Dianne is the co-founder of Natural Haircare News and Coils To Locs.com. She's been blogging about natural hair ever since she made the decision to break free of the creamy crack in 2012.
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Castor oil is rich in proteins, minerals and vitamin E. It also has anti-fungicidal and antibacterial properties. The healing ability of castor oil is attributed to its chemical composition – it has a triglyceride of fatty acids and a ricinoleic acid of up to 90%.
There are two kinds of castor oil popular in the market: the clear castor oil and the black castor oil which is also called Jamaican black castor oil. Many people assume that black castor oil is less processed and therefore more natural. However, that is not the case.
Castor oil that has undergone the least processing is pale yellow in color. This castor oil was cold-pressed so no heat was involved in the process of extracting the oil from the beans, preserving the quality of the oil.
To make clear castor oil, the yellow pigment is filtered out. Filtering natural castor oil lowers its iodine content.
Black castor oil is created by adding the ash from roasted castor beans in the oil. Whether or not adding ash to castor oil is beneficial is not scientifically known. However, some manufacturers do claim that castor bean ash adds to the potency of castor oil in improving hair and skin health.
No matter what kind or color of castor oil you purchase, your hair and skin will surely enjoy a number of benefits.
According to blackhair101.com, the following are the benefits of castor oil to hair and skin:
- Castor oil has a small molecular size, this means that it penetrates easily, deeply and quickly into the skin. This makes it one of the super penetrative carrier oils besides coconut and olive oil.
- Castor oil soothes inflamed skin including the hair scalp.
- Castor oil provides a moisturizing effect to hair and scalp, because of its penetrative qualities castor oil does not only coat the hair strand but enters the cuticle imparting its numerous minerals and nutrients thus guaranteeing long lasting hydration and nutrition to hair and scalp.
- Castor oil thickens and promotes hair growth even in places where hair would not grow before. Castor oil can also be used to thicken other areas where hair is sparse on your body like your eyebrows and eyelashes.
- Castor oil can repair chemical damage due to hair abuse with regular use. The omega-9 fatty acids in castor oil also nourishes the hair and prevents the scalp from drying out.
- Castor oil is a humectant as it draws moisture into the hair and skin. Applying castor oil on hair will keep it soft and supple.
Author: Pamela
 “Changing attitudes about natural hair” is what we do at Natural Haircare News. Through informative articles, podcasts and videos, we go beyond just sharing the latest advice and tips on kinky, curly, wavy haircare – We shake things up and focus on the realities of wearing our hair natural. |
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