Castor Oil Vs Jamaican Black Castor Oil Which one is the Best to Use for Your Hair

If you are reading this, then you are looking for something that can get you that perfectly smooth and silky hair you had always wanted. Or simply the best castor oil for hair. We can all remember growing up hearing our grannies speak favorably of castor oil for just about any minor upsets. We see it topically applied to a particular part of the body that needs aid. And that’s despite the mystery of castor oil surrounding the creation of health and beauty for a very long time.

First things first: Hair loss is an extremely common problem and tends to be most prevalent when you reach your 40’s or 50’s. Blame it on the growing societal pressure. So, if you’re beginning to feel the betrayal of your hair, you’re far from alone. Many are already on the hunt for the best choices in creating a healthy scalp for hair growth. There’s a long list of natural and lifestyle-related reasons why hair loss occurs.

Read also related articles: DIY deep conditioners, yellow hair after bleaching, remove coconut oil out of hair, and vitamin c to remove hair dye.

The Great Powers Of Castor Oil

As it turns out, this native in Africa plant happens to be one of the most widely used bio-based raw materials due to its several beneficial fatty acids, —similar to coconut, Shea butter, and olive oils. The oil extracted from the castor seeds has fast penetrating properties renowned to benefit the hair, skin and even weight management. Castor oil is the best wholesome bet when it comes to all of this!

There’s nothing wrong with trying any possible methods that promise results. High-tech hair loss treatments might give fast results, but not everyone can afford it. It’s worth a shot to turn to natural and DIY alternatives as long as it doesn’t promote greater risks, —other than the risky expectations, right? Castor oil’s reputation gained recognition in terms of its aesthetic purposes. 

Castor Bean’s Interesting Fact

Did you know the medicinally used castor oil we know today has a remedy for everything, from constipation to heartburn, is from beans considered to be one of the most poisonous perennial plants? It contains a potent toxin called Ricin (glycoprotein), but no need to freak out. The Risin is not present in the finished products of castor oil. Without a doubt, it’s now safe for consumption and is packed with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. When enhanced with other herbs and essential oils that additionally include medicinal properties it becomes a powerhouse of health perks. 

Seven Major Uses Of Clear Castor Oil

1. A Great Relief Against Digestive Ailments (Constipation)

Castor oil is a sure-fire natural, effective laxative you can go for if constipation has been making you feel miserable. This natural laxative works very rapidly. The ricinoleic acid in castor oil shakes up the intestinal walls provoking the muscle cells to contract and pushes the stubborn turd out of your system. Just a friendly reminder, while castor oil is considered natural and safe to ingest orally, moderation is the key.

There’s a proper dosage when you take castor oil for weight loss or constipation relief. Never go beyond 5 ml if your goal is to shed off some weight. You need about 15 ml to get rid of your constipation. To keep you from the wrath of abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting, keep in mind that anything too much often ends with an unpleasant outcome.

2. Relieves Muscle And Joint Pains (Rheumatism)

Nope, it’s not simply another ‘old-wives’ tale nor hyped up advice from random grannies in the neighborhood. This classic, age-old treatment has been getting sort of a bad rap recently. There’s simply nothing to debunk about the ability of castor oil in relieving muscle and joint pains. Nonetheless, modern scientific studies have determined that its health effects are not a myth AT ALL.

How does it relieve pain? As soon as it penetrates the skin, it begins to stimulate the lymphatic vessels. Accompanied by a boost of the blood circulation, reducing the pain and stiffness. The high concentrations of ricinoleic acid in castor oil helps in getting the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. For severe arthritis, a skillful blend of castor oil (two tbsp) and a pinch of ginger powder in boiling water taken as tea does the job. Make it your morning and evening tea while massaging your stiff and painful joints with castor oil.

3. Anti-Acne And Pimple Treatment

Why is Jamaican Black castor oil better than the clear one for acne? Applying oil on acne doesn’t seem to sound correct, does it? But trust it or not, this considerably heavy oil does not clog pores! The Jamaican Black’s anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties easily slip into the pores and shrink those evil tiny lumps on your face. How? Made with higher alkaline by heat, its astringent effect help draws dirt, excess oil, and other impurities out of your skin.

Then does it mean that castor oil is pushing coconut oil by the hip? Maybe! Nevertheless, this essential oil is an underdog treatment for sensitive skin with a cost-friendly perk! It’s a touted secret by Kim Kardashian and her sisters whenever they get attacked by unwanted acne breakouts on the face.

4. Prevents Dry Hair And Stops Hair Loss

Aside from genetics, an unhealthy lifestyle is perhaps the grimmest culprit of dry and lifeless hair which stunts hair growth. Your scalp no longer makes enough moisture. The controversial oil is abundant in omega-9 fatty acids that work with various hair types. Although modern studies hardly understand the mechanism of castor oil, they approve its capability to relieve dryness and strengthening the hair scalp.

A scalp massage plays an essential part in making the hair follicles absorb the best castor oil for hair and stimulate blood circulation. Just a pro tip: Dilute castor oil with Jojoba or Argan oil to make it easy to manage when massaging the scalp. Healthy hair, the scalp produce stronger hair strands. With the reinforcement of a healthy diet, it prevents further hair damage, —and that’s how it decreases shedding and promotes hair growth.

5. It Aids Menstrual Cramps

It’s part of every female’s life to go through excruciating monthly red visits that make her low-spirited and shabby! What more if you are suffering from monthly menstrual cramps? How does castor oil help? Let’s zoom in on its anti-cramp value. The nature of ricinoleic acid found in castor oil is what eases the pain and cramps as well as stimulate women’s menstrual flow.

Warm castor packs are the go-to remedy for menstrual cramps. But, if castor oil soaked cloth isn’t your thing, you can apply it on your lower abdomen and massage for 5-10 minutes. You may use a cling wrap to insulate the heat around your lower abdomen followed by a hot water bag on top. The oil acts like a charm if applied two days before your actual period and done for four consecutive days in a week.

6. Slows Down Skin Aging

Castor oil has nothing short to treat problematic skin. Other than its general health goodies, its primary value is not limited to hair care and muscle relief. What sparked the unexpected interest in today’s beauty world? Thousands of years back, a few of Cleopatra’s beauty rituals include a few drops of castor oil, which she rubs at her face to maintain an ageless glow. It clearly shows that castor oil is one of the best ancient skincare secrets, practiced up to this day.

As a natural remedy against skin dehydration, acne, and stretch marks, it’s safe to say it implies no more bikini-body phobia. The perfect castor oil for hair is high in protein and fatty acids that fuel the skin’s collagen production as well as improving skin’s elasticity. If you have large pores caused by acne, this can help tighten those pores. Moreover, it rehydrates dry skin, which blocks off the wrinkles from marking territories on your face.

7. Heals Wounds And Sunburn

Nothing more can burn your spirit than sunburns that makes your skin look like you just got seared. You may hold an ugly picture of adding oil into a burnt skin, but the truth is castor oil has the same cooling effect as aloe vera. So, let your burnt skin soak it all in! If you have wounds, it will benefit from the castor oil’s pain-reducing ability to promote tissue growth and shorten the healing time.

Simply dunk a cotton ball in castor oil followed by gently patting it on the affected skin. Give your sunburn enough time to like an hour to absorb the castor oil. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. You need to continue doing the steps twice a day, every morning and before you sleep until the sunburn is gone. Sunburn often takes a few days to heal completely, so, this is not a one-time application.

Processing Difference: Freshly Pressed Vs. Roasted

There’s a lot of work involved in order to make the best castor oil for hair. What makes the Jamaican black castor oil different from its more popular pale yellow counterpart? While technically the two are from the same plant and its beans make a highly multi-purpose substance. They only differ in the way they are processed giving its ‘use’ the noticeable variation. Regardless of the processing differences, it equally holds in its primary element, the ricinoleic acid.

Before dropping the names of the leading castor oil for hair, let’s clear out the confusion about it. The label ‘Jamaican,’ is not just a badge of where its castor beans are from. Not even a fancy name to make it sound more convincingly organic. The truth is, in Jamaica, the traditional process of making castor oil starts off by roasting the castor beans. And this method results in its dark hue and distinctive burnt aroma. Followed by grinding them up, and then boiling.

The pale yellow castor oil, on the other hand, is simply made by extracting the oil fresh from the castor seeds. The straightforward process of pale yellow castor oil is how it is distinguished as ‘cold-pressed.’ The cold-pressed castor oil also falls on the more acidic side of the scale with its lower pH levels.

Color Difference: Pale Yellow, Clear White, Dark Brown

With any brand of castor oil, you may determine that they can all be identified in three hues. The pale yellow, clear white and the significantly darker Jamaican black. All three types fight off fungal overgrowth on the scalp which can lead to hair-damaging inflammation. The pale yellow castor oil is regarded as pure considering its process doesn’t involve heat.

Regardless of castor oil’s slightly different identifying features, they are all heavy oils and both exert appreciable effects. Albeit castor oil often undergoes more commercial processing, which includes undergoing filtration to reduce the iodine levels in the oil. As a result, the castor oil becomes the ‘clear white’ we regularly see in stores. The darker hue of the Jamaican black is obviously because of the ashes from the traditional roasting method of the castor seeds.

Is The Jamaican Black Castor Oil Just As Good As Pure Castor Oil?

Even for products that are pretty much the same, it is a target of the comparison. There’s nothing wrong with taking any glowing suggestions with a grain of salt, you can always add a spoonful of sugar. If one has greater advantages than the other, that depends on which of the two works better for you. It is an entirely transparent picture of the differences between the regular clear castor oil and its Jamaican Black version.

Here’s what makes the Jamaican black castor oil, plus points against its pale yellow counterpart, —it’s the high pH level. The ribbing of the castor seeds is what gives the Jamaican Black an increased use in health and beauty products. The process develops the good alkaline effects of the ashes that boost the pH level of the Jamaican black castor oil. And the alkalinity has the advantage of penetrating hair cuticles. In return, it enhances the overall effectiveness of castor oil.

Possible Allergic Reactions

Although human beings have been ingesting castor oil since the ancient times of mighty Egypt to cleanse bodies, it’s still critical to be aware of their grumpy side effects. Every living thing in this world has dark sides, so as the castor oil. If your skin gets easily irritated with ‘some’ oil-based products, it’s better to consult your doctor first before dabbing castor oil onto your skin. Anything taken in excess often calls for problems. Stop using it if you experience these symptoms below.

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Rashes
• Abdominal pains
• Dizziness
• Gastrointestinal Irritation

Castor Oil Is Not Recommended If…

Some medicines and supplements do not blend well with castor oil. If you are taking any type of medication or supplement, know what your doctor has to say before using castor oil.

• Diuretics & antibiotics
• Heart & bone medications
• Blood Thinners

Castor oil may have a long history of treating minor colds and cold sores for children. However, kids below 12 years old are not advised to take castor oil orally, unless approved by a doctor. If approved, mix it with another drink, like fruit juices, milk or even soda to make it easier to drink.

The Best Castor Oil Awards Goes to!

1. Sky Organics Castor Oil

Perhaps, one of the many reasons why Sky Organics castor oil is a top choice, they share DIY ideas. Their website offers DIY recipes on how you can maximize the use of their product.

2. Castor Oil by Kate Blanc Cosmetics

As a cosmetic brand, Kate Blanc’s Castor Oil is more advertised as a serum focusing on eyebrow and eyelash growth. It gained high reviews on moisturizing the knees and elbows.

3. Molivera Organics Castor Oil

Molivera organic castor oil has a favorable price point compared to its counterparts. Users also highlight its thinner consistency, great for lengthening eyelashes.

4. Home Health Castor Oil

Home health castor is by far the most popular choice for warm castor oil packs. Also, if you have ashy ankles, consider this product.

5. Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil

This brand is popular for its infused Jamaican black castor oil line. Their pure castor oil makes an excellent hot oil treatment for those dry frizzy hair.

Bottom line

Whether you prefer Jamaican Black or clear castor oil, it’s all about what serves your needs well. What’s important is you have an approximation of what it’s made of and its uses. All the brands named above have a USDA seal. They are ranked and selected based on customer feedback. Our best bets are the Organic Castor Oil by Sky Organics and the Jamaican Black Castor Oil by Tropic Isle Living.

Both successfully pulled off remarkable sales not because of the marketing strategy, but because of the excellent results it delivered. As the majority of its users say, ‘the picture says it all!’ Both products continue to gain positive feedback from Amazon, proving that they’re living up to its name. The brand’s Sky Organics and Tropic Isle Living produced high-quality organic castor oils without additives. —Just a pure, undiluted, hexane-free castor oil.