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How To Use Castor Oil For Hair Growth

If you’ve been dreaming about luscious, thick, and long locks, then castor oil is the liquid gold that can make it happen.

Castor oil is far from a new trend; it has been used for centuries.

Castor oil has its fair share of benefits in promoting hair growth, strengthening the hair, moisturize and nourish the strands, and its crazy benefits on helping problematic scalps.

If you’ve read any of my guides, you will know that I am on the hunt for everlasting shine, thick and luscious locks, and I’m bringing you with me.

But is castor oil truly effective for hair growth?

This age-old remedy has some major benefits and has been proven to be effective in aiding hair growth for centuries, so let’s break down all the benefits as to why you need it in your routine.

Let’s delve into the details, my friends!

castor oil

What Is Castor Oil?

Castor oil originates from the plant Ricinus communis, a native plant naturally found in Africa, India, and South America.

The castor beans get pressed into a pale-yellow vegetable oil with a very distinct flavor and smell. It was known as the cure-all back then, but it finds its popularity in the beauty community nowadays.

Just like coconut oil, castor oil has some major moisturizing benefits. It is made up of ricinoleic fatty acid. This works as an emollient to smooth flaky skin and make it softer.

It can also provide a barrier on the skin and protect it against moisture loss. When talking about castor oil for hair growth, it acts as a lubricant, coating and conditioning strands to strengthen, soften and promote hair growth.

Different Types Of Castor Oil:

There are two different types of castor oil generally available for hair. Black castor oil and yellow castor oil, they’re both created slightly differently.

Yellow castor oil is made by cold pressing fresh castor beans, while black castor oil is made by roasting the castor beans using heat to extract the oil.

What is black castor oil used for?

Jamaican black castor oil can promote hair growth, moisturize dry ends and strengthen the hair strands. It also works to prevent breakage and heal split ends.

It increases blood flow to the scalp, supplying needed nutrients to the hair follicles, which helps promote hair growth and thicken hair at the root.

Jamaican black castor oil also prevents hair breakage, dandruff and can help combat problematic scalps like dandruff, eczema, or dry and itchy scalps.

It can be used on most hair types, from thick and curly to straight and fine hair.

What is cold-pressed castor oil used for?

Organic cold-pressed castor oil or yellow castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, a type of fatty acid known to fight inflammation and problematic scalp.

It has more benefits when digested but still has some great benefits for hair. When applied to the scalp, it will improve the health of your hair follicles.

This helps promote hair growth and protects your hair against hair loss.

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Benefits Of Castor Oil For Hair Growth:

There are some serious benefits of using castor oil for hair with scientific evidence to support it. Whether or not you’re using it for hair growth, it has some incredible benefits.

Stimulates hair growth:

Castor oil, when combined with other carriers or essential oils, stimulates the scalp. This is because castor oil is rich in vitamin E and fatty acids.

These ingredients help stimulate blood circulation and strengthen the hair follicles to make the hair appear thicker and promote hair growth.

Castor oil contains the highest percentage of fatty acids like omega-6 fatty oils compared to any other carrier oil. Omega-6 fatty acids help promote hair growth by increasing the growth factors in the human dermal papilla cells.

These cells promote dermal-epidermal reactions to regulate the hair growth cycle. Ricinoleic acid also stimulates the prostaglandin E2, which activates the dilation of blood vessels to help improve blood flow.

Improved blood flow supplies more oxygen and nutrients to the hair roots, which leads to healthier hair growth from the hair and scalp.

Anti-inflammatory properties:

When you use castor oil, ricinolic acid has major anti-inflammatory properties, which can help with a problematic scalp, such as scalp inflammation or dandruff.

Castor oil also contains antioxidants that protect hair from environmental aggressors and strengthen the hair from the root to the end strands of the hair.

Castor oil also has antimicrobial properties, which may help fight bacterial overgrowth when applied to the scalp or skin. It can even fight fungal infections thanks to its anti-fungal properties.

All these paired together can help treat hair loss, prevent scalp infections, and improve the hair’s health. Castor oil can help improve the appearance of hair and increase shine.

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Does Castor Oil Help Hair Growth?

Absolutely! Castor oil is an affordable treatment to improve the health, appearance, shine, and condition of your hair, along with promoting hair growth.

However, there isn’t any scientific proof to prove that castor oil will actually grow your hair.

Despite there being no concrete evidence to link castor oil to hair growth directly. The ricinoleic acid found in castor oil can help lock in moisture while promoting a healthy scalp.

All these factors are essential for hair growth, so there is no reason why castor oil cannot set up your hair for success after all hair growth starts with healthy hair.

How Long Does Jamaican Black Castor Oil Take To Work?

So while yellow castor oil has some serious benefits, Jamaican black castor oil has more benefits for your hair.

Remember, hair growth doesn’t happen overnight; it takes some time and patience; even if it’s in a healthy condition, it only grows half an inch a month.

That being said, how often should you use castor oil for hair growth?

Well, in an ideal world, you should apply castor oil one to two times a week for 3 months and continue even after that to continue reaping the benefits.

Even if you don’t see the benefits when you use castor oil for hair growth, at least your hair will be in better condition, stronger, and you’re less likely to suffer from hair loss.

How To Use Castor Oil For Hair Growth:

There’s no real right or wrong way to apply castor oil to your hair; it all depends on your hair type and what works for you. You can massage into your scalp and leave it overnight or make it into a deep conditioning treatment.

The type of castor oil you use also depends on the thickness of your hair; if you have thicker, coarser hair, it is best you use black Jamaican castor oil, but for finer hair, then cold-pressed castor oil is better.

Dry scalp:

If you have quite dry hair, you will massively benefit from using castor oil to nourish your hair strands. You should work in sections to gently massage the castor oil into your scalp and to the ends.

Once you’re done, sit under the hair steamer for 20-30 minutes, this will help the castor oil penetrate your scalp and nourish the cuticle.

If you have low porosity hair, then this will be extremely beneficial.

If you have high porosity hair, then be sure to rinse afterward with cool/cold water to help close the cuticle and apply your hair products and serums to seal the cuticle.

Deep conditioning:

You can also use castor oil as a deep conditioning mask to help hydrate, nourish and strengthen strands.

Coating your hair in castor oil and wrapping it in a microfiber towel or shower cap before bed will allow the castor oil to penetrate deeply into the cuticle.

When you wake up the following morning, wash and condition like usual; it is recommended to do a double shampoo to help rinse out all the castor oil from your strands.

Protective hairstyle:

Whether you have curly hair, putting your hair in a protective hairstyle is super important, it protects your hair from damage while you sleep and helps hold in styles and prevent frizz.

You can create a mask to use for a protective hairstyle using a combination of castor oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and vitamin E oils. This will provide your hair with a rich antioxidant scalp treatment.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • – 2.5 oz coconut oil (melted)
  • – 1 oz grapeseed oil
  • – 1.5 oz olive oil
  • – 0.5 oz vitamin E oil
  • – 1 oz black castor oil
  • – 10 drops peppermint essential oil
  • – 10 drops lavender essential oil
  • – 8 oz application bottle

The first thing you’ll want to do is add all these ingredients in order. You should melt the coconut oil first, so weigh out what you need and melt slightly until the coconut oil is liquid.

Once you’ve added all the ingredients to the application bottle, give the bottle a good shake before each use to mix all the ingredients and apply to the roots and ends before tieing it up in a protective style.

You can also use this as a leave-in deep conditioning treatment for a few hours before washing out.

All these ingredients will help strengthen the hair, and peppermint and lavender oil will help stimulate the blood flow to the scalp to help promote hair growth.

hair growth

How To Remove Castor Oil From Hair:

So while there are many benefits of using castor oil on your hair, castor oil can be quite difficult to get out of your hair if you don’t wash your hair properly.

Here’s how you remove castor oil from your hair easily.

Start with using luke ward water to damp your hair and scalp; this will help open your scalp pores and break down all the grime and dirt from the scalp.

Grab your shampoo and rub it in your palms to form a rich lather; this will ensure that the shampoo is evenly distributed to avoid friction and prevent hair breakage.

Apply the shampoo to your hair and scalp, massaging gently with your fingertips; make sure you massage for at least a minute before washing it off.

Remember to do two shampoos as the first one will break down the grime in your hair while the second one will remove all the excess.

Apply your treatment mask to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, leaving it for 3-5 minutes, then rinse with cold water; this will seal in moisture and leave your hair feeling shinier and healthier.

Comb through your hair using a wide-tooth comb while the conditioner is on to prevent any snagging or pulling leading to breakage.

If you have curly hair, apply all your products to your soaking wet hair like usual, style, and then plop, air dry, or diffuse like usual.

If you have straight hair, apply all your styling products and then towel dry or use a hairdryer. I would still recommend you use a microfiber towel as this prevents breakage and is much more gentle on your hair.

Can You Use Castor Oils On Eyelashes And Eyebrows?

Absolutely many people use castor oil on eyebrows or eyelashes to increase hair growth. Just be sure to use it with caution and not get any in your eyes.

There is no guarantee that castor oil will make your hair grow faster, but it acts as a great conditioning serum for your eyelashes and eyebrows.

Just be careful as it is known to clog pores, so be sure that you don’t apply it directly to your skin.

Risks Of Using Castor Oil On Your Hair:

Using any oil on your scalp has some potential risks, such as irritation or your skin reacting. Before you use castor oil, be sure to take a patch test to be safe.

Run it by your dermatologist, especially if you have a sensitive scalp. It is recommended that you keep the castor oil off your hairline as this can clog your pores.

The same goes for applying to your hair before bed; make sure you wrap it up in a microfiber towel, shower cap, or bonnet to prevent it from leaking onto your pillow, as this can cause breakouts.

Also, be sure to wash your hair twice after applying to be sure you rinse out all the excess oil.

hair growth guide

Summary:

Whether you have straight, curly, natural, coily, thick, or fine hair, anyone can benefit from adding castor oil to their hair care routine.

It has been proven to add moisture, help combat scalp irritation and boost the health of your hair, making it the ideal environment for hair growth to thrive.

Pairing castor oil with a good ol’ scalp massage will be sure to do the trick; the castor oil will mend the hair inside and out while the massage will stimulate the scalp, which helps induce hair growth.

Trust the process, ladies; it’s definitely worth it!

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