Argan oil. Coconut oil. Olive oil. Kukui Oil.
As I was browsing the hair care section in Superdrug (my fave London drugstore shop), I noticed something funny. The shelves were full of all the types of oil you can image. All but castor oil.
I guess it just isn’t as popular as its cooler oily relatives. Shame, because castor oil can do some pretty amazing things for your hair.
What’s Castor Oil?
Castor oil is an oil derived from the castor bean. It’s been used in hair care for centuries (rumour has it Cleopatra was a huge fan) because it’s so moisturizing and soothing both for the hair and scalp.
What makes it different from any other oil is ricinoleic acid, a rare fatty acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. But this oil is also loaded with vitamin E, antioxidants and proteins that are very nourishing for hair.
The best types of castor oil (yes, there are more than one!) for hair are:
- Cold pressed castor oil: a clear, yellow liquid with a mild herbal scent.
- Jamaican black castor oil: it’s made by roasting the beans and pressing the seeds, so it’s darker and thicker than cold pressed castor oil.
What Does Castor Oil Do For Hair?
Plenty of things:
1. It’s a wonderful conditioner
Castor oil is an emollient. It works by creating a protective film on your locks that:
- Deeply moisturizes hair (even bleached hair!) and makes it softer
- Adds plenty of shine
- Makes combing through your tresses easier
- Protects it from the heat of styling tools
2. It Strengthens Hair
I don’t know about you, but every time I comb my hair, I notice quite a few strands fall off. Not so much with castor oil. It strengthens hair, making it a lot less prone to breakage. Phew!
3. It Repairs Split Ends
Ugh. Split ends. No matter how careful you are, they always show up. To make them disappear, use one or two drops of castor oil. It seals the ends together again in no time.
4. It’s Very Soothing
Castor oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties that can treat scalp infections and dandruff. It may even help bust acne along your hairline.
What Can’t Castor Oil Do?
You’ve probably heard that castor oil can help hair grow faster. Some even go as far as to claim that it can make hair grow back.
I’d love to confirm the rumours, but they’re simply not true. I scoured all the scientific journals I know to find even the tiniest proof castor oil can help, but to no avail.
So, where does this myth come from? Well, castor is quite thick and sticks to the hair well. That’s why your hair LOOKS so thick when you use it. But, it’s just a trick. It’s so easy to deceive the naked eye, isn’t it?
How To Do A Pre-Shampoo Treatment With Castor Oil
There are many ways to use castor oil, but my fave is as a pre-shampoo treatment.
Why Pre-Shampoo?
Here’s the deal. Shampoos often remove way too much sebum, your hair’s natural moisturizer. That’s why you need to apply conditioner afterwards to make your tresses soft again. By adding some extra oil before you shampoo, your hair will be left with enough of it to keep it naturally soft and moisturized.
Plus, the extra oil reduces hydral fatigue. Basically, your hair swells up when it soaks up water and contracts again when it dries. All this exercise makes it weak and prone to breakage. Castor oil coats hair with a water-repelling firm, so it won’t have to deal with this.
What You Need
Castor oil, obvs. It’s quite a thick oil, so less is way more here. If you get too excited and use too much, you won’t get the uber soft, super shiny mane you crave. You’ll be left with a greasy mess where your hair used to be.
If you can’t put up with the heaviness, you can always mix castor oil with other oils. I recommend coconut because it can penetrate deep into the hair. You can add a few drops of your fave essential oil, too, to make your tresses smell amazing.
Instructions
Apply a few drops of castor oil, or the mixture you created with it, all over your hair 4 to 8 hours before washing your hair to give it time to penetrate. I usually do a pre-shampoo treatment before going to bed and then wash my hair first thing in the morning.
That’s it! It’s such a simple trick but it does wonders for your hair.
This is a guest post by Giorgia Guazzarotti, a freelance beauty writer and blogger obsessed with skincare. She loves dissecting ingredient labels, debunking beauty myths, and delving into the science behind skincare products to discover what really works and what doesn’t. She also adores shoes and is addicted to chocolate.
I have 4c Hair-_I put the oil on my hair (first) at least 4 hours–THEN SHAMPOO MY HAIR– I don’t shampoo first–
No you dont pre shampoo-You just put the oil all over your hair/THAN AFTER 4 hours/ YOU WASH YOUR HAIR WITH SHAMPOO-
I’m a little confused. – preshampoo- then oil left for upto eight hour and THEN shampoo gain?
Glad to have stumbledld upon your blog onr oil. Like you I went to my local super drug store countless times. I was told by staff they didn’t stock it. But guess what?! Just yesterday I went back into my Luton Super Drug after seeing it on the Super Drug website. So I went in and was told same thing until a member of staff passing by overhead and asked if it was used for hair. I said yes and she said I should check by the haihr products. Still ,she doubted they stocked it. And lo and behold they do stock the 100ml bottles for £2.99. The castor oil is mixed with other good stuff like shea butter. So, check the hair products aisle.
Loved the article! But I would like to respectfully disagree with “If you get too excited and use too much, you won’t get the uber soft, super shiny mane you crave. You’ll be left with a greasy mess where your hair used to be.” From my experience that isn’t true. I use organic cold pressed Castor oil and put it directly on to my scalp and hair all the way down to my roots. I get a cotton ball and put some oil on it and dab it all over my scalp. I wash my hair every other day (give or take) and will sleep with the oil in my hair. In the morning I rinse it out and my hair is so soft, bouncy, shiny, and feels strong. This saved my bleached hair!
thank you for this i will try this out!! especially since i have bleached hair lol
I disagree castor oil does not grow back hair. I grew back a bald spot on my head from a wound and my overtweezed brows from my 20’s and 30’s. I am now 74! Original hair follicles began to grow hairs again! Dip a spoolie into the castor oil and brush up into your brows. I especially see many new hairs in the front on my brows but they are also fuller. I promise!
I’m coming to this discussion a little late (that’s an understatement) but I can attest to the pre-shampoo treatment. My hair is very dry due to coloring and this literally changed the texture of my hair by letting it sit in my hair a few minutes before I shampoo. In my experience, I only had to let it sit in my hair 10-15 minutes before shampooing to see a remarkable difference. Works better than anything on the market and trust me, I have bought EVERYTHING.
I have post-menopausaldry, curly hair. Before menopause, my hair was straight and super shiny. Will castor oil return the shine?
Hi, I don’t think it will make your hair the same as before, as curly hair never looks as shiny as straight hair, but it can definitely help with the condition of your hair x
If I only wash my hair once a week, should I still do this? I feel like I am already greasy by then. But with really dry hair, I hate washing it – this might be helpful.
Wow it’s a nice post…i’ll definitely try this all.
Thanks alot for sharing this post
Wow I love this post! I didn’t think to ever do a pre shampoo treatment and I’m definitely going to try this method out! 🙂 Sometimes my scalp does feel to dry after shampoo but that’s when I slather on conditioners maybe this will help!