Castor oil
INCI: Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Thick plant oil that softens and adds shine
At a glance
- Suits
- Dry lips, dry skin and dry hair
- Helps with
- Dry lips, Dry hair
- Pairs well with
- Shea butter, Argan oil, Vitamin E
- Found in
- 22 ECOOKING products
What can castor oil help with?
Dry lips
Castor oil has been assessed as safe for use as a conditioning ingredient in cosmetics. In lipstick and lip care, it softens the lips and gives them shine.[4]
Dry hair
A systematic review of hair oils found only weak support for castor oil making hair shinier. The review found no strong evidence that the oil makes hair grow.[2]
How it works
How to use it
- Use the product as directed on the packaging.
- Keep the oil well away from the eyes.
- If you have sensitive lips, try it on a small area first.
Products with castor oil
Peptide Volume Mascara
Gentle, fragrance-free volume mascara for sensitive eyes that gives lashes fu...
Overnight Foot Cream
Overnight foot cream that softens hard skin and moisturises dry feet and crac...
Primer
Fragrance-free makeup primer in three variants: green for redness, peach for ...
Energizing Eye Cream
Fragrance-free eye cream for wrinkles and dark circles that firms, moisturise...
50+ Goodnight Cream
Fragrance-free night cream for mature skin 50+ that firms, moisturizes all ni...
Mascara (Without Brush)
Allergy-friendly, fragrance-free mascara in tear-resistant or waterproof vers...
Multi Balm Stick 4 g
Our Multi Balm Stick 4 g, also known as Multi Balm, a moisturising balm for v...
Tinted Day Cream 30 ml
Our Tinted Day Cream combines day cream and foundation in one, evens out skin...
Frequently asked questions
It is ricinus oil, which is called castor oil in English. Ricinus communis is the plant’s Latin name, and Seed Oil means that the oil is pressed from the seeds. Hydrogenated Castor Oil and Castor Oil/IPDI Copolymer are processed versions and not the oil itself.
Ricinoleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid in castor oil. It makes up to 90 % of the oil’s fatty acids. It makes the oil thick and gives it shine, which is why castor oil feels different from other plant oils.
Castor oil has been assessed as safe in cosmetics, where it softens and adds shine. Studies provide only weak support for the claim that the oil adds shine to hair. Nothing shows that it makes hair or eyelashes grow.
Yes, but it is rare. Allergies have been observed after using lip balm, among other products, and appear as itching, redness or irritated lips. Stop using the product and talk to your doctor if it does not go away.
Sources
- Castor Oil: Properties, Uses, and Optimization of Processing Parameters in Commercial Production (Lipid insights, 2016)
- Coconut, Castor, and Argan Oil for Hair in Skin of Color Patients: A Systematic Review (Journal of drugs in dermatology, 2022)
- TFOS Lifestyle: Impact of cosmetics on the ocular surface (The ocular surface, 2023)
- Final report on the safety assessment of Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Ricinoleate and related ingredients (International journal of toxicology, 2007)
- Allergic contact cheilitis in an adolescent to Ricinus communis seed oil (castor oil) in a lip balm (Contact dermatitis, 2018)
- "Castor Oil" - The Culprit of Acute Hair Felting (International journal of trichology, 2017)