Healthy glowing skin figures in everyone’s wish list, but in today’s time, that wish is only becoming a distant dream due to unhealthy lifestyle, pollution, stress, etc. that are causing many unhealthy conditions. Acne tops the list of the most common skin conditions in the world today, with at least 85% of the population suffering from it. Skin conditions are best treated with natural ingredients, one of the most effective being castor oil for acne cure.
Acne is a condition where the sebaceous glands produce excess sebum or natural oils in the skin. This excess oil then gets accumulated in the skin pores causing obstruction and collection of dirt, giving rise to acne. Acne manifests as blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, dark spots, cysts, etc. Though the condition does not cause any serious effects on the skin, it significantly damages the beauty and quality of the skin.
Is Castor Oil Good for Acne and Acne Scars?
Castor oil has been in use for thousands of years in various cultures across the world like India, Egypt, Eastern Africa, etc. for treating a variety of medical conditions. This thick and pale yellow oil is extracted from the castor seeds of the castor bean plant. This oil is the only source of concentrated ricinoleic acid, which is found to be very beneficial for the skin and hair. It is also rich in natural salts, esters, and several other fatty acids that have many beauty benefits. Let us see how castor oil benefits acne:
- Castor oil is very good for treating pimples. The ricinoleic acid present in castor oil is highly effective in killing the bacteria that causes acne or pimples.
- The excellent cleansing properties of castor oil help in deep cleanses the skin pores of dirt, grease, and dead skin cells that clog the pores causing pimples, breakouts, etc.
- Castor oil is a very effective moisturizer. Sufficient moisture in the skin prevents the sebaceous glands from secreting excess natural oil. So, castor oil helps in balancing the moisture and natural oil in the skin.
- The rich content of fatty oils in castor oil help nourish the skin and stimulating the growth of new and healthy skin cells, making the skin look radiant and fresh. These fatty oils also help to clear acne scars, pimple marks, dark spots, and other blemishes by penetrating the pores and triggering the growth of new cells to replace these dead and unhealthy cells.
- The anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties help eliminate harmful microbes on the acne-prone skin that cause breakouts, cysts, etc., thus, making the skin healthy. The anti-inflammatory properties help relieve inflammatory skin conditions, improving the health and look of the skin.
How To Use Castor Oil For Pimples Or Acne?
Castor oil is used in hundreds of commercial cosmetic products across the world. The rich contents of ricinoleic acid, vitamin E, unsaturated fatty acids, omega 6, and 9, and proteins make castor oil the most powerful ingredient to benefit skin and hair in various ways. The various commercial products that contain castor oil also contain other unnatural and chemical ingredients that may cause side effects and diminish the effect of castor oil. So, the best use of castor oil is a direct application of pure organic oil at home. Let us look at some powerful methods of using castor oil to treat acne and pimples at home.
1. Castor Oil Massage:
The best way of using castor oil for treating acne is the pure castor oil massage. Massaging the skin with castor oil is a very effective acne treatment.
Ingredients:
- The required amount of pure organic castor oil.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Directions of Use:
- Cleanse your face or affected area thoroughly with a deep herbal cleanser.
- Pat dry the areas gently.
- Heat pure organic castor oil until it becomes warm.
- Apply the warm castor oil on the face and affected areas with a soft cotton ball.
- Gently massage the areas in circular motions for at least 10 minutes, making sure the oil is absorbed well.
- Leave it on for an hour.
- Wash off with warm water and a mild cleanser.
- Pat dry and apply a gentle moisturizer.
Frequency of Use: Thrice a week
[ Read More: Castor Oil Benefits for Skin ]
2. Castor Oil and Olive Oil for Acne:
Olive oil is rich in anti-bacterial properties that help fight off the bacteria, causing acne and breakouts very effectively. Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants, which help to remove the toxins in the skin and clear the pimple scars, pigmentation, etc. Castor oil and olive oil packs help in moisturizing the skin well and controlling excess oil production. All these properties of this pack help in combating skin acne very effectively.
Ingredients:
- Two teaspoons of olive oil
- One teaspoon of castor oil
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Directions of Use:
- Cleanse your face or affected areas thoroughly with a deep herbal cleanser.
- Pat dry the areas gently.
- Mix the castor oil and olive oil well.
- Heat the castor oil and olive oil mixture until it becomes warm.
- Apply the warm mixture on the face and affected areas with a soft cotton ball.
- Gently massage the areas in circular motions for at least 10 minutes, making sure the oil is absorbed well.
- Leave it overnight.
- Wash off with warm water and mild cleanser in the morning.
- Pat dry and apply a gentle moisturizer.
Frequency of Use: Thrice a week
3. Castor Oil and Turmeric Pack:
Turmeric is nature’s best antibiotic. Turmeric application on the skin has been followed for many centuries in Indian medicine in keeping the skin healthy and glowing. It helps in clearing the bacteria causing acne and pimples very effectively. It is also anti-inflammatory, so it reduces any inflammation on the skin caused by acne or other conditions and helps in keeping the skin healthy. Turmeric is a very effective remedy for face acne. Castor oil and turmeric make a powerful pack in eliminating the bacteria that causes acne and balancing the natural oils in the skin, thus, treating acne very effectively.
Ingredients:
- One teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Two teaspoons of pure castor oil
Preparation Time: 15 minutes.
Directions of Use:
- Cleanse your face or affected area thoroughly with a deep herbal cleanser.
- Pat dry the areas gently.
- Mix the castor oil and turmeric to form a smooth paste.
- Apply the mixture on the face and affected areas with a soft cotton ball.
- Gently massage the areas in circular motions making sure it is applied well.
- Leave it on for 30 minutes.
- Cleanse with warm water.
- Pat dry and apply a gentle moisturizer.
Frequency of Use: Every day.
[ Read More: Home Remedies for Pimples ]
4. Castor Oil and Baking Soda for Acne:
Baking soda is very useful in soothing breakouts and pimples. It is also highly alkaline in nature, which helps in reducing excess oil secretion and skin acidity. Baking soda has high anti-inflammatory properties, which help in clearing various inflammatory conditions of the skin and making the skin healthy. Castor oil and baking soda packs work very effectively in treating acne and breakouts.
Ingredients:
- One tablespoon of baking soda
- One tablespoon of castor oil
Preparation Time: 15 minutes.
Directions of Use:
- Cleanse your face or affected areas thoroughly with a deep herbal cleanser.
- Pat dry the areas gently.
- Mix baking soda and castor oil thoroughly to form a smooth paste.
- Apply the mixture on the face and affected areas with a soft cotton ball.
- Gently massage the areas in circular motions making sure it is applied well.
- Leave it on for 10 minutes.
- Wash off with warm water.
Frequency of Use: Every day.
5. Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Acne:
Jamaican black castor oil is extracted from the same castor beans, but only the method of extraction differs. This oil is made by first roasting the castor seeds, then crushing the seeds with a mortar, then adding water to the crushed beans and boiling it on a slow fire. This results in a dark, thick and pungent castor oil or Jamaican castor oil. This oil gives remarkable results in curing acne and healing acne scars on the face and other areas. It penetrates well into the skin and removes old scar tissues and boosts the growth of new skin cells. The before and after results of black castor oil treatment in curing acne will surprise you.
Ingredients:
- Pure organic Jamaican castor oil, as per requirement.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes.
Directions of Use:
- Cleanse your face or affected areas thoroughly with a deep herbal cleanser.
- Pat dry the areas gently.
- Heat pure organic castor oil until it becomes warm.
- Apply the warm castor oil on the face and affected areas with a soft cotton ball.
- Gently massage the areas in circular motions for at least 10 minutes, making sure the oil is absorbed well.
- Leave it on for 15 minutes.
- Soak a soft cotton cloth in steaming hot water.
- Use this cloth to gently rub on the face and other areas where the oil was applied, trying to remove the oil and dirt.
Frequency of Use: Thrice a week
[ Also Read: Castor Oil for Dark Circles Under Eyes ]
Additional Tips and Benefits of Castor Oil:
Let us look at some additional benefits and measures to follow when using castor oil:
- In severe cases, acne can lead to cysts, commonly called cystic acne. If regularly used, the anti-bacterial properties of castor oil can successfully treat acne cysts and nodules. It also helps in clearing the scars left by cystic acne.
- Regular use of castor oil helps in improving the texture of the skin as it makes the skin smooth and soft.
- Chronic acne conditions can damage the skin and make it age faster. Castor oil helps in eliminating the free radicals and other toxins from the skin and help the skin look young and healthy.
- Acne and oily skin may sometimes lead to fine peeling of the skin. Castor oil is very effective in moisturizing the skin, reducing the inflammation, and reducing the peeling.
- Acne on the back is one other common forms of acne. Castor oil is very effective in treating back acne and pimples on the back.
Though there are various modern treatments for acne, the side effects and ineffectiveness in most cases, scare us from trying them. Castor oil is the most effective and inexpensive method to cure acne and improve skin health. With a number of benefits to the skin, castor oil is worth trying and making part of a regular skin care regimen and acne treatment. There are various brands in the market selling castor oil, but pure organic castor oil is always recommended. In rare cases, castor oil does give mild side effects in the beginning; it is advised to do a patch test before regular use of castor oil for acne and pimples treatment.
