It is one of the best-known and most famous vegetable oils in the cosmetic world. Originally from tropical Africa, castor oil is a real treasure of nature, ideal for treating the skin, and hair, but also all our other daily worries. A little decryption is in order!
Rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, castor oil is extracted from the plant taking the same name. Its seed is not eaten, but the oil extracted from it has extraordinary virtues. It is chosen in the first cold pressing so that it has retained all its properties.
The mysteries of making castor oil
Castor, the fruit from which castor oil is extracted, is a type of small nut, which is heated or not – depending on the desired pressure – and which has a more or less strong smell, again depending on how it is cooked. ‘extraction.
When the oil is cold-pressed, the castor beans are instantly extracted without being heated first. All the properties are thus preserved, the components are not altered by heating and the quantity obtained after pressing is much smaller, which explains its higher price of it.
When the oil is hot pressed, we no longer speak of castor oil but of castor oil. You should know that castor oil contains a very toxic component, ricin.
The oil obtained during the first hot pressing must be refined to deacidify it. Castor oil has a more pronounced, more amber color than cold castor oil.
The cosmetic benefits of castor oil
Castor oil to strengthen brittle hair and eyelashes
This is probably the most common use that we know of castor oil. Used in hair care, it nourishes the hair but also the scalp, which makes your hair fiber denser, more supple, and accelerates its growth and regrowth. It is more effective on their growth than coconut oil, and gentler on your scalp than sweet almond oil or argan oil.
It is the same for the eyelashes, castor oil will make them stronger and more resistant, especially to make-up removal.
Our advice for use: as a hair mask, twice a week, for 1 month. On damp hair, apply the oil generously along the hairline. Then we wrap them in a hot towel for 30 minutes.
Finally, we rinse them thoroughly by massaging the scalp to stimulate the benefits of the oil, and we shampoo to eliminate greasy and oily residues.
As a treatment for eyelash growth, apply castor oil every evening to completely cleansed and cleansed eyelashes, with your fingertips, then leave on overnight.
Castor oil to moisturize the skin and revitalize brittle nails
Thanks to its plumping action, castor oil is ideal for moisturizing the driest skin and restoring softness to the dermis. It is also perfect for problem skin, thanks to its richness in fatty acids. Choose it in case of herpes, burns, but also acne, or stretch marks. It is also perfect as a poultice, to be used during an outbreak of eczema for example, for its healing properties.
For wrinkles, know that castor oil stimulates the production of collagen for the skin, so it is your ally if you are looking for a natural anti-aging treatment.
Our advice for use: apply in small quantities, pure, because it is a fatty oil and a few drops are more than enough to release its softening benefits. You can also mix it with aloe vera in case of redness or irritated skin.
As for the most weakened nails, castor oil has to fortify properties but it can also soften your cuticles thanks to its emollient action. As for the skin, it is also recommended to treat small cuts and protect your nails for a long time.
Our advice for use: every night at bedtime, place a little castor oil at the base of your nail and gently massage the cuticles. We advise you to adopt this gesture for 1 month as a treatment, avoiding applying varnish to promote a beautiful regrowth.
Castor oil and its health benefits
This is probably the slightly lesser-known aspect of castor oil because it is true that it is most of the time not recommended for oral consumption (to be used with caution because of its laxative effects), which means that we do not think about the benefits it provides to our health.
Castor oil for joint pain
Whether it’s joint pain or pain during your period, castor oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It is therefore ideal for calming tensions, linked to stress, too intense physical activity, or the wrong menstrual period.
Our advice for use: in case of joint pain, rub gently with castor oil on the areas concerned. In case of painful periods, heat it to a gentle temperature in a small saucepan, without boiling it, then take a towel and dip it in. Then place the hot towel on his stomach, and let it sit for at least an hour. If the towel cools, do not hesitate to maintain its heat by using a hot water bottle, this is how the castor oil will release its analgesic properties.
Castor oil for migraines and sleep disorders
Again, these are lesser-known benefits of castor oil. However, it has the ability to improve the immunity of the human body, and thus promotes healing, all while detoxifying it. It is thus perfect for treating migraines and sleep disorders (essentially insomnia) due to its ability to drain the lymphatic tissues of the dermis.
Our advice for use: for migraines, apply it by massaging the temples with your fingertips until the pain subsides. During sleep disorders, heat the castor oil over low heat, then soak two small pieces of cotton in it, which you will place in your ears at bedtime.
Castor oil for men
Yes, gentlemen, once are not custom, but we thought of you at the end of this article! Because you too, adopt castor oil in your daily beauty routine.
For those who have a beard, apply castor oil to nourish those which are the roughest, but above all, choose it to make it grow faster and thus reduce the unsightly holes of shaving, thanks to its stimulating action on the hairs.
It is also perfect for hair loss.
You will become addicted to it! And your girlfriend too!
Photo: Pexels/Andrzej Gdula
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