12 Amazing Uses Of Castor Oil You Didn't Know About

Castor oil has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties and has been used for centuries because of it’s medicinal and therapeutic benefits .

Castor oil is extracted from the seeds of ricinus communis plants. The appearance is is a pale yellow liquid similar to that of olive or vegetable oil. Most of the benefits received from Castor oil come from it’s high concentrated levels of unsaturated fatty acids.

Vitamin E, proteins, minerals and nutrients are packed inside castor which is good for your skin, hair and nails. Castor oil is mostly used in soaps, medicines, cosmetics and textiles, massage oils and a variety of different products we happen to use daily. It does not have a very pleasing taste and that’s why it’s not often found in food products.

Just like other oils the best kind of castor oil to get is pure, cold pressed, unrefined.

1. Moisturizes Dry Skin

Use castor oil to hydrate dry skin. Since castor oil is highly viscous, it stays put and penetrates deep into the skin, nourishing it with fatty acids. The high concentration of fatty acids also promotes healthy and shiny skin and it helps with condition like dermatitis, which is one of the main causes of severely rough, dry skin.
Many expensive cosmetic products contain castor oil but you’ll reap its benefits if you apply the oil directly onto the skin.

Rub a teaspoon of castor oil between your palms and rub it into the skin. That way you’ll apply a thin and even layer. It may be sticky at first, but once you apply it on the skin it gets absorbed rather quickly, leaving no oily feeling just perfectly hydrated skin.

2. Acts as Safe, Natural Laxative

Castor oil is completely safe, natural laxative. It’s even suitable for children. The normal dosage is 1 to 2 tablespoons for adults and 1 to 2 teaspoons for children from 2 to 12 years old. For children younger than 2, just a teaspoon will suffice. Add it to a glass of orange juice to mask the strong taste. While other laxatives act in the colon, castor oil acts in the small intestine. A complete clean out of the bowels should happen between 2 to 5 hours after consumption.

3. Boosts Hair Growth

Castor oil is very beneficial for your hair too. It improves its condition and thickens the hair strands providing you with beautiful, shiny and lustrous hair. And who doesn’t want that?

The ricinoleic acid found in castor oil balances the scalp’s pH level, reducing the risk of dandruff, split ends and hair breakage.

All you need to do is to apply some warm castor oil on the roots, scalp and hair. Massage it for 3-5 minutes and go to sleep. Wash your hair in the morning. Do this twice a week.

Note: The people with oily hair should mix castor oil with coconut oil or sweet almond oil in equal proportions and apply as described above.

4. Reduces Wrinkles

Castor oil promotes the production of collagen and elastin and therefore is good in delaying signs of aging and helps your skin look younger.

The oil will penetrate deeply into the skin layers, without clogging the pores. It will also reduce the appearance of blemishes and scars on your skin.

Gently, in circular motion, apply a few drops of castor oil every night before going to bed. Do this for at least 4 to 6 months and you’ll be amazed from the results.

5. Prevents Stretch Marks

Those stretch marks during pregnancy can be a real pain in the neck. Don’t worry you can stay away from them using just castor oil. The oil will help your skin retain moisture and maintain elasticity. Moreover, the fatty acids will maximize the ability of the skin to regenerate tissues and improve its strength and texture.

Mix 1 tablespoon of castor oil and 2 tablespoons of sweet almond oil. Massage the problematic areas every day, to prevent ugly marks from developing.

For fade stretch marks, massage pure castor oil on the problematic area for 10 minutes and then cover the area with plastic wrap and leave it to react for 30 minutes. Do this every day.

6. Thickens Eyelashes and Eyebrows

As we mentioned earlier, castor oil promotes hair growth. But that’s not all. Rich in proteins, vitamins and fatty acids, castor oil nourishes and thickens eyelashes and eyebrows.

Apply some castor oil on your eyebrows each night before going to bed. Do this trick until your eyebrows reach the desired thickness.

Close your eyes and apply some castor oil on your eyelashes before going to bed. Do this for at least a couple of weeks to get naturally longer and thicker eyelashes.

7. Relieves Sore Muscles

Castor oil promotes the circulation of fluids in the body and because of that is excellent for relieving the soreness in the muscles. If you’ve overworked for the day and you have pain in the calves and thigh muscles, massage some castor oil on the area and get rid of the pain.

8. Softens Calluses

Since castor oil has anti-inflammatory effects, it’s good for treating dry, rough skin since it restores the moisture and adds softness. Castor oil is also effective for treating corns and dry, cracked heels.

• Soak your feet in warm water for about 10 minutes.
• Scrub the area to remove thick and dry skin.
• Rinse of your feet and wipe them out.
• Then soak a cotton ball in some castor oil and apply it over the callus or corn.
• Secure the cotton ball with a small piece of tape and leave it to react for a few hours.
• Do this every day until the callus or corn disappears.

9. Treats Cracked Nails and Prevents Fungal Infection

Castor oil is rich in vitamins which strengthen the nails and help them grow faster. Furthermore, the antifungal properties reduce the risk of fungal infection.

Every night before going to bed, massage some pure castor oil on each nail. Combine equal proportions of castor oil and olive oil and use the mixture as a night cream for both your nails and hands.

10. Repairs Split Hair Ends

Use castor oil as hair conditioner to repair split ends and moisturize your hair.

Massage the ends of your hair with a few drops of warm castor oil. Leave the oil to react for 30 minutes then wash your hair as usual. Do this a couple of times a week.

11. Sooths Sunburn

The anti-inflammatory properties of castor oil are beneficial in treating sunburns. The ricinoleic acid will protect any sun-induced blisters and the omega-3 fatty acids will hydrate the skin and stimulate growth of healthy tissue.

Combine equal proportions of castor oil and coconut oil. Gently, massage the mixture on the burned area, until it penetrates into the skin.

12. Heals Chapped Lips

We already said a lot about the moisturizing properties of castor oil, so whenever you’ve got dark and chapped lips castor oil will save the day.

Combine 1 teaspoon of castor oil, glycerin and a few drops of fresh lemon juice. Apply this mixture on your lips before going to sleep. In the morning wash your lips with some warm water. Do this every day until your lips are healed.

Combine equal parts of castor oil and almond oil. Apply some of this mixture a few times a day until your lips are soft and pink again.

Can Castor Oil Induce Labor?

Castor oil should not be consumed by expectant mothers because it can cause premature labor. When the laxative effect of castor oil works on the bowels, it provokes strong pelvic muscle contractions to help elimination. It probably triggers uterine contractions too.

So, before consuming castor oil pregnant women should consult their doctor.

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