Castor Oil
Castor Oil originates from the Castor Bean or Castor oil plant ‘Ricinus Communis’ native to Eastern Africa and India. The fruit is a spiny, green to reddish-purple capsule 2.5cm across containing oval shiny, bean-like seeds. Castor is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 b.c. It takes around 2.5kg of Castor seeds to produce 1kg of oil.
HOW IT’S MADE?
The seeds from the castor plant are harvested and allowed to dry so that the seed hull will split open, easily releasing the seed inside. Once the hull is removed, the seeds are heated to harden the interior of the seeds for extraction. Once extracted, the seeds are warmed in a steam press to aid the oil extraction process. After being cooked, the seeds are then dried before being placed into a hydraulic press. High pressure is then applied to extract the oil.
WHY DO WE USE IT?
Castor oil contains high levels of Vitamin E, proteins and Omega 6 & 9 that are the key components responsible for good hair and skin health. Castor oil may have humectant properties, which means that it can draw moisture from the air into the skin, keeping the skin smooth and hydrated. Castor oil can help increase the production of lymphocytes, which are critical to proper circulation in the body. The fatty acids in this oil works to increase the lymph flow throughout the body, which eliminates toxins and helps reduce swollen lymph nodes. Castor oil contains triglycerides. These can help maintain moisture in the skin, making it a useful treatment for dry skin.
PRODUCTS CONTAINING CASTOR OIL
