles and warts
- Castor Oil will remove age spots (liver spots)
- Tip: Use baking soda to remove castor oil residue after use
- Where to buy castor oil?
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 undereye creams.
Reviva Labs Eye Complex Firming Cream | Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Creme (UPDATE: they’ve since removed castor oil) | Borba Advanced Aging Recovery Crème |
Commercial anti-ageing creams that contain castor oil |
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Castor oil and facial hair growth – fact versus fictionA few commenters 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 wolfman!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 wolfmen, 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. (But as it is in politics and in life, fear mongers will do what fear mongers do. As I always say — when in doubt, use your head!) What hair growth REALLY meansFor 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. I have personally removed a deep burn scar using castor oil (I also shared my before-and-after photos in that article).
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 |
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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. For more on this, read how topical castor oil applications boost the immune system.
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 it’s 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.
Can castor hair oil is useful for man hair fall
Excellent, wonderful product…
hi,i have recently shaved my hair is it good to use the oil on head
It will probably make your hair grow out faster. Is that what you’re after?
Hi,
I posted a comment awhile ago, and today I wanted to check whether I had given correct information about something (not that I could change it, but I could a post scriptum, I suppose), but couldn’t find it. I find that odd.
Also, is there a special reason why the website that links to your article here, mentioned in my comment, is not listed among the pings and trackbacks? It is a website dedicated to providing thorough and reliable information, not selling anything (unlike other websites listed).
Sorry, I don’t remember your comment, but the spam filter here will check and delete all comments with links (even just one). Once in a while, a good comment will also get eaten along the way—it’s unfortunate, but I don’t have time to manually review them all.
Also 99.9% of users here just don’t add links to their comments. The ones that add links are usually either spammers or those who want to link to their own site (not sure why they bother since this site is do-not-follow).
Here’s my commenting policy if that helps you.
I agree with the use of castor oil in making hair glossy and shiny over the past year I have coconut oil, olive oil and Indian Oils but none have worked since I have excessively dry hair which became worse after having a baby. I am experiencing a lot of hair loss at the moment which could be due to the baby. However I must say my hair has never been so soft and glossy a friend suggested it to me and I have been using it since. I use it once a week leave it on overnight and wash off in the morning I recommend to anyone I come across!!
Thanks for sharing Sandy. Yes, a recent birth can cause some scary hair loss due to the hormonal changes that occur in the body, but I think this is temporary.
hi samantha,
is it safe to use refined castor oil for hair and skin,as am not able to get the cold compressed oil here,what if i use the refined one.
Hi venky, you can try refined castor oil, but my advice is to use it with caution i.e. stop using if you get any adverse reactions.
Thanq for u r advice
Hi Samantha
First of all I thank U for the information U had provided about castor oil. I am 24 years old and almost entered into the advanced stage of baldness coz my scalp can be easily identified. I am also suffering from dandruff. So plz tell if me I use castor oil will I get new hair growth and if possible plz tell me some remedies. I am very worried so plz reply me.
Hi Anne,
There’s some info up in the article here that may help you.
Also, I’ve had no more dandruff ever since I stopped using chemical-laden shampoos and conditioners. Just something to consider.
Hope this helps you a bit.
Hi Samantha
Thank U so much for Ur reply……. I will definitely try castor oil but can U suggest me where I can get cold pressed castor oil in India.
You’re very welcome. You can find some suggestions on where to buy castor oil at the bottom of this article.
You might also want to try buying a water softener for your shower. They have them on Amazon for about 30 dollars. You just screw in the shower head and it removes sulfates and minerals from the water that also contributes to dry scalp and skin.
Tons of good advices
Is it safe to use castor oil on kids? 3 years old.
Topical castor oil applications are safe for small children and even babies. But it may not be a good idea to give it to them to ingest as the laxative effect can be quite hard on even an adult’s body.
I always found my skin had a dull look to it after cleansing. I applied castor oil and I instantly had a glow. Thank you so much for this website. I am looking forward to using castor oil regularly and experiencing the benefits.
hi, its a very good oil i have tried it on my eyes it removes dark circles, it removed puffiness from my eyes. since 6 years i was having dark circles, but now i have reduced almost 80 percent of darkcircles with in a month. every night before sleeping i use to apply.
That’s great, ism! Thanks for stopping by and sharing that.
Fine but will anyone tell me which brand’s castor oil are these people using for their hair??? What about Jamaican Black castor oil?? I’m in india so plz tell me something I can get here easily..
That info is already at the bottom of this article.
Hey! I have pigmentation on my skin. They appear like small moles but are a little deeper in the skin, giving the look of small holes on my face. And also i have three big holes on my forehead, maybe the remains of chickenpox i got during my childhood. I m 19 years now. Can u please suggest what do i do to even my skin and fill those holes? Will castor oil help me in this?? Please help me.
Hi nikita
It’s possible that castor oil can fill your “holes”. It filled in a deep indentation I had on my leg from an old injury. But facial skin is different from the skin on the rest of our body, so I don’t know for sure. It’s worth a try, though.
Someone may have commented on this already, I haven’t read all pages, but be very careful about using castor oil during pregnancy as it can induce contractions.
I remembered that my mother in law told me that castor oil would remove spots and warts. I had a growth on my face that would bleed every time I washed my face. Instead of getting it removed, I decided to try the castor oil first. One week, I repeat 1 week, it is gone. I rubbed the oil on several times a day for that week and each day it was visibly smaller. The last part fell off during that week. I now use the oil every day after I wash my face in the morning. I wipe off the excess and put on my makeup. My face is getting smoother all the time. By the way, I am going on 70 yrs young.
That’s so great! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
Hi I bought castor oil but it says cathartic/purgative. Is it any different than cold pressed castor oil?
Hi eva,
All castor oil have purgative/laxative properties. Cold-pressed is a method of oil extraction and it needs to be on the label (cold-drawn means the same thing), otherwise it’s likely to have been extracted by conventional refining methods, which uses heat and chemicals.
Please how can i use castor oil to cure keloid?
Hi Elizabeth
A lady commented some time ago that castor oil “made a difference” to her keloid, but she didn’t specify how she’d used it. I’d suggest rubbing it over the keloid a few times (or more) throughout the day and/or using a castor oil pack. Either should do the trick. There’s only so many ways after all…
I’d suggest using a band-aid as your pack if the keloid is small enough, and heat to make the oil penetrate deeper.
Nancy’s comment
More info on this page
Thanks.i will try it
Hey Samantha is hydrogenated the same as cold pressed?
It’s definitely not the same.
Castor Oil sounds like a great moisturizer. Does this works for ezcema?
Hi Deera
In the article, rbooh said she used it for her son’s eczema, so it’s worth a try.
Some time ago, another commenter JP mentioned that a bentonite clay poultice cleared up his eczema (JP’s comment).
if any person have white hair …so white hair grown continue or black hair..
Sorry, I don’t quite understand
hi i have a brown patches on my cheeks and nose is the castor oil is good for pigmentation
wht abt the white hair…can castor oil helps or not?..rply fast
I’m anxious to try castor oil for my hair and face but I’m curious now that I’ve read the comments. It says castor oil prevents wrinkles but if you’re saying you noticed more wrinkles and stopped using it and you’re skin went back to normal, what’s the point in using it??
Wrinkling doesn’t happen when it’s used normally.
NOT normal use = 24 hours/day over many consecutive days (as mentioned in the article…)
I have been using the castor oil on my face for several weeks now. I usually put it on at night and wash it off in the morning. When I first started I had a growth that looked like a wart as I mentioned before. It is gone and I had some small hard patches which I have been treating and they appear to be getting better. I have been allergic to the sun all my life and have considerable damage on my face from the times I got burned as a child. Those places are slowly getting smaller and lighter. As I mentioned before, I am close to 70 and my skin is looking better than it has in years.
Thanks for coming back with an update, GrumpysWife 🙂 I’ve been using it on my face for over a year now and never plan to stop!
This is most amazing Oil, that I’ve seen !!
Most amazing of all!! Castor oil totally, as in completely!! removed a WART from my finger . 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.
Also I use it on my eyelashes, I would like you to see my eyelashes now!!
That’s awesome – thanks for sharing Nelly!
is it true that if we apply castor oil to body skin becomes black and oily?pls reply me as soon as possible!
Where did you hear that?
No, it is not true. Maybe you’re thinking of Jamaican black castor oil, which is very different. Normal castor oil is clear, with a light yellow tint.
Totally untrue. I have been using it for a couple of months and my complexion is very fair. If anything it has become more pale because of the dark sun damage disappearing.
I have gone through all infomation & comments .I wanted to know that if we will mix almond
oil with castor oil for hair ,is it safe & effective?
I am gonna try castor oil for three main reasons, I have thin eyebrows and i want my eyelashes to be thicker and to get rid of a wart at the side of my face. I will let u all know how it works or is working as time progresses.
i want to try castor oil but i want to know if it works on taking off moles because i have one on the side of my face and i want to get it off.
Hello, Samantha. I recently came across your site and am enjoying, learning from and being encouraged and inspired by your articles and responses to comments. I like to read the comments because of the potential for information exchange and further encouragement but it is sometimes energetically yukky ( I know, I’m using a technical term, here! haha!) because of the seeming rudeness [ or borderline offensive (willful?) ignorance–such as, “Is castor oil good for ‘caucasian’ hair?” My answer would be, “Well, if you believe all the hype about being “white”, i.e., ‘better’, smarter, prettier, entitled, ‘special’ — it’s not for you! Uh, oh, is that rude?!] of some of those who leave comments. Sometimes they seem to ‘demand’ knowledge, information, proof to their liking, information relevant to their area of the world they live in (like prices and brands and stores!) etc., etc.,. Often, it seems, they haven’t even bothered to read the entire article, let alone read it several times to be sure they understand what you are saying, describing and suggesting. So often they could perhaps answer their own questions by carefully searching the article and thus not burden you with endless repetition. I really appreciate and am learning from the way you handle these people — with respect for yourself and them, and by speaking honestly about what you see (such as pointing out to one poster their passion against something they’ve never tried !). Finally, what I’m really appreciating about you and your site at this moment is that you clearly say and show that this is a site which values and encourages — particularly through your patience and humility — individual experience and the work of knowing oneself and working with the spiritual and highly practical energies of effort, consistency faith, perseverance, searching and trust. This requires taking responsibility for oneself. So many posters seem to want all the answers about their own entirely unique body/being and a simple, cheap, easy “prescription” that is practically effortless and requires little or no time or adaptation of any kind. Your even responses to those I find arrogant and annoying is helping to implant in others — through the experiences they have from trying the knowledge they get from this site (persistently!)– an attitude which can help all of society…helping reestablish / expand the paradigm of healing–and many other “good” things, attitudes, ways of being that often seem to have been forgotten or not used in as many areas would be rewarding. I understand if you want to remove the part about “…caucasian hair…’ from my comment before posting my comment on your site… or, if it is posted before you review it, I understand and take no offense if you feel the need to remove the post…my post really was meant as an encouragement to you. It would be great if people who do these things mentioned in my post would stop and think but you are not trying to accomplish that. You are sharing and informing and handling it all with as much grace as possible! Hats off, to you! By the way, People ‘take me for “white” until they actually see me! I had to say it because I’m not sure how to go about navigating persistent ‘white’ racism and hatred…
You know, I almost couldn’t believe it when I read your words above… I’ve gotten questions on this site almost non-stop, but feedback like yours? Never.
Thank you so much, sincerely from the bottom of my heart. You’ve no idea what it means to me to read your words, and for you to take the time and share your thoughts like that with someone you don’t even know. 🙂
Your insight is also quite uncanny. A lot of the times when I get “rude” comments, I will think and re-think what to say in response. It’s easy to get frustrated and I do sometimes (then I have to edit my reply!), but in the end, I don’t think anger helps anyone (I’m still learning this all the time).
Also, I never really know who’s at the other end. It might be an adult, but it might also be a child/teenager. I remember what it was like to be so young—words cut deeper and small things seem bigger, so I try to be mindful not to hurt anyone. I feel even more responsible when I think I’m dealing with a child or a young person.
Plus, not everyone is aware of how they come across on the Internet. Like you observed so well, they just want what they want. That’s okay. You know, I’ve not always been this person. 10 years ago, I was completely different and self-involved (like you wouldn’t believe!). But I can see now that at that time, being like that was the best I could do. So when people around me misbehave now, I try to remind myself that I was like that once and I was doing my best then. So they probably are too.
So much love and thanks,
Sam
I’m a little confused. So, how often should one use cater oil on the face – every evening, once a week, etc.? In one week I have noticed considerable improvement in my skin, wrinkles, tone, etc., and had planned on using nightly, but now after reading some of the comments above, I am concerned about my skin going in the other direction. And if you tell me not to use nightly or for an extended period of time, can I continue to apply to my eye lashes and eye brows? Another question for you: Once I stop applying caster oil, will the skin and hair go back to it’s original less healthy looking state?
I’ve been using it nightly for over a year and have had no problems. It’s only when you use it continuosly that some looseness might come about.
Just use it the way you’d use any face or eye cream. Would you use a cream continuously 24/7? I doubt it. So don’t worry so much. And if you ever encounter any wrinkling from overuse, all you need to do is give your skin a break from castor oil and it will tighten back up.
I guess if you stop using anything, skin will go back to aging normally depending on your diet/lifestyle/environment. Same for hair also.
hello, can i use castor oil on all over my face including my upper lips. n i have question if i use castor oil in my upper lips also there is n effect on my upper lips hear its (become thick) pls ans my question is very important to no me about that.
plsssss
Hi, I don’t really understand your question about the upper lip. Do you mean hair on the upper lip? If so, then yes, if you shave or wax it off, castor oil would speed up hair growth there as well.
And yes, you can use it all over your face if you’d like. It might feel uncomfortable in hot climates though.
Hey, Sam.
I’m not a “surface” person. Never have been.
My eyes saw your first line when I opened my email and I was a little nervous as to what the rest of your response would be. I’m glad you didn’t focus on the parts I considered removing (I do just as you described in your response! ) and take offence rather than “hearing” the bulk of my message. So, before finishing your response, I pulled up what I wrote and re-read it!
I enjoy putting out quality work in whatever area, communicating clearly and helping others to do so, that they might realize what they are truly (unconsciously?) saying and doing (and that I would gain insight into myself, too! ) so that we might have a constructive, mutually enriching, respectful (iron sharpening iron?) dialogue.
I think I know a little of what my words do to/for your soul as I can be touched by sincere, insightful, validating, kind, burden bearing words. I appreciate your response. It was freely given and on a level that not everyone necessarily evidences. Too, it shows that (part of?) you are aware of and respond to and have trust in this level of interacting, even though we “have not met” (I feel we have thru your site–people often don’t realize how unique they really are and how it shows it most/all they do), don’t “know each other” (you know a lot about me–that comment I sent is me, and you have honed your observational skills by reading the comments of so many over time that you may not realize what, and how much, you now know and can recognize…!).
I appreciate and receive what you say to me, too, about “taking the time” and “uncanny insight”. It helps me trust my gifts and encourages me to more often share in venues where it would help propel me into a calling and stop routinely “hiding my light under a bushel”…
Much of what you say about handling the apparent dilemma of answering rude people brings to mind not being judgemental. Honestly, how can one judge truly? As you say, there are so many variables–being a child, or a person who doesn’t realize the easily possible curtness of their internet “speech” and on and on…even if we could find a “reason” for their “rudeness” which “suits” our level of “ability-to-not-take-offence”, who can afford to waste the time digging out information that would settle us? (There are spiritual “rules” and “shortcuts” –haha!– to help us!) Too, a kind answer to someone who truly IS rude might be just what they need to help heal them, set them on the right path. A soft answer turneth away wrath…Still, I might let people know how they are coming across before I help them! Or after! Word would get around to take the time to be reasonable and polite! Grrr! Haha! (Sometimes I have to question if it is a matter of it just being where a person is at the moment. Sometimes, I think it’s just poor training and would benefit all were it pointed out. Have to be careful doing that, though! “Be slow to anger…)
Finally, I want to go back to something you said:
“… and for you to take the time and share your thoughts like that with someone you don’t even know.”
I feel like people are closer to one another than allowing themselves to believe. There are so many perpetrated divisions that purely are constructs.They are only as real as the belief that diminishes connecting as a way of being. Yes, we all each are individuals, and in some mystical way separate, yet more “together” than it seems people allow themselves to function within that reality day to day and minute by minute.
I think It is one thing to mistake sloppy boundaries as intimacy and caring and something else to live in the intimacy we each have with all others by, and when, “speaking the truth in love”.
I think we have to be honest with ourselves before attempting to speak with another about anything, really, or we just plant more “seeds of destruction”. I have to be honest with myself so I CAN be honest with you. Being humble — even if talking about things that are painful and unsorted — is key. I think this is how — in love, truthful, humble — we all are meant or invited or required to speak, behave, interact with one another.
I am intrigued by your closing. I marvel at people who seemingly can easily offer and receive love in fashions I may not think I easily do. I want to dissect it till I get to what they are using the word love to convey. (Hope you’re not offended! Yikes!)
Nice talking with you.
Good luck with whatever you do besides this site.
Well, I’m glad you didn’t censor your speech in your first comment because none of what you wrote bothered me at all.
And no offense taken about your last bit. When I’m happy/thankful/pleased, I make a point not to hold back in expressing it. A long time ago, I noticed how I would only praise my friends and express my admiration for people behind their backs. As if it’s strange to tell a friend how much you appreciate them.
When I realised what a shame it was to hide good things from people (who very much deserve to hear how much they’re appreciated), I started to make a conscious effort to change in small ways here and there. Small changes became habits and years later, I find myself being described as emotionally effusive by you. For a Virgo, this is quite an accomplishment! 🙂 I’ll take it as my mission-happily-accomplished-without-even-realising-it.
By the way, I liked what you said here: “I feel like people are closer to one another than allowing themselves to believe. ” I personally think that we’re all just different branches on the same tree, really. And I’d much rather try to realise that now for myself than wait until the end, so to speak.
And I’m glad you feel as if you know me. You’re right in that it never occurred to me that anyone could know me just through this site and my comments alone. It’s always a bit of an odd thing when someone shares their perception of you, isn’t it? Because it’s never exactly what you think about yourself. And I think I understand you a bit too…
It was lovely talking with you too. Thank you again, and I wish you all the best 🙂
Sam
Hi! It’s funny that I have had JBCO for quite a while in my cabinet and used it maybe twice! Now I’m interested again lol. I didn’t really know how ti use it honestly. I am black and my hair is natural, how do you suggest I use it with my hair? Also, I do have some dark facial marks from past breakouts, I get n occassional one now, how do I use it on my skin? I don’t want to experience the wrinkling others have, so would it be wise to keep it on for hours? I usually do my face in the morning and then again at night. And lastly, will the castor oil help with hair shed? I had a baby 8 months ago and I know my hormones are probably still outta whack. Thanks so much and looking forward to your reply 🙂
Hi Reshonda, I’ve never used Jamaican Black Castor Oil, but its popular on some hair care forums. You can probably get some good suggestions on how to use JBCO for the best effect there. Sorry I can’t be more help.
About using it on your skin, I would guess that it can be used the same way as regular castor oil. These two commenters mentioned using JBCO on their skin –> millie and eri123
Also, if you haven’t gotten any wrinkling from your normal use, then you can probably rest easy. It’s only very intensive use that can sometimes cause wrinkling. As long as you’re aware of this and monitor your skin, you should be fine. I leave it around my eyes as I sleep and I’ve never gotten any wrinkling from those 8 hours. Of course, the rest of the day I don’t have it on, so I suppose that gives my skin plenty of time to rest.
Yes, castor oil can help with some hair shedding. If it’s your body just naturally adjusting after birth, the shedding should lessen on its own with time, but it won’t hurt to try it on your hair while you wait.
Hope that helps!
Dear, sweet, helpful Virgos! I SO do not want you to feel at all — even slightly — criticized! Oh, Dear!
I wasn’t stopped by what you described as emotional effusiveness…that’s more the relatively experienced/categorized form/container what you were truly expressing came in…just that you knew/were confident enough with what you felt well enough to call it love (and, yes, and to quickly and generously offer it)….
I, too, find that people are super-touched when you tell them something that is kind, appreciative, complimentary, etc., AND completely true, just to “bless” them…you’ve no agenda…it uncovers/acknowledges/opens a “vibe” that is palpable and feels really good to both parties.
Hmmm…it just came to me that perhaps your expression is following the lines of “honest, individual, yet not sloppy- boundaried” feeling/expression that I ruminated on in my previous post. I don’t know if that makes complete sense, but I got something out of both my broaching the matter, being “me” in expressing my unique curiosity/interest/knot I need to untie, and your kindly couched, thoughtful response…
I’ve been called something of a cold fish at times, which has really hurt me. Children and babies and old people and some other folks (and animals) know how nice I am (can be!) and, to be fair, I have been called, more often than not, “sweet”. I’m just really cautious and like to know what I’m working with — is it love, or admiration, overflowing good feelings or something more solid that can be built upon…blah, blah, blah!
Love is special, has a particular “vibe” and miracles occur in its presence…sometimes, other “feelings” are more “fun” and effective to a degree, but love is more far reaching…Love is a power! THE Power!
All I can say is that there must be some reason I am saying all this, and to you, we’ve both got something to get out of the exchange…
We might be “done” here, now — haha! — but, if not, more back-and-forth will occur (and that would be fine!), I’m sure…
P.S. Very nice about expressing truth and love thru your Virgo personality container! Feeling that, or objectively so, you are doing a better or more focused or refined and direct expression of love, kindness, and compassion in the world is helpful!
I’m sorry you’ve been called a cold fish in the past. That would hurt anyone. Still, I think critisicms like this never tell us much about ourselves. From my own experience, they cast greater light on the person saying the hurtful things instead. That whole “when you point a finger at someone, three point back at you” thing? Psychologically, I’ve always thought there’s some truth in that. Sometimes, people are uncomfortable with something within them (maybe it pains them too much), and so they project it onto someone else. It’s good that you didn’t let it get you down. You seem like a strong person (and getting stronger, I bet!).
I think everything happens for some reason or another. If you ever want to e-mail me and converse more, feel free to do so at sam [at] skinverse [dot] com. Who knows, I might find a good friend in you, and vice versa?
And I agree about love being the basis of all things. People, the earth, the universe — we’re all made up of energy after all! 🙂
thanks n it hair i wrongly wrote (hear), i doing upper lips using thread,
if i use castor oil on that part my hair become thick i m very scare to use castor oil pls help
If you do threading on your upper lip anyway, what’s to be scared of? Sorry, but I don’t quite get your concern.
After regular threading (waxing/tweezing), hair will naturally become thinner, lighter and more sparse over time since you’re pulling hair from their root and damaging the follicles. Regular castor oil use will just return the follicles to their original glory—the outcome of longer, thicker hair may not be cosmetically pleasing, but it is the follicles’ natural, healthy state.
If you’re really scared still, just don’t put any over the upper lip. Easy, no?
I have darkness under my eyes. My eyes don’t look youthful. And I’m only 15 years old. Do you think castor oil will get rid of the dark circles under my eyes? And if not, what will cure that?
I would get checked for any vitamin deficiencies by a doctor, i.e. iron. You’re too young to worry about ‘aging,’ but you do need to watch out that you’re healthy to keep looking young!
You need to drink more water.
I suggest you apply some almond oil since it helps lighten dark circles under the eyes and keep skin supple. Apply it twice a day under your eyes.(Make sure to discontinue use of almond oil after using it for about week to avoid any harmful effects. After a week or two you may start to use it again.). It will make a big difference after only a week. Also get regular amounts of sleep, drink lots of water and watch your diet.
Wish you the best!
When i first began using castor oil, i put a tiny bit on my eyelids, on my eyelash line to foster strong, beautiful lashes. While i never noticed a difference in the lashes (i used it inconsistantly), i DID find that it lessened my undereye circles (which have plagued me my whole life also. It is not solely due to diet with some people, it can be genetic and is caused by blood pooling up beneath the eyes from thin and broken capillaries and visible because of especially thin skin). Since castor oil aids in drainage, I am guessing it also rid the under eye area of unneeded blood! I also found that my eyesight improved. I was legally blind before laser eye surgery, and since then my right eye has steadily gotten worse, and I experience lots of “floaters”. This is apparently also broken blood vessels in the eyes. I noticed a difference the first morning after using it! I think you should give it a try, it worked for me!
I recently bought castor oil from aromamagic its not written any cold pressed or cold drawn on the label though it’s written It’s good for treating acne,skin disorders etc, will it be safe to be used on face?
I’m on week 3 of my caster oil treatments and my face is evening out nicely. The melasma under my eyes are breaking up so much that I can see normal color skin emerging from between the slight discoloration, which by the way, used to be much darker. Strangely, my eyelashes and eyebrows look fantastic and very full. I’m sure I’ll need a couple of months altogether to start seeing dramatic improvements, but I also realize that the discoloration took some time to develop too.
On a side note, I have not had a single pimple from this treatment thus far. I usually get one or two a week. I didn’t realize this would be such a great acne prevention solution too. I use nothing else but a thin layer of Castor oil as my nighttime moisturizer. I just thought I’d point that out to anyone wishing to use this to try to treat acne.
Thanks for sharing your results, Jill. I’ve updated this article with your comments. I’m sure it’ll help many others with melasma.
The thickening of eyebrows/lashes isn’t so strange actually. Many folks use castor oil around their eyes for this specific purpose 😉
I had skin damage from liquid nitrogen freezing. I showed a doctor a strange sore i had on my face for and asked how i should get rid of it. He said it was a wart so he froze it for me. For 2 weeks the freezing did nothing, Then he froze it again., It started to blister. The blister broke . Then it blistered again. I began to worry, It was very hard to conceal. It was also painful and kept peeling for at least a month. I went to another doctor. That doctor recomended polysporin. The polysporin did nothing. I was upset. Then I remembered reading about castor oil from Edward Caycey books. I started to use it night and day
In about 6 days my skin began to get normal. But I noticed as it healed it was strange . One morning as i got out of bed I notcied alot of dryed blood on it. I washed it off , it looked ok. But the next day when I got up in the morning my whole face was covered with with hard cruddy blood pellets. I freaked out and began to wash them off. After I washed them off I see the sore had improved by 90%. The days after it began to look normal . I’m 54 years old and just want to share my experience , Thank you.
Hi Tonia, that’s great – thanks for sharing!
I’ve used castor oil on my sensitive dry fact for 7 days and my face has broken out in a rash, very small red bumps, would this be an allergic reaction?
i have had acne for a decade now.my case is so serious that i can practically see holes on my face which is very embarrassing .not too long ago i started having uncommon blemishes on my forehead area which results in serious sweat outbreak even in mild temperatures,i also have facial hairs growing out of my pores.my skin is so multicolored and rough as the acne is still yet to clear off.i am an African and am 27 yrs old.pls can castor oil be of any help to me.
Harry, you may need to do a (candida) yeast cleanse.
i have black underarms..,is castor oil will be my answer?how many weeks or months will it take to see results
I heard sunflower seed oil can do wonders for dark underarms.
I bought the CVS brand of castor oil usp, it was the only kind they had….is this the right kind? It doesnt have much writing on it but it does say its for relief of accasional constipation
Hi,
I am a 26 years old boy. I have super thin hair which are falling from the roots. Every time I put my hand on my hairs, I get more than 100 of hairs not the broken one but all from roots. The roots of each hair has a small white thing attached which looks very weak and thin. When I take shower, I have a lot of hair in my hand. I sometime don’t look at my hands while using shampoo in my head coz it scares me to watch more than 100 hair each time. I recently bought castor oil from NOW to give it a try. I tried to massage the roots of hair before sleeping, but I saw a large number of hair falling with roots in my hand during the massage. I am so scared what I should do. I have dandruff problem which might have already covered my entire scalp through which the oil is not able to be soaked. I recently ordered almond oil of NOW to mix with castor oil as castor oil is too thick for my super thin falling hair. I am taking biotin daily with omega-3 fish oil. Suggest me how actually I should be using the oil, which all oils or supplements. I hope you understand how desperate I am in cure of falling hair with root and thinning hair.
i am suffering from beard hair loss since last 1 year.i checked by skin specialist but i could not get proper result.could you all please suggest how to rid of from these diseases.any home made remedy is avail for it.?
I really want to try this out, but don’t know where to get it or the body cream to us or soap. Have had skin problem and acne since i was thirteen. This is really disturbing cause its embarrasing to me. Am in nigeria pls is there a place i can get the vco here, or a cream containing it, coz have really tried differemt things. Thanks
Where to buy castor oil
hi samantha!
thank you for all these informations.. i have almost lost half of my hair.. and my hair has become rough, dry.. so my question is will castor oil help my hair to regrow again like it was before? and i wil tell my mum to use it on
her face! n im 21years old i am just wondering if i try it on my face just to keep it fresh will it cause any harm to my skin?
thank you again for providing such useful info
raisa
Hi raisa, you’re very welcome.
To answer your question, the only way to really know if something will work is to try it.
You’re very young to be losing hair though, so if you haven’t considered it yet, internal healing (diet/emotions/lifestyle) might be key for you rather than just castor oil.
And I’ve not heard of castor oil (or any other oil) harming 21-year old skin.
Best of luck to you (and your dear mum!)
Iya
I was just wondering if you can drink the castor oil??
Thanks
I am a little confused here. You say that castor oil smoothes the skin on your face and then you say it causes loose skin after a period of time, so stop using it…………..hmmmmm so does this mean it is an off/on usage that gets the best results. After working long days for many years in the sun, my skin has suffered, and would love to see some improvements if possible. What would you recommend? Thank you for this informative site.
Wrinkling doesn’t happen when it’s used normally.
NOT normal use = 24 hours/day over many consecutive days (as already mentioned in the article)
You should get some gradual improvements with normal use, the way you’d use any cream or lotion. For most people, this would be a few to several hours per day.
I use it on my face every day and have not noticed any loosening. I am noticing consistent improvement in my skin. One person told me she was envious of my flawless skin (she is 5 years younger than me) and another girl told me my skin was beautiful and glowing. I often get mistaken as being the sister of my 13 year old daughter and I get asked for ID when going to a club or buying alcohol. Most people guess my age to be 21-23. I’m 32 and I use no other products on my face except castor oil. I run it in my skin then wash with a face cloth in warm water and then I apply castor oil. If it seems too oily you can lightly run or pat your skin with a clean towel or cloth. I used to be a tan a holic and had acne with scarring, enlarged pores, broken blood vessels, rosacea and hyperpigmentation for acne. Now I don’t even have to wear foundation. It’s really amazing
how long did it take for the scars and hyperpigmentation from your acne to disappear?