Organic Castor Oil is a versatile and natural beauty elixir with many benefits. It is extracted from the seeds of the castor plant; this pure and organic oil is celebrated for its multitude of uses. Rich in nourishing fatty acids, it promotes healthy hair and skin, aiding in the strengthening and thickening of hair, while also moisturizing and rejuvenating skin. It's a trusted choice for natural, chemical-free beauty routines. Castor oil can also help prevent infections, boost your immune system and help treat constipation.
What is Castor Oil?
Historically, castor oil has been used for thousands of years. The Egyptians are recorded as using castor oil in 1550 BCE for therapeutic purposes. To collect the castor oil, the seeds from the native Indian Ricinus communis need to be cold-pressed. The oil collected is full of ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic Acid is a fatty acid that is believed to be responsible for the health benefits that castor oil can provide. The oil collected from Ricinus communis also has plenty of salts and esters that benefit our skin cells and work as conditioning agents.
Benefits of Castor Oil
There are so many benefits of castor oil such as: Hair growth, Skin moisturizer, Eyelash thickening, Brow enhancement, Scalp health, Anti-inflammatory, Wound healing, Acne treatment, Anti-aging, Sunburn relief, Split end repair, Lip balm, Joint pain, Laxative (oral use), Fungal infections.
One study done in 1999 found that castor oil in wraps temporarily boosted the participants immunity via increased T-11 cells. Researchers took 36 participants, took a blood test then applied the castor oil wraps. The wraps were left on for 2 hours, during this time another blood test was taken. A final blood test was taken 7 hours after the treatment. The paper was published in the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine. The researchers shared the results saying,
“The T-11 cell increase represents a general boost in the body’s specific defence status. Lymphocytes actively defend the health of the body by forming antibodies against pathogens and their toxins. T-cell lymphocytes originate from bone marrow and the thymus gland as small lymphocytes that identify and kill viruses, fungi, bacteria, and cancer cells. T-11 cell lymphocytes supply a fundamental antibody capability to keep the specific defence system strong.”
Another study published in the Journal of Phytotherapy Research in 2009 was able to verify that castor oil can provide significant improvements to osteoarthritis in the knee, after 2-4 weeks of applications to participants. Castor oil helps to remove toxins from the body by supporting a healthy immune system, toxins can easily build up around arthritic joints and inflammations and cause the inflammation and pain levels to rise. As a non-invasive option it is a great option to try out at home!
How to use Castor Oil
Unless you are looking for the laxative effects of castor oil then it is best applied on the outside of your body. For skin apply 3-4 drops on a clean face and 3-4 drops over hair. Apply on the tip of your fingers and rub it gently to the scalp to let it penetrate into the roots of your hair.
The other method is via castor oil wraps. By putting the castor oil onto the cotton of the wraps and placing it onto your skin, the castor oil will be absorbed and enter the blood stream. There is a pocket in the castor oil wraps designed to hold a heat pack. Adding the heat pack helps to promote circulation in your body and boost the absorption of the castor oil. This is a great way to get all the benefits of castor oil without activating the laxative effect.