An oil that can boost collagen, repair split ends and send blackheads packing. Too good to be true?
Nope, it’s our old friend Castor Oil, a timeless beauty ally that has been quietly working its magic in Bees products for over three decades.
32 years ago our founder Jill recognised castor oil’s potential and started adding it to her handmade products, and lately this vintage oil has enjoyed a Fleetwood Mac moment (i.e. the kids are onto it) as a simple saviour for dry, irritated and worn out skin and hair. It is a beautiful natural ingredient which absolutely deserves the hype.
Whether you’ve been on the CO bandwagon since forever or are just rocking up to the show, we wanted to share five good things to know about Ricinus communis: Castor Oil.
But first, what is Castor Oil?
Castor oil is an oil pressed from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant. This rather strapping and handsome plant has big palm-shaped leaves that are reddish when young, changing to a deep forest green once mature. You can spot it growing wild in parts of Australia, especially along roadsides and gullies, but it probably originated in India or Africa.
The oil itself is rich in monounsaturated fats – those lovely healthy fats made famous by olive and macadamia oil – that protect cells, reduce inflammation and so many other magical things, and a unique type of fatty acid called ricinoleic acid.
How does it feel?
With a texture somewhere between butter and honey; goopy yet clear with a golden tint, castor oil has that good old fashioned heft to it. It’s like a duck down duvet for your face or tresses; comforting, snug and restorative.
Why does it work?
Castor oil’s very own patented superpower ricinoleic acid gets a lot of attention, but the incredible thing about whole, natural oils like castor is that they contain a complex array of compounds like phytosterols, tocopherols, carotenoids and phospholipids which all complement and amplify each other. Nature is the original beautycare chemist.
Seven Castor Oil benefits for skin & hair
- It locks in moisture.
If you live in a dry climate, do outdoorsy work or have maturing skin and hair, water loss can be a constant battle. Castor oil has that beautiful ability to both draw moisture in and down to where it’s needed to deeply hydrate and plump tissues AND create a protective barrier to lock it all in. A big reason ye old castor oil is in the spotlight (especially on TikTok) is because there are few other products that can make your skin feel so soft, so fast.
- It reduces inflammation.
Castor oil has been revered for millennia as a powerful ‘heal all’, and anyone who has dabbed a little bit on a sore or rash or boil will know this to be true. Awash with anti-inflammatory compounds, castor oil gently dampens inflammatory processes that perpetuate conditions like acne and eczema, to turn the dial towards healing.
- It is naturally antimicrobial.
Castor oil can beat e.coli and golden staph in rock/paper/scissors any day thanks to antimicrobial ricinoleic acid. Long considered a remedy for tummy bugs, castor oil’s protective nature comes into its own for scalp conditions, acne, abrasions and conditions like psoriasis, clearing up infections so healing can begin.
- It makes hair grow faster and more lustrous.
Many people swear by castor oil scalp massages for growing fields of lush, shiny follicles. It is definitely one of the most celebrated natural beauty secrets for reversing thinning hair, largely due to ricinoleic acid that stimulates circulation to the scalp and brings blood flow and nutrients to where they’re needed, promoting healthy new growth.
- It slows down signs of aging.
Sometimes you just can’t beat mother nature’s prescription, and castor oil is one of those elegantly simple ingredients that gives expensive topicals and injectables a run for their money. Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, castor oil actively combats free radical damage and protects the skin at a cellular level. If that wasn’t enough, it also wakes up collagen and elastin production, smoothing out fine lines and giving a visibly plumper, firmer appearance.
- It soothes and heals wounds.
First aid credit where it’s due. Castor oil is a traditional remedy for sunburn and minor wounds like cuts, bites and abrasions. That unique combo of being able to combat microorganisms, reduce inflammation and stimulate tissue repair all at once makes castor oil a very handy first line of defence.
- It gives brows and lashes the wow factor.
If thinning brows and lashes are giving you the sads, try applying a small amount of castor oil using a clean mascara wand before bed to see noticeable improvements over time. There’s lots of time-honoured anecdotal evidence for this remedy, and when you look at all the things castor oil is capable of, it’s really no surprise.
Try it out for yourself
We love whipping thick, healing castor into our beauty care, and have been doing this since day dot. Particularly where there’s a need for intense rejuvenation for both skin and hair, you’ll find premium castor oil nestled in the ingredients list, quietly performing miracles.
Featured in:
🍯 Our Leatherwood Honey Moisture Cream range (Light, Rich and Ultra Rich)
🍯 Our Leatherwood Honey & Herb Baby Cream
🍯 Our beloved traditional Shampoo Bars
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