Hair Wellness
Scalp Care: A Slow Hair Ritual
Healthy hair begins at the scalp: a soothing oiling-and-massage ritual, with patience as the whole point.
Skin Rituals · Hair Wellness
Castor Oil
Ricinus communis
A thick, glossy oil from castor beans, used for hair, skin, and traditional packs.
Also known as arandi oil, ricinus oil.
Texture: thick, glossy, coatingScent: faint, mild, slightly waxy
Origin
India (dominant producer), plus Brazil and East Africa (Ricinus communis).
Castor oil is pressed from the seeds ('beans') of Ricinus communis. It is unusually thick and glossy, rich in ricinoleic acid, and very occlusive: a little goes a long way.
Quality cues: cold-pressed (not solvent/hexane-extracted), hexane-free, and packaged in dark glass to limit oxidation. Note that Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) is a separate category: roasted and ash-filtered, more alkaline, and chosen by some for hair; it is not the same as classic cold-pressed castor oil.
It is mainly a skin- and hair-wellness oil. Taken internally it is a strong stimulant laxative, which is a medicinal use outside the scope of routine wellness.
Skin & Allergen Notes
Comedogenic 1/5
Traditional Uses
Castor oil (from Ricinus communis) has ancient roots: used in lamps and ointments in Egypt and the Mediterranean. (Note: it is distinct from the biblical 'kikayon'/gourd plant, though sometimes conflated.)
Modern Uses
Castor oil is used today on lashes, brows, scalp and hair, as a heavy skin emollient, and in traditional warm 'castor oil packs' on the abdomen.
Our Approved Castor Oil
Heritage Store
Most versatile
A cold-pressed, hexane-free, USDA-organic castor oil in a dark glass bottle: exactly the quality and packaging cues that matter for an oxidation-prone oil. Affordable and…
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Blessing Approved earns from qualifying purchases. How we earn.
From the Journal
Take a Moment with Castor Oil
A Moment
A Scalp Care Moment
Find a slow few minutes, perhaps the evening before a wash day. Warm a little castor oil between your palms, part your hair, and massage your scalp in small, unhurried circles: patience, not pressure. Let your shoulders soften as you go. Leave it to sit a while, or rinse when you are ready; the moment itself was the point.