Castor oil is the oil pressed from the castor plant seeds, it’s often used by women for thickening hair and eyebrows…
…Which has led many men to a question; Can I use castor oil for beard growth?
This article aims to answer the question. We’ll be looking at the science, possible mechanisms, and anecdotal evidence of how – and what type – of castor oil could be used for face to grow thicker facial hair.
So let’s get to it:
How Could Castor Oil be Used for Beard Growth?
There are many mechanisms for how castor oil can make facial hair thicker.
Castor oil contains 85-95% of special type of monounsaturated fatty-acids called Ricinoleic acids, and this type of fat has been scientifically proven to increase hair density in laboratory animals (.pdf), by stimulating the production of prostaglandin E2, which is known to thicken the hair spewing out of follicles.
Other similar monounsaturated fatty-acids (found in olive oil and argan oil) have been found to increase testosterone levels in men who consume them orally. This isn’t proof of castor oil actually increasing testosterone when applied to skin, but at least it shows that it should theoretically have a positive hormonal effect in humans (instead of negatively affecting hormones like many polyunsaturated fats found in poorly designed beard oils).
The third mechanism of action is not related to actually making the beard grow, but making it appear thicker. Castor oil is denser than most oils and it creates the visual impact of a thicker dense beard, that in combination with its slight circulation boosting effect makes castor oil the perfect daily growth stimulating beard oil.
Anecdotal reports from various forums show that many men notice positive effects with castor oil use, although one can’t expect it to magically grow you new hairs on a daily basis like minoxidil does.
The Best Type of Castor Oil and Where to Buy?
Since women have been using and recommending castor oil for over a decade now, a big market surrounding the products has emerged.
However, not all castor oil is what it seems like. You want your oil to be the actual real Jamaican black castor oil, fresh, unrefined, and unprocessed, with high amount of ricinoleic acid.
After testing few different castor oil brands for facial hair growth, experts recommend the authentic Sunny Isle’s black Jamaican extra dark castor oil.
It’s perfectly thick, proven real and unprocessed, and being bit darker than most beard oils, it actually not only makes your beard appear thicker, but also darker.
NOTE: The same brand of castor oil is available as a beard oil too, but it’s the exact same stuff in smaller bottle with higher price, which is why we recommend this normal bottlefor better bang for your buck (you don’t even need a dropper to apply castor oil to face).
How to Apply Castor Oil for Beard Growth?
Some people recommend adding castor oil and then washing it off, you don’t need to do that however.
Instead apply a dollar sized amount to the palm of your hand and gently rub around the facial hair area, if you’re bearded this should be enough for a light coat that doesn’t look oily.
If you don’t have a beard, and would like to try castor oil for face to stimulate the production of prostaglandin E2 and circulation, then half of the amount above should suffice.
If you’re also using microneedling and/or minoxidil, it’s recommended that you first do the derma rolling or put on minoxidil, and then apply the castor oil 2-3 hours later.
Again, there’s no need to worry about washing the oil off immediately afterwards like some claim. It’ll wash out in the shower whenever you take one and that’s perfectly fine.
Conclusion
Black Jamaican castor oil has a scientifically valid theoretical method of boosting beard growth, by stimulating the production of prostaglandin E2 in hair follicles.
Plus, it also goes well as a normal beard oil due to it being slightly thicker than most oils and benefiting the facial hair area blood flow. It’s also dark which can add some shade to your bead area making it appear fuller.
Experts recommend authentic Jamaican black castor oil for best beard growth and maintenance results (none of that cheap fake castor oil stuff, if it doesn’t have a slightly nutty aroma, then it’s not castor oil).