Home Hair care Castor Oil Benefits on Hair

Castor Oil Benefits on Hair

by Evenes Ruth Mafupa

Have you heard about using castor oil in your hair? Oh yes it can be used in your hair. It is known to offer a lot of benefits to hair and having used castor oil in my hair for over a year and a half, I can certainly say this is true.

For hair castor oil has been proven to moisturize the hair and scalp, help reduce damaged split ends, tame frizz, create full healthy hair by thickening the hair shaft, add shine and improve the overall health of one’s hair with regular use (more than once a week).

The use of castor oil dates back to 4000BC. A simple google search will overwhelm you with people of different ethnicities and hair textures giving their experiences with castor oil and tips on how to achieve the best results. Many hair products contain the oil but also include a host of other chemicals, which are not necessarily healthy or needed by your hair. So when you buy castor oil, make sure that you purchase it in its pure form with no added ingredients.

The reason castor oil helps in these areas is because it has germicidal, insecticidal and antifungal properties of Ricin and Ricinoleic acid which protects the scalp from microbial and fungal infections helping to maintain a healthy scalp which encourages healthy hair growth. The fatty acids in Castor oil also nourish the hair shaft and the scalp.

How I use castor oil.

  • In deep conditioner: Besides adding olive oil, I also add a teaspoon of castor oil to my regular conditioner when I deep condition my hair. I love how my hair feels after the deep condition. Full of lustre and shine and tends to retain moisture more. My scalp is also well oiled, feels clean and has less flacking.
  • As a daily moisture sealer: I put about a teaspoon full of castor oil in my palm and apply it on the ends of my hair every morning after spritzing my hair with water as a moisture sealer
  • In spritz mixture: I have also added this to my spritz mixture and the benefits castor oil is known to offer are surely pampering my hair.

When used directly on the scalp, castor oil needs a carrier oil like olive oil because it tends to irritate the skin. It is also quite thick so diluting it helps. You can also add rosemary oil to curb the smell which is rather strong and not so pleasant.

Cheers to castor oil!

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8 comments

Tsungai Shekinah Dube 20 December 2012 - 13:17

which castor oil is best for hair, please help, thanks

Ruth Mafupa 26 December 2012 - 16:04

The best castor to use is the organic 100% castor oil that is not blended with other oils. I use the Hercules castor oil and I get it for about R12 at pick’n’pay. I have had very good results with this castor oil so did a couple of friends who used it. You need to dilute it though. You can use almond oil, carrot oil or put in your hair food because it can be itchy if used undiluted. All the best.

Lelo 12 October 2016 - 20:18

OMG wish I googled this before applying castor oil on it’s own!! explains why my head is itchy! hahhaa
i will add it to my coconut hair food conditioner. Lovely hair Ruth! can’t wait till mine is at that length…I seen to be losing hair at the back :(((

Portia 3 July 2013 - 14:48

hi
Can I use castor oil with my coconut oil?

Ruth Mafupa 3 July 2013 - 18:18

yes you can. I use them combined as well on pre poo and sealing moisture

lindiwe 25 February 2016 - 18:04

Can I combine baby oil and castor oil

Cebisa 21 March 2017 - 18:45

Which one is good for hair. I would like to use I.

Ruth Mafupa 22 March 2017 - 11:16

Most people say the Black castor oil works best. Personally, any castor oil, as long is it’s not over processed will give you results.

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