CASTOR OIL

📋 Quick facts

Description: CASTOR OIL — EMOLLIENT, HUMECTANT.

All Functions: EMOLLIENT, HUMECTANT

Quick Facts:

• Category: emollient
• Also Known As: RICINUS COMMUNIS SEED OIL
• Comedogenic Rating: 1/5

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Castor oil comes from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant
• Its main active ingredient is ricinoleic acid, which makes up 89-92% of the oil
• Research shows castor oil has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties
• When applied topically to eyelids, castor oil improved symptoms and signs of blepharitis in a 4-week study
• No adverse events were reported in the clinical trial of topical castor oil use
• Castor oil is considered safe and well-tolerated for skincare use

📊 Comedogenicity

1/5

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Castor oil is a vegetable oil extracted from castor seeds that has been used in cosmetics and personal care products for years. The oil’s beneficial properties stem largely from its composition: it’s rich in hydroxylated fatty acids, primarily ricinoleic acid (Clin Exp Optom, 2021; J Oleo Sci, 2022). This ricinoleic acid has a special molecular structure with functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, and carbon-carbon double bonds) that give it multiple therapeutic actions (J Oleo Sci, 2022). When applied to skin, castor oil demonstrates several noteworthy effects: #1: It has antimicrobial properties—meaning it can help control bacteria and microbes on the skin surface (Clin Exp Optom, 2021; J Oleo Sci, 2022).

#2: It possesses anti-inflammatory action, which can help calm irritated skin (Clin Exp Optom, 2021; J Oleo Sci, 2022). #3: It exhibits antioxidant properties, helping protect against oxidative stress (Clin Exp Optom, 2021). #4: It has analgesic and anti-nociceptive effects, meaning it may help reduce discomfort (Clin Exp Optom, 2021). #5: It supports wound healing (Clin Exp Optom, 2021). The most robust human evidence comes from a 4-week study on eyelid health (Ocul Surf, 2021). When 100% cold-pressed castor oil was applied twice daily to the eyelids, participants with blepharitis (inflamed eyelids) showed significant symptom improvement, with no adverse events reported.

Clinical improvements included reduction in eyelid thickening, eyelash matting, and crusty buildup. The mechanism appears to involve the oil’s ability to form compounds that supplement the skin’s natural lipid layers, improving moisture retention and reducing evaporation (Clin Exp Optom, 2021). That said, most evidence focuses on eye health rather than broader facial skincare, so the full range of benefits for general skin use remains less established in clinical research.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Sandford EC et al. (2021). Therapeutic potential of castor oil in managing blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye. Clin Exp Optom.
• Nitbani FO et al. (2022). Preparation of Ricinoleic Acid from Castor Oil:A Review. J Oleo Sci.
• Mensah MB et al. (2018). Castor oil: a suitable green source of capping agent for nanoparticle syntheses and facile surface functionalization. R Soc Open Sci.
• Muntz A et al. (2021). Randomized trial of topical periocular castor oil treatment for blepharitis. Ocul Surf.
• Cao L et al. (2023). Skin pigmentation improvement with resveratrol microemulsion gel using polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil. Drug Dev Ind Pharm.

🧴 Products Containing CASTOR OIL

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• BRYNILD GRUPPEN AS NIVEA Creme Soft Douchecrème
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• Nivea Men Sensitive Shower Gel Soothing + Bamboo Extract
• Nivea NIVEA Verfrissende Reinigingsgel
• Beiersdorf, Nivea Nivea for men doccia gel energy
• Nivea Tônico Facial Nivea Controle do Brilho
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• Henkel, Schauma Sports Power-Shampoo
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• Henkel, Schauma Repair & Pflege Shampoo mit Kokos-Extrakt
• Henkel,Syoss Power Shampoo for Men
• Schwarzkopf & Henkel Fa MEN Sport
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• New Flag GmbH Foamie Feste Duschpflege
• Nivea Loción Tónico Facial Matificante