THE SURPRISING OIL THAT WILL BE YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND

It’s castor oil. We know you’re probably thinking, isn’t that the stuff with the old-school rep for tasting so horrible? Well, yeah, except now we’ve learned that castor oil may also be the natural beauty remedy you’ve been looking for, whether you ingest it or apply it topically. As with a lot of natural ingredients, there are no hardcore scientific studies proving the benefits of castor oil, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that this simple, natural vegetable oil is such an effective fixer you could call it your very own superaffordable get-gorgeous secret. Even though castor oil has many different uses throughout the body, we are here to give you the lowdown on how it can best benefit your hair.

*It is best to test a small patch of castor oil on your skin first to see if you are easily irritated or allergic to the oil before you use it anywhere else on the body.

How it may help with hair growth...  

There are primary reasons this magic oil could make your hair stronger and less frizzy.

• It contains Omega 6 and 9 fatty acids and Vitamin E.
• It has something called a considerably high ricinoleic acid ratio. [Translated, that means that since ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid, has the ability to increase the circulation on the scalp, a higher ratio of it can help improve hair growth. It’s antibacterial and antifungal, which can help fight dandruff, scalp infections and folliculitis.
• It’s linked to balancing the pH levels of the scalp, replacing some natural oils lost during daily haircare routines, including the practice of “no-poo-ing,” or going shampoo-free, by overusing baking soda.
• And because castor oil has anti-oxidant properties, it gives the natural keratin in your hair an extra boost of strength.

Yes, maybe even your eyelashes...

If you want to have a more natural looking solution to getting longer lashes than extensions or false lashes, castor oil may just be the way to go. It offers your eyelashes the same benefits as it does your scalp and hair.

Start by buying some packs of small spoolies (like you would find in your mascara) at your local drugstore. These are perfect for dipping into the oil and carefully applying to your eyelashes. Because the oil is going so close to your eyes, be sure to get an organic or pure castor oil and make sure you apply a small amount from mid-lash out to tips.

Just like on your hair, it is best to apply the oil to your lashes right before bed for maximum benefits. This allows for more time to make sure the oil properly saturates the lashes. If you are planning on sleeping with castor oil on your lashes, try to not put on an excess amount. This should help avoid accidentally getting any on your pillowcase.

Make sure to not rub your eyes right after you apply; you don’t want to get the oil in your eyes. While not everyone who tries growing their lashes with castor oil reports that it works, those who say it does say you should start to see results in two to three weeks if you apply regularly every day or every other day.

And don’t forget those eyebrows!

If you having thinning brows or just wish to correct the dangerous mistake of overplucking, just use the same type of eyelash spoolie (but keep your brow and lash spoolies separate to avoid possible infections) to apply castor oil to your brows. Check out how to do it here: