The effectiveness of castor oil has been proven for more than one generation. Our great-grandmothers also used castor oil to care for their hair, face and body. Its use for medicinal purposes is no less popular. This product treats burns, cuts, colds and intestinal diseases.
This multifaceted product is made from the seeds of the poisonous castor bean plant by pressing. The oil, obtained by cold pressing, is used for various cosmetic procedures and treatments. But the hot processed product is considered technical and does not have such high healing properties. This “unhealthy” oil is unlikely to be found on sale, but the “healthy” one will pleasantly surprise you with its price.
Does castor oil help treat acne?
Miracle castor oil is one of the cheapest and at the same time most effective products used in cosmetology.
And the product has gained such popularity in the beauty industry thanks to its rich composition. Research has shown that castor oil contains fatty acid triglycerides . These compounds have antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Castor oil is also rich in vitamin E and various minerals that nourish the skin. The ricinoleic acid contained in the product successfully copes with roughening of the skin, making the face lighter and smoother. Castor oil stimulates the production of elastin and collagen in the skin.
According to medical research, it is the acidic compounds contained in castor oil that help actively get rid of acne. In particular, ricinolevinic acid, penetrating deep into skin cells, prevents the development of viruses and bacteria.
Masks using castor oil are an excellent way to cleanse the skin. Castor oil penetrates into the pores and draws out excess sebum and impurities.
Harmful foods for irregular bowel movements and constipation
You should not eat foods that have a fixing effect and aggravate the situation. Also undesirable are foods that cause flatulence, bloating, fermentation and generally irritate the intestines.
Products to avoid4,5:
- viscous porridges (rice, semolina), puree soups and jelly;
- rich bakery products, including fresh white bread;
- spicy, salty and seasoned dishes;
- certain vegetables - onions, radishes, turnips, radishes and garlic;
- bananas, persimmons and sweet varieties of apples (“Lungwort”, “Golden Delicious”, “Saffron Pepin” and others);
- potato;
- mushrooms;
- canned foods;
- any confectionery products;
- cocoa, chocolate, strong tea and coffee;
- fatty broth soups;
- any sauces based on mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard;
- alcohol;
- fatty meat and fish.
Basic principles of using castor oil for skin
- Cosmetologists do not recommend using castor oil too often. The optimal number would be two to three procedures per month.
- Castor oil should not be used in its pure form, as such use can cause allergic reactions. Castor oil is best added to cosmetic products such as creams, lotions, etc.
- It is not advisable to leave masks with castor oil on your face overnight. This use may cause swelling and bags under the eyes.
- Before use, the oil must be slightly warmed in a steam bath to make it easier to use.
- Masks with the addition of castor oil should be applied exclusively to a cleansed face.
- Castor masks should be kept on the skin for no more than twenty minutes.
Eliminating pigmentation
The following masks help lighten your heel:
- mix a teaspoon of oil with chopped cucumber, apple or citrus fruit. Add a tablespoon of honey or kefir to the mixture. Apply to face and rinse with warm water after a few minutes;
- mix the oil with honey (a tablespoon each), add Vaseline (a teaspoon), iodine (five drops) and Aevit (ten drops). Apply the mixture to your face every day. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but no longer than five days.
Allergy testing
When using castor oil for the first time, like any other medicinal product, it is necessary to test for allergic reactions . Ricinolevinic acid, contained in oil, can quite often cause such reactions. For the test, you need to apply a few drops of the product to areas with sensitive skin. This could be the crook of your elbow, your wrist, or the area behind your ear. A few minutes are enough to identify the body's reaction. If your skin is predisposed to allergic reactions to the components of various anti-acne products, we recommend that you pay attention to a universal product that is suitable for any skin type - tar soap. You can prepare it yourself at home.
Chemical composition of castor oil
The basis of the natural component is monosaturated and polysaturated acids, the main of which are:
- ricinoleic;
- oleic;
- linoleic
The rest consists of stearic and palmitic acids.
The product also contains vitamins – retinol and tocopherol. They are responsible for the health of the skin, preventing the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the tissues. Ricinoleic acid, which is contained in castor oil up to 90%, exhibits antimicrobial activity.
Combination of castor oil with other ingredients
To achieve the optimal effect of a cosmetic procedure, you can and should mix castor oil with other ingredients.
These can be essential or fatty oils, fruits and other products:
- For dry skin, mixtures of castor oil with olive, sesame, apricot or peach oils are suitable. The mixing proportion in this case is one to three (one portion of castor oil to three portions of another oil).
- For oily skin, you should take olive or grape seed oil. But the proportions for this type of skin will be the opposite - three to one .
- Dry skin responds well to castor masks with fruits . In this case, you need to take sweet fruits - bananas, melons or peaches.
- Oily skin requires the use of sour fruits and berries - strawberries, citrus fruits, currants, kiwi.
- One of the most popular beauty vegetables, cucumber, .
- Eggs are also used in cosmetic procedures . Yolks or whites depending on skin type and purpose of the mask.
- Fermented milk products are an indispensable ingredient in acid treatments. Use kefir or low-fat cottage cheese.
Recommended products for constipation and irregular bowel movements
Most products recommended for problems with irregular bowel movements and constipation will contain fiber and have a laxative effect. Also, food should be varied, rich in vitamins and microelements. Various fermented milk products promote the growth of healthy intestinal microflora, which is also useful for stool retention. Vegetable or animal fat helps the contents move more easily through the intestines, but foods with excess fat should be excluded.
The following foods can be consumed for irregular bowel movements and constipation4,5:
- soups with low-fat broth, preferably vegetable;
- rye or bran bread, other wholemeal flour products;
- lean meat, poultry and fish;
- fresh vegetables, raw or boiled (beets, zucchini, beans, cucumbers, etc.);
- greens - lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, celery, green beans;
- vegetable oil and butter;
- eggs - boiled or in the form of an omelet;
- durum wheat pasta;
- kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt of low or medium fat content;
- porridge – buckwheat, bran, millet and oats;
- dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots) and drinks based on them.
Using castor oil for acne
Oil cleaning
Surprisingly, oils, in particular castor oil, are extremely useful for cleansing oily, problematic skin. Oil cleanses much better than various cosmetic tonics and lotions. This fact is explained by the fact that during aggressive attempts to get rid of excess fat secretion, the skin tries to replenish the fat balance and produces sebum with even greater intensity. This is why the use of alcohol toners or deep cleansers often causes even more oily and dirty skin, which leads to an increase in acne .
Castor oil significantly outperforms pharmaceutical cleansers due to its naturalness and cost-effectiveness. It also perfectly removes makeup, dissolves sebaceous plugs in pores, and maintains the water-fat balance of the skin.
To carry out such cleaning, you must first steam your face . The best way to do this is to use a steam bath. It is advisable to add herbal decoctions to the water - strings, chamomile, etc. The steamed skin should simply be wiped with a cotton swab dipped in the oil mixture. Select the composition of this mixture from the above based on your skin type. After seven to ten minutes, excess oil can be removed with a paper napkin; there is no need to rinse off.
The course of this procedure is two weeks. The manipulation must be carried out every evening.
A unique plant that has amazing properties for treating various diseases of internal organs, as well as for skin and hair care, is chamomile. The effect of chamomile decoction is mild and gradual, so it very rarely causes an allergic reaction.
Oil compresses
The following procedure can be performed a couple of times a week.
Soak a piece of gauze in a mixture of castor oil and wheat germ oil. The ingredients are needed in the following quantities: a tablespoon of castor oil, a teaspoon of wheat germ oil. Apply gauze to your face for a quarter of an hour.
Mask with castor oil for acne
You need to mix a teaspoon of castor oil and calendula solution. Add one protein and a crushed aspirin tablet. The mask is applied in several passes. First one thin layer, and after the first one has dried, the next one. Approximate intervals between coats are 5 minutes. Three or four layers are enough . Five minutes after applying the final layer, the mask should be washed off with warm water. The use of such a mask does not require the subsequent use of cream. The effect of its use is observed the first time.
Basic rules for a healthy diet for constipation
If the problem of irregular bowel movements and constipation arises, changing your diet should be one of the ways to normalize intestinal function. Of course, a strict diet is not suitable for everyone, because with the modern rhythm of life it is quite problematic to follow it. However, any person can follow the general recommendations, which will already become a significant contribution to solving the problem of constipation. Such recommendations include4:
- Cooking methods. It is necessary to give preference to boiled food or the steam cooking method. Without overusing it, you can use baking, but frying should be avoided entirely.
- Diet. You need to get used to fractional meals - small portions 5-6 times a day.
- Quitting bad habits (smoking and drinking alcohol).
- Maintaining water balance. Water is the most natural way to relieve constipation as it softens the contents of the intestines. The minimum amount of water consumed should be in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 liters per day.
- Fiber of plant origin. If you have constipation, you should pay special attention to raw vegetables and fruits. Fiber is found in legumes, bran, seeds and nuts. It is worth considering that relaxation is caused by insoluble types of fiber. However, it is not recommended to overuse fiber, as the opposite effect can also be observed.
- Temperature conditions. This is rarely observed, but it is worth knowing that food and drinks hotter than 60°C or colder than 15°C can affect intestinal motility.
Next, you need to figure out which foods you can eat and which ones you should completely avoid.
Overdose
Castor oil is not such a harmless drug. If doses are not observed, severe diarrhea syndrome is possible, as well as severe dehydration with a sharp decrease in blood pressure, deterioration of kidney function, hallucinations and loss of consciousness. Such symptoms may appear if you take more than 7 g/kg body weight.
If symptoms of overdose occur, antidotes can be used:
- atropine sulfate;
- Loperamide.
The drug is discontinued, electrolyte balance is corrected, and fluid volume is replenished.
Properties and effect on the skin
Castor oil is used for acne on the face due to its bactericidal effect. In addition, it has a very low level of comedogenicity, which means it does not clog pores and does not contribute to the formation of sebaceous plugs.
The active components of the drug of natural origin act in the following directions:
- do not allow microbes to multiply;
- relieve inflammation in the skin;
- improve local blood circulation;
- quickly heal acne marks;
- moisturize and nourish the dermis;
- have a weak comedolytic effect;
- increase the protective barrier of the skin;
- have a brightening effect.
The use of castor oil in medicinal formulations helps to get rid of not only acne, but also blackheads, as well as spots after acne.
