Castor Oil

Castor oil has been used throughout the ages. In fact, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, castor oil was used in ancient Egypt to protect the eyes from irritation. It has also been used in facial oils and even for medicinal remedies, such as constipation. The fatty acids in castor oil can nourish the hair and can be helpful in hair growth.

The benefits of castor oil for hair

Castor oil can provide many benefits to the hair in addition to just helping your hair grow naturally. Some of the hair benefits that castor oil provides include:

  1. Conditioning – Castor oil is a natural conditioner and helps revitalize your hair by moisturizing it. When you apply this oil, it will penetrate your deep scalp which in turn will leave your hair and scalp conditioned.
  2. Dandruff – Using castor oil for hair will help get rid of dandruff. You have its antiviral and antibacterial properties to thank for that.
  3. Stop frizz.
  4. Makes hair more elastic

Hair regrowth

Due to the regenerative properties of castor oil, it can be used to help stimulate hair growth. This is accomplished through increased circulation of the scalp, which improves the flow of nutrients to your hair.

Since castor oil has a thick consistency, it can be mixed with coconut oil or olive oil in a ratio of half and half. Separate the hair into sections and apply the oil mixture to each section until all your hair is covered. Wrap the hair for between three to eight hours. Wash as usual.

This should be done three to four times a week for several weeks.

Darken the hair

Castor oil can also be used to give your hair a richer and darker shade. The humectant effect and nutrients of castor oil can help your hair retain the needed moisture by increasing its dark colour.

Use with a quantity of hazelnut oil and mix with your regular conditioner. Spread evenly throughout your hair.

Hair shine

Because of the ability of castor oil to provide your hair with a protective coating along the hair shaft, it can be used to make your hair look smoother and even reflect light. To make your hair shinier, use castor oil as a hot oil treatment or conditioner once a week.

Make sure you do not use it too often or you may experience a greasy scalp.

How to use castor oil on hair?

Using castor oil on the hair, the simplest is to carefully massage the scalp, the region where the hair follicles reside. The massage process will also increase blood circulation, making them more likely to produce hair. You can also make your own castor oil recipe with just a few ingredients and a minimum of effort.

ingredients:

Buy three ingredients and one container for your castor oil treatment. The essential oil can lessen the smell of castor oil.

3 tablespoons castor oil.

1 tablespoon jojoba oil.

3 drops of essential oil choose peppermint, rosemary, tree tea.

1 small glass bottle with cap.

Instructions:

Mix the three ingredients together.

Put the cap in the bottle and stir gently.

[Read: Essential oils for hair]

How do you use castor oil to prevent hair loss?

Here are the common step-by-step techniques for using castor oil in hair loss:

  1. use your fingers to apply high quality castor oil to your roots and scalp.
  2. Make sure you distribute the oil evenly over the scalp.
  3. Do your best to avoid the oil entering your hair as its thick consistency may be difficult to wash.
  4. after applying on your scalp, cover your hair with a plastic cap and wrap it in a towel.
  5. let the oil stay in your hair for at least 15 to 20 minutes or allow it to stay overnight.
  6. wash with shampoo after to remove castor oil.
  7. Do this once a week for 6-8 weeks to see the results.

Depending on your preferences, you can also mix the oil with other oils (grape seeds for example) to eliminate the very thick consistency and unpleasant smell of castor oil.

Some tips when using castor oil treatments on hair

  • If you want to try using castor oil for your hair, first consult your doctor before doing any personal treatments.
  • Before using a new oil, or hair products, you should test a small amount of them on your wrist to avoid the case that you may have an allergic reaction to castor oil. Although reactions are rare, some people still have irritations.
  • Castor oil is very thick so it is difficult for you to apply it. Dilute castor oil with other oil such as argan , coconut, avocado, jojoba or sweet almond is highly recommended to have an easier application.
  • It is best to warm this oil before applying it on your hair for maximum penetration.
  • Instead of heating the castor oil in the microwave, you need to put the oil jar in hot water for 2 to 4 minutes to make it easier to apply.
  • Castor oil often has a bad smell. Consider adding a few drops of a fresh-smelling essential oil like peppermint, rosemary or tree tea to mask the smell.
  • Do not misunderstand that you can use castor oils as much as possible. For many things, more is not always good. Just use a quantity needed for your hair and 1 to 2 times a week to have a safe and effective result.
  • Before using a towel to wrap your head, warm it by soaking it in very hot water and then twist the towel to get out of the excess water to have more efficiency of the castor oil.
  • This oil works better on wet than wet hair, so I put a spray of water in the bathroom to spray the hair roots before applying castor oil.
  • You must apply this treatment for at least several hours or overnight to get the maximum benefits and to remove castor oil easily, because if it is applied for a long time, most of the oil is absorbed into the hair and scalp, you can use natural shampoo or mud shampoo.
  • A special way to break down the oil and add extra nutrients to the hair is to beat an egg until smooth and massage it into the scalp, then shampoo as usual.
  • Combining this oil with the hair growth serum is also a good way to have great results (use the serum to moisten the hair before applying castor oil)