Castor oil for acne and blackheads - the best recipes for cleansing the skin

Castor oil (Latin: Oleum Ricini) is obtained from the seeds of the castor oil plant, an ornamental annual with spectacular serrated leaves. Not all castor oil is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Technical oil is intended exclusively for industrial use due to the presence of toxic substances.

In medicine and cosmetology, cold-pressed Castor oil is used. This oil is a powerful laxative, the basis of pharmaceutical ointments and medications (including cytostatics). In everyday life, it strengthens eyelashes, hair, and gets rid of skin problems.

Does castor oil help with acne?

This remedy has traditionally been used for extensive papules, acne and pimples on the face back in the era of unproven medicine. And the method really helped. The skin was cleared, and in advanced situations it was possible to avoid scarring.

The effectiveness of castor oil against acne is explained by its composition. There are many triglycerides of organic acids, which have an antiseptic and antimicrobial effect. Vitamin E is contained in large quantities. In the complex, the substances act on viruses, molds and yeasts, and bacteria. The use of castor oil in a course inhibits and eliminates the pathogenic microbiota of acne.

Fatty acid composition of castor oil:

The naked eye can see that the main component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid. It restores hydrolipid balance, stimulates cell regeneration, relieves swelling and redness during rashes.

Linoleic acid fights hyperkeratosis and evens out the relief of the skin. Stearic acid increases the permeability of cell membranes, thanks to this property the oil enters deep into the dermis.

Medical castor oil must comply with GOST 18102-95:

• the product is transparent, without sediment or turbidity;
• color varies from straw to light yellow;
• the smell is weak and with notes of wax, the taste has an unpleasant glycerin tint;
• saponification number 176-186 mg KOH/g, acidity 1.2-1.5 mg KOH/g, iodine number 82-88 mg J 2/100g;
• density 0.948-0.968 g/cm3 (at 20-25◦C), which means high viscosity, not typical for vegetable oils.

However, to a person far from organic chemistry, numbers and terms mean nothing. Something else is important. The quality of pharmaceutical oil is standardized, and production is technologically advanced. Castor oil is included in professional creams for dermatological problems and is used in folk recipes. Oil can also help at home, but it must be used correctly.

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Action

The main advantage of castor oil in the fight against acne and acne is its pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, it is also used to treat dermatitis, burns, and frostbite. By slightly irritating the skin, it helps improve capillary blood circulation and the cells receive more oxygen.

In addition, the following properties help to quickly improve the condition of problem skin:

• moisturizing – oil quickly removes dryness and flaking;
• antibacterial - pathogenic microbes do not multiply and the number of rashes is quickly reduced:
• normalizing - castor oil is able to regulate the activity of the sebaceous glands and the ducts do not clog so quickly;
• regenerating - acne wounds heal faster, and there are no scars or unsightly dark spots left on the face after them;
• protective - a thin film formed on the skin reliably protects it from further infection and negative environmental influences.

In addition, castor oil stimulates the immune system and thus helps the body fight inflammatory processes.

Principles of using castor oil for skin

Acne treatment begins with an allergy test. Apply 3-4 drops of the product to the wrist, rub and hold for 15-20 minutes.

What else to consider:

• Don’t get too carried away with castor oil: for a positive result, one procedure every 5-7 days with a full course of 1-1.5 months is enough;
• undiluted oil is used carefully; it is better to add the product to other creams or prepare homemade preparations with it;
• castor masks do not last long (especially before bedtime), otherwise swelling and irritation of the skin appears;
• before use, the oil is heated by steam to reduce the viscosity;
• Before applying the treatment, the skin is thoroughly cleansed (wash with warm water);
• Application time for castor masks is no more than 20-30 minutes.

Note . Castor beans (from the spurge family) are poisonous. All botanical parts contain the highly toxic protein ricin and pyridine alkaloids. Because of this, the fruits are collected with special precautions to obtain the oily liquid. But ready-made medical castor oil is devoid of toxicity: dangerous compounds are eliminated by cold pressing and industrial cleaning.

Combination of castor oil with other ingredients

When eliminating acne, castor oil is most effective in combination with other components. Traditional ingredients of folk cosmetology are suitable: fruits, vegetables, essential oils, herbal infusions.

In this case, it is necessary to take into account the condition of the skin:

1. Dry skin. Castor oil is mixed with olive, apricot, and grape oil in a ratio of 1:3 (3 parts of the auxiliary component are mixed per part of Castor oil).
2. Oily skin. Here castor oil is mixed with the same components, but the components are taken in equal parts.
3. Dry or normal skin responds gratefully to masks containing sweet fruits. Bananas, melons, peaches, apricots are mixed with castor oil. For 15-20 g of fruit pulp, take 5-10 g of oily liquid.
4. For oily skin, sour fruits are useful: currants, kiwi, strawberries, freshly prepared applesauce, oranges. The ingredients taken in equal proportions are well ground, and the mixture is immediately applied.
5. The yolk of a chicken egg with castor oil helps with pronounced signs of aging , and the whites beaten with butter help with oily skin.
6. Fermented milk products with castor oil are beneficial for any structure of the dermis. Milk removes inflammation, softens papules and pimples, and whitens spots after rashes. The vitamin and mineral composition of milk nourishes the dermis, acids act as peeling.

Castor oil can diversify familiar home recipes. Too thick a product is diluted with a decoction of chamomile, infusions of parsley and dill. But you shouldn’t add oil to cosmeceuticals: there is a possibility of an allergic response from the body.

Chemical composition

Castor oil is obtained from a plant called castor bean. This beneficial substance contains monosaturated and polysaturated acids, the most important of which are:

• Ricinoleic,
• Oleic,
• Linoleic.

The composition also contains stearic and palmitic acid. There are also a large number of vitamins that have a positive effect on the skin. These are retinol and tocopherol. They prevent the development of the inflammatory process in the epidermis and have a rejuvenating, cleansing effect.

Ricinoleic acid exhibits antimicrobial activity. Its content in castor oil reaches 90%.

Using castor oil for acne

Castor oil helps with dermatological lesions and redness. The effect also appears with acne, pustules (purulent formations with a white core), subcutaneous pimples, group accumulations of papules and pustules, blackheads (pimples with a black head).

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Oil cleaning

Cleansing is the first and important step for skin problems. Interestingly, oil cleansing is superior in effect to special lotions, gels, and cosmetic milks in the budget segment. This is due to the ability of castor oil not only to remove impurities, but also to correct lipid-fat metabolism.

How to clean:

• Before the procedure, it is necessary to steam the dermis until the pores open;
• to relieve inflammation, chamomile infusions or a series of water are added to the mini-steam room;
• the steamed face is cleaned with a cotton pad with heated oil;
• leave the application for 10 minutes.

If the rashes are minor, you can perform a light facial massage (stroking with your fingertips - no stronger). After time, excess castor oil is removed with a cotton napkin.

Oil compresses

A tablespoon of heated castor oil is mixed with a teaspoon of wheat germ oil (the volume of the components is increased if necessary). A single layer of gauze is soaked in the composition and applied to the prepared face. Application time - 15 minutes. The remaining product is carefully removed with a paper napkin.

If you have oily skin, you should not overdo it with oil compresses, otherwise the problem will only worsen. It is enough to carry out one procedure every 10 days. If you have dry skin, you can nourish your face with castor oil weekly.

Mask with castor oil for acne

Castor oil masks perfectly penetrate the subcutaneous layers, draw out impurities and restore lipid metabolism in the dermis. Fatty acids cleanse and tighten pores, moisturize the face, neutralize rashes and inflammation.

Effective recipe for acne:

• mix 1 tsp. castor and sea buckthorn oils;
• gradually introduce 2 tsp. water infusion of calendula;
• Combine the resulting mixture with the yolk of a chicken egg, add a crushed aspirin tablet.

The composition is used in 3 doses. The first layer is the thinnest - it lasts for 5 minutes, then half the amount of mask is applied. The residues are evenly distributed, the final layer lasts until it hardens completely.

Then the mask is softened with cotton pads soaked in water and washed off with running water. During the procedure, additional ingredients of the composition nourish the skin, so you can do without creams.

Use in its pure form

The use of pure castor oil is allowed if there is no allergy to triglycerides. The method helps against comedones, acne against the background of swelling of the dermis.

Rubbing

The method involves using pure castor oil on carefully prepared dermis:

• Clean your face from makeup and dirt with lotion or tonic according to your skin type, rinse with warm water;
• Heat castor oil (2 tablespoons) over steam and rub 2/3 of the mixture into the skin, then additionally treat problem areas;
• The procedure is carried out using a cotton swab along massage lines.

After 15 minutes, pat your face dry with a napkin and wipe with a weak chamomile infusion. To avoid causing swelling, oil treatments are carried out 3 hours before bedtime (1-2 times a week).

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Contraindications for use

You should not experiment with large, painful cysts (especially with several inflamed nodes). This is already a reason to consult a dermatologist.

In other situations, contraindications are:

• critical days;
• skin hypersensitivity to saturated fatty acids;
• pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• asthma, diabetes, tendency to allergies.

Castor oil is not added to salads, it is not fried or steamed, and in general it is not a food product. If you do not take into account the recommendations and contraindications, even a purified product can have a negative effect on the skin.

Have you tried recipes with castor oil? Share in the comments.

Reviews

I added a banana to the castor oil mask. I used this recipe for about two months. I really liked the result, acne began to appear less often, there were practically no blackheads.

I didn’t expect that castor oil would help eliminate acne. But after using a lotion made from castor bean and grape seed extract for three weeks, my skin became perfect!

I have oily and problem skin at the same time, so I use a recipe that contains aspirin. I always wash off the mask with warm boiled water, then remove the remaining oil with a napkin. The result is good, there are no blackheads on the face, the skin has become softer and more elastic.

I don’t do masks because I have to wait half an hour, and there’s always not enough time. Therefore, I wipe my skin with an oil-based cotton pad. Acne is very rare, I think this is due to castor oil.