How to use castor oil?

The castor oil plant, also known by its scientific name Ricinus communis, is an annual herbaceous plant from the Euphorbiaceae family. It is native to India and has been widely cultivated worldwide for its oil-rich seeds. This plant can reach a height of three metres and is characterised by its large lobed leaves of triangular shape, measuring up to 60 cm in diameter. The oil that the castor oil plant provides is rich in fatty acids, especially ricinoleic acid, and is a source of numerous cosmetic benefits.

Thanks to its richness in unsaturated fatty acids, castor vegetable oil has nourishing and protective properties for the skin. This vegetable oil is particularly recommended for people with dry skin, whose epidermis does not produce enough lipids, thus making it fragile. However, the linoleic acid found in castor oil reacts and binds with the ceramides of the horny layer, which strengthens the skin's waterproof barrier.

Furthermore, the application ofcastor oil helps to slow down skin sagging. Moisturising and rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant, this natural extract eliminates free radicals from cells and prevents them from causing damage to DNA and proteins such as collagen and elastin. Finally, castor oil can be used to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. By protecting the skin from dehydration, it makes it more supple and elastic, which reduces its sensitivity to the sudden distension it undergoes during pregnancy.

How to apply castor oil?

• Pure.

  In prevention of skin ageing, the appearance of stretch marks, or to hydrate your skin, you can apply pure castor oil to your face or body. To do this, take a few drops of oil and apply them over the entire area. Then gently massage in a circular motion so that the oil is effectively absorbed by the skin. However, be careful not to apply too much as castor oil has a rather viscous and greasy texture.

  Another possible use for this vegetable oil is as follows: as a makeup remover. This technique was, in fact, already used by Cleopatra over 2000 years ago. In the evening, as the first step in your routine, apply the castor oil in a massaging motion, focusing on the areas you have applied makeup. Then rinse with clear water. Your skin is then clean and free from accumulated impurities.

• Diluted in a cream.

  You can also use castor oil in synergy with your moisturising cream or your stretch mark cream. To do this, take a small amount of cream in the palm of your hand and add one or two drops of castor oil. You can then apply the treatment by gently massaging it in and benefit from its nourishing properties.

Thevegetable oil of castor can provide benefits to dry and brittle hair and nourish it deeply, thanks to the oleic acid (omega-9) it contains. Moreover, it contains saturated fatty acids whose structure is similar to that of the lipids in the cuticle, allowing them to insert themselves and strengthen it. In doing so, castor oil promotes impermeability and cohesion of this layer, as well as the overall protection of the hair fibre. Solidified, this latter reflects more light, which gives shine to the hair.

Thecastor oil is also highly acclaimed for its ability to limit hair loss. Scientific studies have indeed demonstrated that ricinoleic acid, present in large quantities in this oil, inhibits the action of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), a protein involved in the phenomena of androgenetic alopecia.

How to use castor oil for hair application?

• In an oil bath along the lengths.

  In order to deeply nourish the hair, castor vegetable oil can be used purely as an oil bath. Carried out once or twice a week, it will strengthen and restore shine to the hair. To do this, apply strand by strand a few drops of castor oil, from mid-lengths to ends, and leave it on for about fifteen minutes. Do not apply too much oil to avoid the risk of weighing down your hair. You can then proceed with a shampoo.

• As a mask on the scalp.

  To slow down balding or stimulate hair growth, apply pure castor oil directly to the scalp at least twice a week and massage to stimulate the hair follicle. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes before shampooing. We recommend applying a generous amount of shampoo after your mask, due to the oily nature of castor oil. You can also mix it with another plant oil beneficial for the scalp, such as theavocado oil or the argan oil, for a lighter application.

Thevegetable oil of castor can also be used to care for one's beard and prevent it from having a rough and irregular appearance, thus giving a neglected look. It notably helps tosoften beard hairs, which can sometimes be quite coarse, and to give them shine, following the same mechanism as for hair. Castor oil is also recognised for its antimicrobial and fungicidal properties and fights against the bacterial colonisation of the beard, a fertile ground for the development of microorganisms.

Furthermore, shaving tends to disrupt the hydrolipidic film and dry out the epidermis. However, castor oil is rich in fatty acids, molecules that are moisturising and lipid-replenishing. Thus, it takes care of the skin beneath the hair. It is also believed to stimulate the growth of beard hair. However, unlike hair growth, no scientific study has yet demonstrated this ability of the castor oil.

How to apply castor oil to the beard?

In terms of its use, castor oil should be applied to a clean and dry beard. If you have a dry and brittle beard, you can use it morning and evening, daily. It is also recommended to apply it after shaving to soothe the skin. Only a few drops are needed. If you wish to deeply nourish your beard, you can use a few extra drops and leave the treatment on for about thirty minutes. Then rinse with warm water.

Thecastor oil is also used to strengthen and tone eyelashes and eyebrows. Its application also helps to moisturise them. Castor oil is reputed to promote the growth of eyelashes and eyebrows, however, as with beard hairs, no study to date has proven this claim. It is nevertheless true that healthy eyelashes tend to have better growth.

How to apply castor oil to eyelashes or eyebrows?

• Pure.

  Even though castor oil is a mild compound, all precautions must be taken when using it on the delicate area around the eye. It is therefore important to ensure that the oil does not come into contact with the eyes. The application should be done in small amounts along the length of the eyelashes or on the eyebrows, using a cotton swab or a small cleaning brush. For instance, you can apply the castor oil before going to sleep and then remove any excess in the morning.

• In a skincare treatment.

  In order to care for your eyelashes and eyebrows, Typology has developed a lash and brow serum as well as a serum mascara. Enriched with pea peptides (INCI: Pisum Sativum (Pea) Peptide) and castor oil, these products strengthen and tone the eyelashes and eyebrows. The lash and brow serum should be applied in the evening, after removing makeup, directly to the lashes and brows and does not require rinsing. The serum mascara, on the other hand, is typically used in the morning and should be removed in the evening with a gentle makeup remover, like our bi-phase makeup remover formulated for the delicate eye contour area.

The nails are daily subjected to numerous external aggressions, such as manual labour, hand washing, semi-permanent varnishes, etc. Over time, their condition can deteriorate and they become soft and brittle. It is therefore appropriate to regularly take care of them. Castor oil helps to prevent fungi and mycoses thanks to the fungicidal activity of the undecylenic acid it contains. Moreover, the fatty acids present in its composition restore flexibility to the cuticles and hydrate them. Finally, castor oil helps to protect the nails from external aggressions and free radicals as it contains vitamin E, an antioxidant.

How to apply castor oil on the nails?

• Through massage.

  To strengthen your nails, you can apply a drop of castor oil to each one daily and massage until fully absorbed. You also have the option of using an applicator brush, similar to a nail polish brush. After a few days, your nails will appear stronger.

• As an oil bath or as a mask.

  You can also allow the castor oil to work for longer by using it as an oil bath or a hydrating mask. For the bath, soak your nails in the castor oil for about twenty minutes. This method may be somewhat inconvenient, but it proves to be effective. There is also another technique, more practical: wrapping your nails, coated in castor oil, in cellophane wraps for a night.

• FONG P. & al. In silico prediction of prostaglandin D2 synthase inhibitors from herbal constituents for the treatment of hair loss. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2015).

• MARWAT S. K. & al. Review - Ricinus communis - ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (2017).