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Both of these oils offer several benefits, like damage protection, breakage reduction, nourishment, preventing split ends, moisture retention, etc. Both olive and castor oils penetrate hair strands to moisturize, protect, and nourish them from within. While olive oil may prevent hair loss due to heat and photo damage, castor oil contains ricinoleic acid that may stimulate hair regrowth in those with androgenic alopecia (29). It is widely used to manage hair fall, combat hair damage, and improve hair health. Anecdotally evidence claims that it is one of the best natural remedies to improve hair growth, combat dandruff, moisturize hair, and manage infections of the scalp.
Castor Oil And Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth
Castor oil was also linked to a case of acute hair matting, a rare disorder of the scalp and hair. The sudden, severe matting of a woman's hair was documented in a case report in the International Journal of Trichology in 2017. It's worth noting, though, that this is the only known case linked to castor oil to date. Plus, the woman in the case report used a combination of castor oil, coconut oil, and water, not castor oil alone. When it comes to maintaining healthy-looking hair and caring for your scalp, there are so many products and DIY treatments to choose from. It can be difficult to decipher which are viral but baseless trends versus those that can truly deliver stellar hydrating, soothing, and strengthening results for your strands.
What Type of Castor Oil for Hair?
And, as with all ingredients and products, there’s always a chance for irritation and allergic reactions, so patch-test your castor oil on your neck before slathering it over your scalp, especially if you have sensitive skin. Castor oil isn’t a common irritant, but hey—better safe than itchy. When shopping for castor oil, you might see some products that say "cold-pressed" on their labels.
Can You Mix Castor Oil and Olive Oil Together to Promote Hair Growth?
These types of fatty acids work as humectants, which moisturize the skin and hair by drawing in moisture from the air. They can also help your skin retain moisture by creating a barrier over the outer layer of the skin. While more research is needed to fully establish castor oil's hair growth benefits, Garshick acknowledges that anecdotally, people have noticed improvement when using it. This is likely because it benefits the scalp and hair in ways that may help as you grow your hair. Dr. Garshick points out that although castor oil can be used by all hair types, it is especially good for those with dry hair.
Hot Castor Oil Hair Treatment
“Overuse and improper hair washing of castor oil may also lead to build up, which may also contribute to irritation and breakouts,” she says. If you have fine-to-medium hair that’s prone to greasiness, smooth castor oil through your mid-lengths to ends and let it sit for 10 minutes before shampooing. But if your hair is a medium-to-thick texture, you can massage castor oil into your roots and smooth it through your ends, leaving it on for up to an hour (or overnight) before rinsing. Hill also suggests sitting under a bonnet hair-dryer to help the oil better penetrate your hair. The biggest risk of using castor oil on your hair is potential scalp acne and build-up, since it’s so rich and occlusive.
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The best castor oil hair products to try
Depending on your hair type and the product's directions, you can leave it on for anywhere from 20 minutes to overnight. Both Dr. Amin and Kingsley agree that there are no quality scientific studies clearly showing a benefit of castor oil for hair growth. "The thinking is that castor oil increases blood flow to the scalp and reduces inflammation, both of which are beneficial for hair growth," Dr. Amin explains. Both castor oil and olive oil are beneficial for hair and scalp in their own ways.
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This may not be a large jar, but rest assured that it will last you for months to come. Both Ruggeri and Dr. Clay agree that it’s a good idea to wash the oil out—not doing this can make your strands feel excessively greasy and heavy, and it can also make styling your hair more challenging. “Finish off with a clarifying shampoo and nourishing conditioner,” Ruggeri says. With 566 million views dedicated to #castoroil on TikTok and over 258,000 posts on Instagram, users claim the oil does everything from making hair shinier and bouncier to growing it thicker and longer. We ask three experts about the benefits of castor oil and exactly how to use it. Just remember that the skin around your eyes is thin and prone to clogging, so “using castor oil around your eyes can exacerbate milia, blackheads, and acne,” says Dr. Talakoub.

Let’s delve into these nature’s wonder ingredients individually and learn how they benefit hair when used alone and in combination. StyleCraze believes in credibility and giving our readers access to authentic and evidence-based content. Our stringent editorial guidelines allow us to only cite from reputed research institutions, academic journals, and medically established studies. If you discover any discrepancy in our content, you may contact us. StyleCraze provides content of general nature that is designed for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
“However, anecdotally, people have noticed improvement," she says. “Castor oil has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to improve circulation and stimulate hair follicles. Improving circulation allows oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the hair follicles to maintain scalp and hair health,” she explains. 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. Explains that if you looked at the molecular structure of castor oil, you'd see that it's a glycerol with a long-chain fatty acid.
The market is chock full of hair products containing castor oil, and the lack of research available makes it difficult to pinpoint the best castor oil for hair growth. To create a natural heat protector, “apply a castor oil mixture on semi-dry ends, then heat style as normal to protect against high heat appliances and prevent frizzy results and split ends,” Yates adds. There are various options when it comes to using castor oil for your hair and scalp, including choosing products that contain castor oil and incorporating them into your hair-care routine. Here's how you can take advantage of the powerful attributes of castor oil in your homemade hair care products to fight frizz, condition your strands, moisturize your scalp, and protect your hair.
And hey, if after three months you still aren’t seeing a significant change, at the very least you’ll have hydrated, shiny-as-hell hair. One of the most popular castor oil products for hair care is Jamaican black castor oil. This variety is made with roasted castor beans and the ash the roasting process produces. Jamaican black castor oil is considered especially good for thick, dry, and/or coarse hair. There is no scientific evidence showing that castor oil can promote hair growth. There's no science to back up claims that castor oil is good for hair.
It’s marketed as a treatment for dry scalp and other scalp conditions as well. You can try coating your hair a couple of times a week to test any potential hair growth benefits for yourself. But don't rely on castor oil alone to promote and maintain hair health.