Haitian Black Castor Oil Usage & Benefits

Obviously we here at Kreyol Essence love organic black castor oil (also known as palma Christi, or lwil maskreti in Haiti) and know the benefits. But you may wonder what makes castor oil so special. Let’s take this time out to tout the many benefits of castor oil and why you should add it to your beauty and health regimen. You may soon find yourself falling in love with it the same way we have! In this article, you will find a few ways that I personally use castor oil to keep my hair, skin, and body healthy.

BEAUTY

SPF Content

Castor oil has a relatively high SPF of 5.687 compared to many other oils used in beauty products (Pharmacognosy Res. 2010 Jan-Feb; 2(1): 22–25).   This may be why it is so commonly added to lip balms and beauty creams. Of course this doesn’t mean you should forego your daily SPF! But you can certainly add it to your own beauty products to boost the SPF content.

Oil Cleansing Method

Part of the reason castor oil is so beneficial to skin and hair is because it penetrates the skin so deeply. I heard of the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM)  several years ago but was fearful to try it. I really didn’t believe oil could cleanse my face. Having combination skin, I often have difficulty keeping it balanced and never want to look greasy! After doing some research and watching some YouTube videos, I decided to give OCM a try. It turns out that I love the method! Ironically oil actually dissolves oil (and sebum)! So in a nutshell, here’s what you do: make a mixture of castor oil and carrier oil. The ratio is determined by skin type. Massage it in for 2-3 min, and then steam the impurities out of your pores. You can do this with a facial steamer or a really hot washcloth (don’t burn yourself!). Make sure all the oil is wiped off your face. End with cool water to close your pores. Since using this method, my skin is softer and smoother! The great thing about castor oil is that it pulls out impurities and is virtually non-comedogenic, so it shouldn’t block your pores!

 Skin Discoloration

Castor oil is used to break up areas of skin discoloration.   These include age spots, scars and hyperpigmentation. You can use it to spot treat this areas. Rub it into moles and skin tags to slowly soften them over time. I have sensitive skin with a tendency towards hyperpigmentation. I find castor oil to be useful for this and protecting and soothing to my skin.

Cracked Heels/Corns/Calluses

Give your footsies a nice castor oil massage after a warm shower. Cover them up with some fuzzy socks before going to bed. This nightly treatment can help soften rough skin so you can show off sandal–friendly feet come summer time!

Nails

Rub a tiny drop of castor oil every night into your cuticles to promote stronger longer nail growth. Enjoy the shine and luster the oil imparts to your nails!

I use castor oil to wash my hair, add it to my deep conditioners and use it to seal my ends. I have been natural (without a chemical relaxer) for almost 15 years, so I have tried almost everything out (I may have missed some of the newer natural hair companies)! A few years back I decided to pare down my routine. It now mostly includes “the basics” and castor oil is definitely in my “formulary”! I’m sure you have heard many success stories of women using castor oil to grow back their hairline, eyebrows or eyelashes. While I don’t use it for all these purposes (my hair is thick enough!), I do use it for healthy hair growth. Castor oil makes my hair soft, manageable and allows for better length retention (Hair regimen video coming up)!

 HEALTH

Castor Oil Packs

Edgar Cayce dedicated much study to castor oil and included it in many of his treatment protocols. Although not a physician, he was more of a medical intuitive of sorts. Controversial in his time, he is probably the most widely known proponent of castor oil. He promoted castor oil packs for systemic healing. According to Cayce, “When the castor oil is heated and placed over an organ, it provides an anti-inflammatory effect that helps the lymphatic system circulate fluids throughout the body”. Castor oil packs are still used to this day. Nowadays they are often used in hydrotherapy, which uses temperature variations of water for treatment purposes.

Sore Muscles/Bruising/Joint Pain

Castor oil has been used for eons by many cultures for pain management. Try massaging castor oil vigorously into affected area nightly.   The heat generated by doing this seemingly “sucks out the pain” like a vacuum! I find that if I do this before bed, the pain is significantly reduced when I wake up. Along with this, increase the amount of anti-inflammatory foods (fruit, vegetables and omega-3 rich foods) in your diet.   These will help offset the inflammation that often accompanies aches and pains.

Colds/Flu

The same technique for pain can also be used to aid in quicker recovery during bouts of illness. You can either place a warm castor oil pack on the chest or massage it into the chest for some relief. Feel free to mix the castor oil with a few drops of essential oils like peppermint or lemongrass. Give it a shot this cold/flu season!

Controversy Concerning Internal Consumption

Despite what you heard or did growing up, Cayce advised against consuming castor oil internally (yes I know what you’re thinking). According toRodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, people only began consuming castor oil in the 18^th century. The seed itself contains ricin, which is poisonous, so use it at your discretion.   Its volatile nature is what lends to its antimicrobial properties.

So don’t just take my word for it! Try castor oil out for yourself. You can purchase high quality castor oil at www.kreyolessence.com Join the millions of people who have used it for centuries and those who are rediscovering it today! Now it’s your turn! How have you used castor oil? Share your successes and let me know your questions.