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How To Use Castor Oil For Longer, Stronger, And Thicker Hair
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The Highlights:
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Regular castor oil is light yellow and semi-thick, while Jamaican black castor oil has a rich, dark colour—making it more potent.
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Jamaican black castor oil is the best oil to use for hair growth as the scalp absorbs more of the growth-happy ingredient ricinoleic acid.
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While there's no concrete evidence using castor oil for hair growth works, it's been used for millennia on the hair due to its nutrient-dense properties.
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If you want to add castor oil to your hair routine, you can use it as a deep conditioning treatment, as a scalp treatment, or use the inversion method.
If there’s one shake-up that’s changed my beauty routine in the last five years, it’s Googling "how to use castor oil," buying myself a bottle, and eventually reaping the benefits of using castor oil for my hair.
If you’ve jumped onto the castor oil hair growth bandwagon like us, you may have heard of its popular Caribbean cousin: Jamaican black castor oil.
Both are packed with omega fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, but they do provide slightly different benefits!
If you’re looking for the right castor oil for hair growth, scalp care, or dehydrated ends, we have the definitive guide to choosing between regular castor oil and Jamaican black castor oil, down to some very science-y facts.
What's the Difference Between Castor Oil and Jamaican Black Castor Oil?
Regular castor oil is light yellow, semi-thick, and relatively scentless. To make it, the raw beans are cold-pressed through an expeller at a low temperature.
Jamaican black castor oil, on the other hand, has a rich, dark colour that’s paired with a decadent roasted scent. To make this slightly thicker variation of castor oil, beans are roasted at a high temperature, ground together, and then boiled to finish—like a very thick coffee.
Jamaican black castor oil contains all the same hair loving properties as the traditional light-yellow stuff, but what makes it so special is the way it opens up the hair shaft better than regular castor oil. And that’s all because of that roasting process!
This cooking process used in Jamaican castor oil production not only gives the oil that dark, rich colour, but it deposits lots of ash in the formula.
Why is that good? Ash is super alkaline which gives it a higher pH balance. For hair, that means the cuticle is able to open up more easily compared to regular castor oil. Here, your hair’s getting a better absorption of those fatty acids that make castor oil so good in the growth department!
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Which Oil is Better for Hair Growth?
Choosing a castor oil for hair use depends why you’re using it. If you’re leaning on using castor oil for hair growth, go for Jamaican black castor oil. Since it opens up the hair’s cuticle, using this on your scalp has the best absorption of the growth-happy ingredient ricinoleic acid.
If you’re like us and marinate every inch of your hair in this stuff, there’s not a huge sell for choosing Jamaican black castor oil over regular. Some evidence provided by the International Journal of Trichology suggests that opening up the hair’s cuticle can increase friction and lead to hair fragility.
So, if combating frizz is your main goal here, opt for regular castor oil. Otherwise, just make sure you incorporate a “cuticle closing” step like a rinse of cold water post-mask.
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Our Favourite Castor Oil Hair Products
1. Briogeo Curl Charisma Organic + Cold Pressed 100% Castor Oil
Use it to tame flyaways, split ends, scrunch out the crunch of your hair's gel cast, and nourish your brows and lashes. Plus, over time it repairs your hair's damage to minimise breakage. What can't this cold-pressed castor oil from Briogeo do?
2. Sunny Isle Extra Dark Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Looking for authentic Jamaican black castor oil? Sunny Isle is the place to go. The Extra Dark version has more ash included, making it more potent in nourishing the scalp, stimulating hair growth, and repairing damaged hair.
3. Heritage Store Organic Castor Oil
Heritage Store's castor oil won't just change your hair, it'll transform your skin and mind too! It can be used to create castor oil hair treatments and castor oil packs, and be used for massages or meditation sessions.
4. Kreyol Essence Haitian Black Castor Oil
Whether you have thin wavy, curly, or coily hair, you'll love this black castor oil from Kreyol Essence. Aside from keeping your hair naturally thick and healthy, you can even add drops of it to your bath to hydrate dry, cracked skin.
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What Are the Benefits of Castor Oil for Hair Growth?
The benefits of castor oil for hair could be a novel, but for now we’ll summarise it to a love letter. Whether you choose Jamaican black castor oil or the regular cold-pressed stuff, using castor oil for hair has beloved health benefits for strands.
Keyword here is “beloved”, and not “scientifically backed”.
Despite all of our friends’ advice (as well as my own personal experience!) there are no studies that prove the use of castor oil or Jamaican black castor oil for hair growth. Which actually surprises those in the hair science field too because its chemical makeup is full of growth-stimulating ingredients.
The unique nutrient-dense chemistry of castor oil is actually unlike any seed/nut oils. Although we can’t scientifically say it will grow your hair faster, people have been raving about its benefits for centuries:
Nourishes and strengthens strands - Pure castor oil is comprised of a powerful blend of proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants that are known to nurture fragile strands.
Aids scalp flaking and dryness - Castor oil is incredibly hydrating and moisturising, gently sloughing off dead skin cells and dirt. It's why, aside from being used on your hair, it works as a great body oil.
Protects hair from breakage - Castor oil is a powerful humectant, helping lock in your hair's moisture and shine, preventing strands from becoming brittle and splitting or breaking.
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Side Effects of Castor Oil for Hair
There are some minor side effects when using castor oil for hair. If you’re using castor oil for hair growth, i.e. applying it right on your scalp, it’s important to note castor oil can clog pores if used too thickly or on sensitive skin.
Always patch test anything before applying it to your scalp, but especially if you have sensitive skin. While it’s amazingly moisturising, castor oil can be pretty heavy for some.
That said, if you’re using castor oil with a protective sleep hairstyle, wrap your hair to avoid transferring any oil onto your pillowcase (this could lead to breakouts too!).
How Can Castor Oil Be Used for Hair Growth?
Before asking how any product can grow your hair faster, we need to nail down how hair grows.
Simply put, your hair is made up of protein cells. And in order to grow, the hair follicle requires blood flow to create new cells, aka new growth. The blood vessels in your scalp already feed your follicles and provide ample blood naturally, but you can speed this up by stimulating the scalp! That’s why head massages, inversion methods, and scalp treatments are all amazing for hair growth.
What makes using castor oil for hair growth so great is its main ingredient, ricinoleic acid. This rare fatty acid works by activating certain receptors in your body. If you ingest or apply castor oil to these receptors, it dilates blood vessels like crazy.
Now consider that both Jamaican black castor oil and its cold-pressed counterpart have upwards of a 90% ricinoleic acid composition. Used topically, both provide increased nutrients and blood flow to your follicles, leading faster growth!
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3 Ways to Use Castor Oil for Hair Growth
With its growth in popularity over the years, castor oil can be easily found in shampoos, conditioners, oil blends, and mixed with other butters. If you’re using just the oil, there’s no real right or wrong way to use castor oil for hair.
Depending on your hair type, and your purpose for oiling up, you can use castor oil on your scalp, your ends, or all over. An overnight application is always best in our opinion because it gives lots of time for this thick seed oil to penetrate the hair.
For a few ways to apply castor oil to your hair, try these:
The Inversion Method: Warm up a moderate amount of Jamaican black castor oil between palms (different hair densities will need more or less oil). Using the inversion method, work the oil into your scalp using a continuous circular motion. Wrap hair in a towel and leave in overnight or for a few hours. Wash out in the morning.
As a Deep Conditioner: Coat your hair with castor oil starting about an inch down from the scalp. Protect your pillow with a towel and wash out in the morning. You can also leave your hair in braids with castor oil for a few days for an extra deep condition.
As a Soothing, Scalp Treatment: Combine castor oil with a few drops of other antibacterial oils like tea tree or peppermint. Warm up the mixture between palms and gently massage into your scalp. You can wrap hair in a towel and leave on overnight or just for a few hours. Wash out when you’re done!
You can also use castor oil for a nourishing daytime styling boost too! Slick back a tight pony with castor oil or if you’ve ever wanted to try the wet look, spray hair with water and use castor oil throughout ends. A huge win for oily hairstyles!
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How Long Does Castor Oil Take to Work?
Hair growth is takes time. We suggest regularly using castor oil for hair growth right at the root 1-2 times a week for at least a month. Consistency is key for continuous hair growth, but any attention to blood flow is an amazing boost for hair!
If you want to fast track your castor oil hair growth journey, use the inversion technique while massaging at the root or add other dilating essential oils to your castor oil like these combos.
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