The truth is, cold pressed castor oil is a nutrient-dense, multi-purpose beauty oil that can be used to improve the health of hair, skin and nails. Castor oil benefits include healing, moisturizing and promoting hair fullness — couldn't we all use a little more of all that?
To use castor oil for hair growth, apply a few drops to your scalp and massage it in. You can also apply castor oil to dry hair as a hair mask. Rub the oil into your hair, then cover your head with a shower cap for around two hours. Wash well with shampoo and style as usual.
Yes, castor oil is safe to apply directly to the scalp, as well as to the hair. On the scalp, castor oil works against dandruff, strengthens the roots, and promotes hair growth.
As both cold-pressed castor oil and refined oil have different extraction format, it is clear that cold-pressed oil is derived from a natural process. On the other hand, refined castor oil is a more chemical process. It loses some of the minerals and vitamins when refined.
While castor oil is considered safe in small doses, larger amounts can cause abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea ( 2 , 5 ). Although it can be used to relieve occasional constipation, castor oil is not recommended as a treatment for long-term health concerns.
As we concluded, while Jamaican Black castor oil does not work any better than regular castor oil in helping the hair growth, the ash and resulting alkalinity does help with oil absorption to the hair shaft. Without the ash, regular castor bean oil with naturally lower pH performs better in reducing frizz.
Leave the oil in for a minimum of 15-20 minutes. You could also leave it on overnight. You will need to shampoo multiple times to get rid of the oil. You may also condition your hair with a commercial conditioner 30 minutes before you take a shower.
Apply castor oil as a pre-shampoo treatment 1-2 times a week. Spread the oil over your scalp, comb it through the ends of your hair, and leave it in for at least an hour (or sit under a hair steamer for 30 minutes). Then, wash it out of your hair with shampoo.
Castor oil is great for hair regrowth and thickening
That is also why it is so popular as an eyebrow, eyelash, and beard serum—to promote hair growth in such areas. It's also great for those who have fewer hairs on their head and want to stimulate more growth overall.
Castor oil is most commonly used as a laxative. But castor oil's natural antiviral and antimicrobial properties make it a popular treatment for skin problems known as dermatosis as well as fungal infections. It's also used for hair growth.
So how often should you use castor oil to reap the full benefits? “There is no standard as far as how often you should use castor oil, but I'd recommend one or two times a week for at least three months, as that's typically how long before you'll see new hair coming in,” says Blaisure.
Castor Oil For Baldness
It may help strengthen the roots of your hair while nourishing your hair follicles. Thus, the oil may promote hair regrowth. Heat the castor oil for a couple of seconds until it is slightly warm. Apply the oil to your scalp and ensure that you have every spot covered.
Give castor oil some time to weave its magic Ideally, you should allow castor oil to sit on your scalp and in your hair for at least for half an hour. In fact, you can even leave it on overnight, washing it the next morning. This will give the oil ample time to do its work.
Castor oil works very quickly. You should see results within two to six hours after taking it. Because castor oil works so fast, it's not a good idea to take it before bedtime, as you might do with other laxatives. Like any stimulant laxative, castor oil shouldn't be taken in the long term.
Another way to remove castor oil from the hair is to use some conditioner. Apply your favorite conditioner to your damp hair and leave it on for about 3-5 minutes. Then, rinse it out with warm water.
Castor Oil Prevents greying
Castor oil is also an excellent treatment for slowing down the process of premature greying. Applying small amounts of castor oil to your hair can help it retain its pigments for relatively longer, keeping it from turning grey or white too early.
Cold-pressed castor oil is derived by first pressing of castor seeds without applying any heat and without adding any chemicals to it. It is the purest form of oil as herbal properties and healing benefits of castor oil remains unharmed during the extraction process.
If you want to try combining coconut oil and castor oil into a treatment for longer, more luscious hair, you can easily make a DIY conditioner in your kitchen. Combine one part melted coconut oil with one part castor oil. Mix well. Apply mixture in the shower after shampooing.
But if you're wondering which castor oil is best for use on replenishing a thick and healthy head of hair, many in the natural hair community prefer to use Jamaican Black castor oil. However, cold-pressed castor oil can also be used in general hair care to grow, soften and strengthen hair fibers and grow eyelashes.
IQ Natural Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Hair Growth and Skin Conditioning, 100% Pure Cold Pressed, Scalp, Nail and Hair Oil - (Unscented) (4oz)
JBCO has a higher pH level as compared to regular castor oil because of its alkalinity. This higher pH is due to the ash. JBCO is known to have clarifying property which is attributed to its alkaline nature. These are the primary differences of the oils.