How to Use Castor Oil for Hair - Castor and Almond Oil combination

Posted by Karanvir Singh on May 17th, 2021

Castor oil is an age-old beauty treatment that has been largely replaced over time by fancier beauty products with more ingredients and a bigger price tag. Castor oil has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties and is high in vitamin E, minerals, proteins, and omega-6 and -9 beneficial fatty acids. Its unusually high ricinoleic acid ratio makes it beneficial to skin and hair.

What Does Castor Oil Do for the Hair?

Castor oil can be used on the scalp to help prevent and remedy hair loss and it is effective at this for several reasons. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties make it beneficial against follliculitus, dandruff, and scalp infections and its ricinoleic acid content helps increase circulation to the scalp and improves hair growth.

Ricinoleic acid is also said to help balance scalp pH which can also help replenish the scalp’s natural oils and undo some of the damage of harsh chemical hair products (and even damage from no-poo, due to over alkalinity). The antioxidants in castor oil also support the keratin in hair and help make hair stronger, smoother, and less frizzy.

How to Use Castor Oil Treatments on Hair

Castor oil can be very beneficial for hair growth if used correctly. Small amounts of plain oil can be used for an all-over treatment. Like many things in life, more is not always better, and only a few drops are needed per treatment. The additional oils are completely optional.

How Often

Use this castor oil 1-2 times per week. It can be used more often, though there may not be any increased results with using it daily.

When to Use

This treatment works better on damp but not wet hair. Keep a spray bottle of water in the bathroom and just spritz roots before applying.

For maximum benefit, leave the treatment on for several hours or overnight. After applying, use a shower cap or towel to avoid getting the oil on furniture or a pillow.

How to Remove the Oil

Removing the castor oil can be difficult, especially with natural shampoos. Using a small amount and leaving it on overnight will result in most of the oil absorbing into the hair and scalp and make cleanup easier. In fact, use dry shampoo and not wash on a few occasions. While doing shampoo, use a natural shampoo or mud shampoo as normal.

An alternate way is to crack an egg and whisk until smooth and then massage the egg into the scalp. This helps break down the oil and adds additional nutrients to the hair. It is messy though, so we’d recommend doing this in the shower.

Another less-messy way is to condition your hair before getting in the shower, massaging the conditioner into the scalp to help remove the castor oil. Then, shampoo as usual.

Castor Oil Hair Serum Recipe

A mix of castor oil and almond oil will make a hair serum to help your hair grow faster, stronger, and smoother.

Ingredients

• 3 TBSP Rey naturals castor oil

• 1 TBSP almond oil (or argan oil)

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients in a dark-colored dropper bottle.

2. Shake to mix.

3. Use the dropper to apply to the scalp. Part hair right above the ear on one side, add a few drops of castor oil, part again about ½ inch from that part, and add more castor oil, and so on until you’ve coated your whole scalp.

4. Then, massage for 5 minutes to make sure the entire scalp  is coated to help increase circulation.