1. Castor Oil helps acne - The ricinoleic acid in castor oil works to inhibit many viruses and bacteria, and as castor oil is able to penetrate skin tissue deeply, this makes it an effective treatment for acne.

To treat acne, dab a hot damp washcloth all over your face in the evening before you go to bed. The heat will gently open the pores on your face. After this, massage a little castor oil gently into the skin. Leave on overnight. Repeat this daily for 1 to 2 weeks to see results. You can also repeat this twice in the day, once at night and once in the morning.

2. Castor Oil keeps the skin looking smooth, youthful and unlined - Castor oil’s ability to penetrate more deeply than any other essential plant oil make it an excellent way to keep skin looking youthful and fresh. Castor oil works better than any store-bought anti-ageing creams.

One of the best and easiest ways to use castor oil is to rub in a small amount around your eyes before bed, washing it off the next morning.

You can also rub in castor oil all over your face, but as it’s extremely thick and sticky, use sparingly. A little goes a long way! You can rinse this off after 2-3 hours, but you can always keep it on for longer if you feel comfortable. This type of all-over application might feel more uncomfortable in hotter and more humid climates. Thus, cooler days/nights or fall/winter may be better for castor oil mask applications.

Done daily, this will keep wrinkles at bay and the skin looking fresh, youthful and supple. With consistent use over a few months, this can also help to fade old dark marks left over from pimples/spots.

3. Castor Oil breaks up external and internal scar tissue, and prevents new scars from forming - Castor oil’s unrivaled deep tissue penetration help to soften and remove both external and internal scars, like those that form following surgery.

Castor oil will penetrate deep into the tissues to slowly break up scar tissue. Amazingly, castor oil is able to distinguish between healthy cells and abnormal ones. In healthy cells, castor oil will detoxify and stimulate them, while increasing circulation. In abnormal cells like scar tissue and growths, castor oil will instead work to aggressively dissolve cells thanks to its solvent property.

To break down internal scarring, soak a piece of clean cloth with castor oil and place it over the scar area for an hour or two each day. You can also simply rub castor oil over the scar each day. More serious internal scarring will take longer to break down.

4. Castor Oil soothes shingles - Shingles are a type of viral infection and as castor oil has been proven to boost the body’s lymphocytes, it could be why castor oil applications appear to be helpful for anyone with weakened immune systems.

5. Castor Oil thickens eyelashes and eyebrows - Rub a little castor oil over the base of your eyelashes before bed. This prevents thinning and promotes rapid growth, leading to thicker and fuller lashes. In fact, many commercial products for eyelashes contain castor oil.

To thicken sparse eyebrows, rub a little castor oil over the brow line before bed.

6. Castor Oil prevents hair loss and regenerates hair - The anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties of ricinoleic acid in castor oil protects the scalp and hair from infections that can cause hair loss. The omega-9 fatty acids in castor oil also nourish the hair and prevent the scalp from drying.

Rubbing castor oil on your scalp and the roots of your hair will regenerate new hair growth within months. This will also thicken thinning hair.

For a deep healing treatment, rub castor oil into your scalp and leave it on overnight. You can wrap your hair up in a towel or a shower cap to keep the oil on your scalp and away from your bed linen (castor oil stains are almost impossible to remove).

For a lighter treatment during the day, rub a very small amount of castor oil into your scalp or hair (whichever you feel needs help). Castor oil is very thick and viscous, so a little goes a long way. You can either wash this off at the end of every day, or leave it in if you feel comfortable (to maintain your regular schedule of hair washing, whatever that may be).

However, if you have fine or weak/brittle hair, it’s a good idea to mix castor oil with a lighter oil so that it’ll be easier to wash out later (baking soda will also help remove castor oil, but it can be temporarily drying).

Some have reported good results from mixing castor oil with coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil is especially good for restoring damaged and weak hair because of it’s high nutrient content.

7. Castor Oil keeps hair looking soft and shiny - Castor oil is a humectant as it draws moisture into the hair and skin. Applying castor oil on hair will keep it looking soft, shiny and strong.

8. Castor Oil softens thick calluses and removes corns - Castor oil application will soften any rough or thickened skin, including calluses and corns. To treat corns, apply castor oil over your feet and put cotton socks on before going to bed.

9. Castor Oil cures skin infections like athlete’s foot and ringworm - Apply a castor oil soaked cloth on the affected area. If it is small enough, a bandaid with a few drops of castor oil can be used instead.

10. Castor Oil prevents stretch marks - Rub a small amount of castor oil over your stomach and thighs daily to prevent stretchmarks during pregnancy or periods of weight gain.

11. Castor Oil will remove moles and warts (apply heat for faster results)

Rub castor oil into moles or warts every night. The moles (or warts) will start to shrink over a few weeks, and continued use will eventually remove the mole without any scarring. Complete removal may take 2-3 months, but this slow healing will also ensure there is no “hole” in your skin. (The surgical removal of moles will often leave a hole where the mole was. This indentation can often be permanent.)