Is Castor Oil Beneficial for Skin Care? Myth or True? Discover Its Benefits and Uses in Detail Below!

A translucent liquid with a yellowish tint, Castor oil is an active ingredient that’s used in a wide variety of household items for cleansing and a range of medical conditions as well, not to mention for its health benefits to the skin and hair. A kind of vegetable oil that’s extracted from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant, Castor oil has been used for centuries in traditional therapies and treatments.

Pressed from castor beans, the oil has a very distinct taste and odour and its boiling point is 313°C, with a density at 0.961 g/cm³. In the food industry, food-grade castor oil is used in food additives, candy and in packaging, while food grains in India are preserved by its application. Castor oil stops rice, wheat, and pulses from rotting.

On a very basic level, castor oil can be incorporated into your daily beauty regime by just a gentle massage at night to cleanse the pores, adding a few drops of oil to your hair conditioner, when showering, for hair growth and strengthening of the hair shaft, or applying it topically on skin inflammations. The magic of castor oil is quite evident in hair and skincare potions. For instance, organic and cold-pressed castor oil serves as an excellent anti-inflammatory agent for an irritated scalp, while Jamaican black castor oil is more effective for cleansing since it includes ashes of roasted castor seeds.

For dry skin, a massage blend of 2 drops of castor oil with 6 drops of sesame oil will be helpful, while for a radiant complexion, you can use a few drops of cold-pressed, hexane-free castor oil in egg yolk and apply it to the face, leaving it be for 15 minutes and then wash it off. For hair growth, a tbsp. of castor oil with 2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil, 2 tbsp sweet almond oil and 2 tbsp sesame oil, warmed for faster penetration will be helpful, to be applied into the hair from roots to ends.

While there are numerous benefits of using castor oil, given its thickness, it can be a pain to wash off and the unhealthy amount of pesticides that most crops are sprayed with could potentially nullify the nutritional content of this elixir. When using it in hair care, it is best to apply the oil judiciously but not add more than a pea-sized quantity when used in combination with a conditioner. A typical application should be left overnight to better absorption and lesser clean-up the next day!

Some people can be allergic to castor oil, hence it is best to do a patch test before using it. For skin issues, allergies and inflammation, it is best to have a medical consult before you use castor oil as it aggravates your condition. Since the preservatives in castor oil can cause irritations, it would be wise to read the labels and check the ingredients before buying them. Purchasing cold-pressed and organic oil without additives are better.

Castor Oil is known to help heal wounds by stimulating the growth of new tissues, prevent the buildup of dead skin cells and reduce dryness. According to ongoing research, ointments that include castor oil as an ingredient may be significantly helpful in treating pressure ulcers, a wound that originates from prolonged pressure on the skin.

The application of castor oil makes way for a moist environment that encourages healing and prevents sores from drying out. The oil creates a barrier between the wound and the environment, which in turn reduces the risk of infection as well as reduces cornification. In fact, people who’ve been treated with castor oil experienced higher healing and reduced healing time, as compared to those who followed other methods to heal.

Enriched in Ricinoleic Acid, a fatty acid that is known to help reduce pain and inflammation according to popular research, Castor Oil reduces both inflammation and pain when applied topically. Castor oil's application is particularly encouraging for people who suffer from inflammatory diseases like Psoriasis or Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Further, castor oil also helps relieve dry and irritating skin conditions, especially in diseases like Psoriasis, owing to its moisturizing properties. Castor oil is antimicrobial, anti-infectious, anti-rheumatic and analgesic and its multiple healing properties accord it with great remedial qualities in Ayurvedic Medicine. Massaging the joints with castor oil and placing a hot compress helps in pain relief, especially in the case of Arthritis (if followed twice a week).

In addition to being anti-inflammatory, Castor oil also reduces bacteria and soothes irritated skin, all of which makes it a natural remedy for Acne. Acne’s essentially a skin condition that leads to blackheads, pus-filled pimples and large, painful eruptions on facial skin and body. Especially common in teens and young adults, such breakouts can negatively impact their self-esteem.

Castor oil comes with a fair share of qualities that can help reduce and eliminate acne symptoms. The ricinoleic acid in Castor oil penetrates deeply into the skin and combats bacteria overgrowth that can unclog pores, soften and hydrate the irritated skin at the same time and work behind the scenes to solve the root cause of breakouts and treat the unhealthy balance of bacteria in the gut, as well as hormonal balances.

Castor oil can be your answer to fighting early signs of ageing without injections or super-strength serums! Owing to the fact that it can penetrate deep into the skin and help stimulate the body’s production of collagen and elastin, Castor oil can soften and hydrate the skin well.

As you age, reserves of collagen and elastin which keep the skin looking plump deplete, especially around delicate areas like the eyes, mouth and forehead, where most fine lines appear. As a natural remedy, castor oil can help reduce wrinkles and fine line, diffuse into the skin and revamp it by making it look supple and radiant. Just dip a cotton ball in castor oil and apply it to your skin before going to bed.

Enriched in triglycerides that help maintain the moisture content in the skin and inclusive of humectant properties, Castor oil makes for a useful treatment for dry skin and keeps it hydrated. Humectants retain moisture by preventing loss of water in the outer layer of the skin and for this purpose, castor oil is often considered as an ingredient in cosmetics to encourage hydration and is commonly found in cleansers, makeup and lotions.

In fact, you can use this oil as a natural alternative independently in place of the store-bought moisturizers and lotions, most of which contain harmful and potentially damaging ingredients like dyes, preservatives and perfumes which irritate the skin and can adversely affect overall health. Castor oil’s also inexpensive, thick and can be used on the face and body in a blend with other skin-friendly oils like olive, coconut or almond to make an ultra-hydrating moisturizer.

The natural astringent properties of castor oil are helpful in eliminating dirt and other impurities from the skin, owing to the presence of triglycerides and is suitable for use for cleansing oily skin as well. The richness of essential fatty acids in Castor oil enhances and reinstates the natural moisture balance of the skin and a gentle application of the oil to facial skin, massaging in circular motions, clears the clogged pores and heals acne, if applied and kept overnight, to be washed off the next morning. A basic oil cleanse blend can be made with ½ tsp of Jojoba and ½ tsp of castor oil to be applied to dry skin using fingertips.

Enriched with monounsaturated fatty acids, Castor oil makes the skin smooth and soft when applied topically and can also stimulate the growth of healthy skin cells, reinstating an even skin tone, thereby enhancing its texture and complexion. With a low comedogenic score, castor oil lowers the risk of developing blackheads or clogging the pores, making it suitable for the application of all types of sensitive skin.

The fatty acids, more specifically the Omega-3 Fatty Acids serves as the magic ingredient in reducing pigmentation, by penetrating the scar tissues and pumping them out, hydrating the skin and resulting in a cleansed, supple and radiant complexion. For better absorption, it is best to use castor oil in a 1:1 ratio with other oils like coconut or olive.

Being a highly effective moisturizer that soothes and softens flaky and dehydrated skin, castor oil is the best remedy for nails and cuticles. With its rich and thick texture and presence of a generous amount of Vitamin E, castor oil’s an excellent option for moisturizing not only the cuticles but the nail bed in its entirety. It helps strengthen the nails, make them flexible and massaging the oil into your nails with a few drops can result in healthier, shinier and softer nails with white tips that are also flexible. Just rub some castor oil on the cuticles and bare nails, and leave it overnight.

Owing to its anti-inflammatory properties, castor oil can help ease the pain associated with sunburn and its moisturizing properties can also help reduce the peeling of the skin. Applying a generous amount of castor oil on the skin gently can not only calm burnt and irritated skin but also bring in the required moisture content to the skin to overcome sun damage. An immediate application of castor oil to sunburnt skin can relieve the pain, soreness and prevent the eruption of burn-induced blisters that can worsen the sun damage and condition of the skin.

Rightly known as the wonder oil, Castor oil comes with multiple healing powers to soothe the body and has been in use in various ancient cultures for a wide spectrum of health conditions. According to extensive research, Castor oil can help fight fungal infections in the mouth caused by Candida Albicans and also help treat denture-related stomatitis, a painful condition that is quite rampant in elderly people who wear dentures. The presence of undecylenic acid, a biochemical agent that’s used to stop fungal growth, makes castor oil a natural remedy that’s apt for addressing numerous fungal infections, including ringworm, athlete’s foot and yeast infections.

A non-volatile fatty oil that’s been extracted from castor seeds and belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, Castor oil’s known as Arandi Tel in Hindi, vilaakenni in Tamil and Amudamu in Telugu. With a variety of medicinal, industrial and pharma benefits, castor oil and its by-products are used widely in the production of paints, inks, hydraulic paints, soaps, lubricants, nylon, perfume, waxes, and cold-resistant plastic, in addition to being used as an additive in the food industry, biodiesel fuel component and skincare essentials.