Your Complete Guide to Using Castor Oil for Hair

What is castor oil?

Castor oil is a fatty acid that's derived from castor beans (aka the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant). The natural ingredient has been used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes for thousands of years, dating all the way back to ancient Egypt. 

Today, there are two different types of castor oil you're likely to find: cold-pressed castor oil and Jamaican black castor oil. Both are made from castor beans, but the difference lies in how they're processed. 

Yellow cold-pressed castor oil is simply made from fresh, raw castor beans. Jamaican black castor oil, on the other hand, is made by first roasting the beans and then pressing them. The dark color of Jamaican black castor oil comes from the ash of the roasted castor beans. This type is thought to have a higher pH balance and more clarifying properties for the hair. 

Benefits of castor oil for hair

Looking for a few reasons to love castor oil? We've got 'em. 

1. It protects against breakage. 

Dry, dehydrated hair is often synonymous with hair that's brittle and prone to breakage. The fats in castor oil essentially act as humectants, pulling moisture from the air into your hair, making it significantly more moisturized and noticeably softer.

2. It can strengthen the hair.

Castor oil contains a high amount of nourishing fatty acids which strengthens hair follicles, increases hair's flexibility, and boosts its shine factor. It's also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant and humectant that helps to keep your strands from drying out.

3. It can soothe an irritated scalp. 

If you're suffering from a dry, itchy scalp, castor oil may be your knight in shining armor. That's because it contains ricinoleic acid, an ingredient with strong anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.

After castor oil soothes the scalp immediately, it can also keep it protected. “Since it’s quickly absorbed, it helps to reinforce the skin barrier, making it stronger and less vulnerable,” says dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. “This makes the skin of your scalp pliable and less prone to crack.”

Can castor oil help with hair growth?

We'll give it to you straight: Will applying castor oil to the hair make you magically wake up with Rapunzel-length locks? No. Will it set your hair up to be as strong and healthy as possible? Totally. 

“Castor oil is able to deeply penetrate into the skin, which not only improves the moisture of the scalp, but nourishes hair follicles, ultimately limiting breakage,” says Dr. Engelman. Less breakage means visibly thicker hair from roots to tips. And when the ends of your hair look thicker, it creates the illusion of length (that’s why blunt haircuts are known to make hair seem longer than more layered, tapered cuts).

Plus, Dr. Engelman adds, the ricinoleic acid in castor oil helps detoxify the scalp and prevent microbe growth. So essentially, what castor oil can do is help to create a super healthy scalp and stronger, better-protected hair strands—both of which can do wonders to help your hair grow longer and faster than you may be used to. 

P.S. These benefits also apply to your brows and lashes. To learn more about using castor oil for eyebrows check out our guide, or explore some of our favorite eyelash serums to find out which products feature this oil as a hero ingredient.  

How to use castor oil on hair

There are many ways to reap the benefits of using castor oil in your hair. Here are a few of our fave techniques: 

1. Use it as a pre-shampoo treatment.

“If your main issue is dry hair, then I would focus on applying the oil to the ends of the hair the night before you wash it,” says celebrity hair stylist George Papanikolas. While you sleep, the oil will hydrate and nourish your hair. To avoid getting oil on your pillowcase, try covering your hair with a shower cap. 

“Most people naturally produce enough oil to hydrate the roots and midshaft, so to avoid having overly greasy hair you should focus more on the mids/ends where the hydration is needed the most,” he says. Once you wake up, shampoo and condition in the shower with your go-to hair products and style as you normally would.

2. Supercharge your favorite hair mask. 

If you're not ready to ditch your favorite hair mask for castor oil, there's no need! Instead, Papanikolas recommends adding a few drops to your favorite conditioning hair mask to give it additional benefits. This can be particularly helpful when your hair feels particularly parched. 

3.  Use it as a hot oil treatment.

If you have extremely dry, frizzy hair Papanikolas notes that you can also warm the castor oil to create a DIY hot oil treatment. Warming the oil will help to seal the cuticle, adding moisture to the hair follicle and repairing split ends. 

5 best hair products with castor oil

1. Best Pure Castor Oil: BRIOGEO B. Well Organic + Cold-Pressed 100% Castor Oil

Want to keep it simple? Stick it using a high quality cold-pressed castor oil. This is a great pick if you're curious about incorporating it into your hair routine as well as on your brows, eyelashes, and skin. The sky's the limit with this wellness staple. 

2. Best Styling Product: SHEAMOISTURE Jamaican Black Castor Oil Style & Smooth Treatment Gel

Say goodbye to frizz and flyaways when you use this edge gel. Made with natural hair in mind, this formula is designed to make styling both simple and beneficial for those baby hairs. With a blend of both castor oil and shea butter, it keeps everything locked in place while promoting those little hairs to grow as long as possible. 

3. Best Scalp Treatment: EDEN BODYWORKS Papaya Castor Scalp Massaging Serum

If you're primarily interested in castor oil's benefits for the scalp, try this scalp serum. The leave-in formula blends castor oil with ingredients like papaya fruit extract, mango seed butter, and aloe vera to quickly calm a stressed, dry, irritated scalp. As it hydrates and soothes, it also promotes a healthy environment for hair to grow.

After receiving this in their Glam Bag, one Ipster wrote, "This is awesome, it feels so nice after using a scalp scrub." Another says, "Smells sooooo good and leaves my hair feeling wonderful!"

4. Best Hair Mask: GROW GORGEOUS Grow Gorgeous Repair Strengthening Hair & Scalp Mask

Looking for a castor oil-infused weekly treatment that will help to cure your damaged hair? Enter: this nourishing mask powered by our hero oil, niacinamide, essential minerals, and plant extracts. Apply it weekly from roots to ends to encourage a healthy scalp, stronger hair cuticles, and shinier, healthier hair. 

This mask won over Ipster accentvitality. They write, "Usually not a fan of masks, because my hair is weighed down easily, but this one gave me body and shine, with a fresh scent."

5. Best Curl Cream: QHEMET BIOLOGICS Amla & Olive Heavy Cream

This all-in-one heavy hair cream is perfect for curly hair types (type 4 curls, specifically). A nourishing blend of castor oil, olive oil, Ayurvedic herbs, and natural humectants keep hair soft, supple, and protected against breakage. This multitasker can even double as a scalp butter, post-shampoo conditioner, overnight hair treatment, or hydrating body butter. 

"Definitely heavy but was surprised how it defined my curls and hardly any frizz or fly aways," one Ipster writes. "Worked great for my curls."

Want to discover all the latest and greatest in hair care? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

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