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Castor Oil
Botanical Name:
Ricinus Communis
Extraction Method:
Cold Pressed
Aroma:
Mild or no odor or taste
Texture:
Heavy, Thick
Color:
Colorless to very pale yellow
Description:
Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean (although technically castor seed is from the castor plant, Ricinus communis, which is not a member of the bean family). It is a triglyceride in which approximately ninety percent of its fatty acid chains are ricinoleic acid. Oleic and linoleic acids are the other significant components.
Castor oil penetrates deep into the skin due to its low molecular weight - low enough to penetrate into the stratum corneum. When applied to the skin it delivers many beneficial properties such as - anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, skin healing, deep cleansing, and much more.
Castor oil is considered the "primary" or "cleansing" oil when performing the oil cleansing method (OCM). It is blended with other carrier oils in dilutions between 75%-5%. The higher the percentage of castor oil used, the more aggressive the deep cleansing of the pores and surface of the skin.
It is IMPORTANT to use only the highest quality cold-pressed castor oil you can find. Many using OCM find noticably better results when using cold pressed (especially organic) castor oil. Some have had adverse reactions when using refined (regular drug store) castor oil, but when they switch to using high quality organic cold-pressed castor oil they find it works out well.
Side Note: Sulfonated castor oil, also called sulfated castor oil, or Turkey Red Oil, is the only oil that completely disperses in water. It is made by adding sulfuric acid to pure castor oil. This allows easy use for making bath oil products. It was the first synthetic detergent after ordinary soap. It is used in formulating lubricants, softeners, and dyeing assistants.
** This form of castor oil should not be used with OCM.
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