Castor Oil

Other Name(s):

Ricinus communis Seed Oil; Ricinoleic Acid

The castor oil plant is native to the tropical regions of East Africa but has spread far-and-wide across the globe thanks to human activities. It is an invasive species that requires careful farming.

Is Castor Oil Faithful to Nature?

Depends.

Castor oil is a natural ingredient with many beneficial uses if used properly. It’s a highly renewable crop, but must be managed carefully to avoid negatively impacting the surrounding ecosystem.

Benefits: Why is Castor Oil used?

Anti-Bacterial

Castor oil can help to inhibit acne-causing bacteria.

Skin Soothing

Castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid with anti-inflammatory properties to reduce skin redness.

Gentle Cleanser

Castor oil has cleansing abilities that remove dirt and sebum from the skin.

Hair Growth

Castor oil’s natural anti-inflammatory properties may help to improve circulation to the scalp and promote hair growth.

Learn more about Castor Oil:

On the Shelf: Which Products Use Castor Oil?

Castor oil can be found on store shelves as single ingredient products for hair and scalp and as a health supplement. It also enjoys extensive use in body and beauty items such as lipsticks, foundations, moisturisers, shampoos and soaps.

Production: How is Castor Oil Made?

Castor beans are first mulched and heated to temperatures in excess of 80°C. The castor bean mulch is usually then fed into a screw press which extracts the oil. The crude oil can then be bottled, or refined further.

Interesting Fact: Castor Oil

Castor bean is classified as a Category 2 invasive plant species in South Africa.

Raw castor beans contain a toxic substance called ricin. Technically, ricin is a lectin, a type of plant protein, and when it gets exposed to heat in excess of 80°C it gets ‘deactivated’.

Cold-pressed castor oil has been evaluated for the presence of ricin and the levels present are well below toxicity thresholds.

Castor oil is being explored as a renewable source of energy in the form of biodiesel.