Castor oil
Castor (Palma Christi)
Brief Background:
The Castor Oil plant is a native of India where it bears several ancient Sanskrit names, the most ancient and most usual being Eranda, which has passed into several other Indian languages. The plant thrives in tropical climates where it can grow 30 to 40 feet high; in the Azores and the warmer countries – Algeria, Egypt, Greece and the Riviera – it is of more slender growth, attaining an average height of only 10 to 15 feet. Further north in France, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant on account of its large and beautiful foliage, it is merely a shrubby branched annual herb, rarely more than 4 to 5 feet high, with thick, hollow, herbaceous stems, which are cylindrical, smooth and shiny, with a purplish bloom in the upper part.
Natural Beauty: Native American’s refer to castor oil and a “cure-all” remedy. Castor oil is used externally as a soothing emollient for dry skin, dermatitis, and other skin disease. Several other uses include hair tonic that keeps hair looking soft and shiny. The castor oil is a humectant that draws moisture into hair and skin. The anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties of Ricinoleic Acid in castor oil protect the scalp and hair from infections which can cause hair loss. The Omega-9 fatty acids in castor oil also nourish the hair and prevent the scalp from drying.
I have deep stretch marks will this help to fade them?
Castor oil doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves. The oil is super thick and moisture rich. The emollient properties from castor oil will help to fade away the stretch marks. One or two applications will not do much. Apply at least once a day. Tip, the best time to apply any moisturizer is after a warm bath or shower. You may use castor oil alone, or with other oils such as, cocoa butter, vitamin E, and wheat germ oil.
If you are looking for a product in particular, I recommend the Butterlicious Body Balm. It has a variety of therapeutic botanical oils, which work wonders on many skin conditions.