Beauty Lifestyle

Beauty Benefits of Jamaican Castor Oil

castor-oil-female-hair

Jamaican black castor oil is raw, unprocessed oil obtained from the castor bean. Jamaicans have been using it for decades as a hair oil, skin moisturizer, laxative, to induce labour for the birthing process and…the list is never-ending. Chances are your great-grandmother probably used it in her hair!

This multipurpose oil has recently gained popularity in online hair care forums due to resurgence in the use of natural beauty products. I got my bottle of castor oil from a vendor in Cross Roads market, who made the oil herself. Here are just a few beauty benefits of castor oil.

Long, strong, healthy hair

Many persons can testify to miraculous growth and thickening of their hair after only a few weeks of consistent application of castor oil. Just Google “castor oil hair growth” and see for yourself. I’ve personally seen accelerated hair growth and thickening of both my hair and eyelashes after using castor oil. The reason for the increased growth is no mystery at all – castor oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties that rid the scalp of all growth hindrances and make castor oil an excellent dandruff and scalp infection treatment. This versatile oil conditions the scalp leading to increased hair growth, stronger, thicker hair with improved texture. The fatty acids in castor oil also alleviate breakage and shedding of the hair by nourishing and strengthening it. A natural humectant, castor oil keeps your hair soft and shiny. Using this old Jamaican favourite as a hot oil treatment can leave your hair feeling and looking healthy and beautiful. It works equally well for both natural and chemically processed hair.

But this oil isn’t just great for the hair on your head…apply some to your eyelashes with a cotton swab for longer, thicker lashes. It can also be applied to eyebrows to make them thicker, if thinning brows is a problem.

Makeup removal

Waking up with last night’s makeup still on your face is a recipe for disaster. Makeup should always be thoroughly removed before sleep. Castor oil is great for removing foundation, eye shadow and even stubborn waterproof mascara. Simply use a castor oil-drenched cotton ball to gently wipe the makeup off. Using your fingers is also effective. Follow up with your favourite cleanser.

Acne Treatment

Castor oil’s antibacterial properties make it an effective treatment for acne. You may be wary about putting oil on your face, thinking that it would only clog your pores and cause you to break out more. But you’ll find that it has the opposite effect. Google the Oil Cleansing Method and you’ll see how castor oil can be used to cleanse your face.

Soft, Sexy Feet

Cute sandals and not-so-cute feet aren’t a good combination. Give yourself a simple home pedicure with castor oil. Apply it all over your feet and let it work its magic to deep condition away roughness. Wash it off to reveal soft, sexy, sandal-worthy feet. For an even deeper treatment, and to tackle corns and calluses, put cotton socks on after applying the oil and keep them on overnight.

Preventing Stretch Marks

Cocoa butter has nothing on castor oil in this regard! Rubbing a small amount of castor oil into the skin can help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy or periods of significant weight gain.
These are just a few of the many benefits of this versatile oil. Whether you’re relaxed or natural, locked or unlocked, score a bottle and try it yourself.