Castor oil, a carrier oil, has been used for thousands of years for everything from inducing labor, to growing hair, and everything in between! Castor oil comes from the castor plant, which is the ricinus communis plant. Not only was it used often in medicine, but women used it for beauty treatments as well – and this trend, continues today. So here are 6 amazing benefits of castor oil.
One of the main ingredients of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, which is a non-saturated omega-9 fatty acid and hydroxy acid. This means that castor oil is packed full of fatty acids which can cure a multitude of things including drying skin, aging skin, and acne prone skin. Used in a lot of beauty products, castor oil is a natural oil that has a slew of benefits, so let's take a look at them!
Benefits of Castor Oil
#1. Full, Luscious Lips
To get full, luscious lips, all you need is a natural lip scrub and a little bit of castor oil! Try this homemade lip scrub by rubbing it in slow, circular motion over your lips. This will get rid of dead skin cells, and reveal new, soft skin. Rinse off, and pat dry. Then, dip a cotton swab into a little bit of castor oil and apply to your lips. Leave on overnight, and wake up with plump, super soft lips! The castor oil penetrates deep into the skin and nourishes like nothing else. You can also apply castor oil to your lips during the day as well – just like you would any lip balm! Do this every night (reserve the lip scrub to every other night), and within a few days, you'll notice a huge difference in your lips. Perfect for dry, chapped lips.
#2. Beautiful, Soft Skin
You've undoubtedly heard of the oil cleansing method, in which you use an oil to cleanse your face. Well, castor oil can be used for that! Dip a cotton ball into the oil, and rub over your face. Massage gently using your fingertips. Then, wet a washcloth with warm water and place it over your face. Leave on for 1-2 minutes. Drag the washcloth across your face gently to remove the oil. Wet the washcloth again (using the warmest water you can, but without burning your skin!!!) and repeat the same step. Finish off by rinsing your face with cold water, and pat dry. Do this every night before bed and you'll notice smoother skin, less dark spots, and a LOT less pimples. This method is great for any skin type, including acne-prone and ageing.
#3. Thick Eyebrows & Eyelashes
Castor oil is your best friend when it comes to growing your eyebrows. If you're one of those unlucky girls with thin eyebrows (ME!), applying castor oil to them before bed is something you MUST start doing. I've been using castor oil on my eyebrows and eyelashes for about 2 months now and the difference in uncanny! My eyebrows have started to grow like crazy! I simply dip a cotton swab into the oil, and apply directly to my eyebrows and eyelashes before bed. Of course, if you already have bush eyebrows, I definitely wouldn't recommend doing this!
#4. Long, Thick Hair
Of course if castor oil can give you thick eyebrows, it can also help with hair! Now there are many methods to using castor oil for hair growth, but my favorite is this: use a spray bottle to wet your hair until it is damp. Then, pour some castor oil into your palms (about a tablespoon or two depending on the length of your hair), and rub it into your scalp, making sure to massage gently for a few minutes. The massage will help stimulate the scalp and will also make the oil penetrate better. Saturate your entire hair with the castor oil and let it seep it overnight. Then in the morning, simply wash out. You can do this as often as you like, but I like doing it every other day. So far, after 2 months, I've noticed thicker hair, and NEW baby hair growing in around my hairline!
#5. Longer, Stronger, Nails
Another amazing application for castor oil is on your nails! Before bed, apply a thin layer of castor oil on your cuticles and rub in. The castor oil will penetrate the nail bed and strengthen it from the inside out. Within just a few, you'll notice your nails getting stronger and longer.
And of course, there are HUNDREDS of other applications for castor oil including using it as a moisturizer for very rough skin such as your elbows and knees. You can purchase castor oil at your local drug mart, or online!
Looking for even more amazing castor oil uses? Check out this YouTube video courtesy of Nicoletta xo!
Are There Any Side Effects to Using Castor Oil?
Although there are no real side effects to applying castor oil directly to the skin (unless you have a specific castor oil allergy), there CAN be side effects if castor oil is ingested. These include diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, low blood pressure, and abdominal cramps.
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