Castor Oil vs Jojoba Oil: Hair, Skin and How to Mix Them

The Great Oil Debate: Castor Oil vs Jojoba Oil

Castor oil and jojoba oil are two of the most popular single-ingredient oils for hair and skin, but they could hardly be more different. One is thick, glossy and slow to sink in. The other is light, silky and almost disappears into skin. Here is how they compare, which one suits which job, and how to use them together.

The short answer

Choose castor oil when you want a rich, heavy oil for hair ends, pre-wash treatments and dry areas, used in small amounts. Choose jojoba oil when you want a light oil for everyday use on face, scalp and body. If you want something in between, blend them: a little castor oil thinned with jojoba gives you castor's richness with a far lighter feel.

Castor oil vs jojoba oil at a glance

	Castor oil	Jojoba oil
Plant	Seeds of the castor plant, Ricinus communis	Seeds of the jojoba shrub, Simmondsia chinensis
What it is	A true oil (a triglyceride)	Technically a liquid wax, made of wax esters
Main component	Ricinoleic acid (about 87% in our oil)	Long-chain wax esters
Texture	Very thick and sticky	Thin and silky
Feel on skin	Sits on the surface, glossy finish	Absorbs quickly, non-greasy finish
Colour and scent	Pale yellow, faint scent	Golden (or clear if refined), nearly odourless
Typical uses	Hair ends, pre-wash treatments, dry elbows, heels and cuticles	Face oil, scalp massage, body oil, makeup removal
How much to use	A few drops goes a long way	Can be used more freely

Are castor oil and jojoba oil the same?

No. They come from unrelated plants and have very different chemistry. Castor oil is pressed from castor seeds and is dominated by a single fatty acid, ricinoleic acid, which gives it its unusual thickness. Jojoba comes from a desert shrub native to the south-western United States and northern Mexico, and it is also farmed in Australia. It isn't really an oil at all but a liquid wax. Human sebum contains wax esters too, which is why jojoba is often described as being close to the skin's own oils.

Castor oil vs jojoba oil for hair

The two oils do different jobs in a hair routine.

Castor oil is a coating oil. Its thickness makes it good for smoothing dry ends and for pre-wash treatments, where you apply it before shampooing and wash it out. Because it is so heavy, a little is plenty, and it usually needs a thorough shampoo to remove.
Jojoba oil is a light oil. It spreads easily through the scalp and lengths, rinses out readily and suits fine hair that a heavier oil would weigh down.

Thick, dry or textured hair often gets on well with castor oil. Fine or oily hair usually prefers jojoba. Many people use a blend of the two (see below). For a full routine, read our step-by-step guide to castor oil for hair.

What about hair growth?

You will see both oils promoted for hair growth online. There isn't good evidence that either one makes hair grow, and we don't make that claim. Use them for how they make your hair look and feel: smoother, glossier and easier to manage.

Castor oil vs jojoba oil for skin and face

For the face, jojoba is the easier choice for most people. It is light, absorbs quickly and suits daily use, either on its own or as a carrier for other oils.

Castor oil is much heavier on skin. It works best in small amounts on dry areas such as elbows, knees, heels and cuticles, or diluted in a lighter oil for the face. Some people use it in oil cleansing, where a small amount of castor oil is mixed into a lighter oil and massaged in, then wiped off with a warm cloth. See how to use castor oil in face care.

Whichever you choose, patch test a small area first and keep both oils away from your eyes.

Can you mix castor oil and jojoba oil?

Yes, and it's one of the most common ways to use castor oil. Jojoba thins castor oil down so it spreads further, feels lighter and washes out more easily.

For hair ends and pre-wash treatments: 1 part castor oil to 1 part jojoba oil.
For the scalp or fine hair: 1 part castor oil to 3 parts jojoba oil.
For the face or oil cleansing: 1 part castor oil to 3 or 4 parts jojoba oil.
For a body oil: 1 part castor oil to 2 parts jojoba oil, applied to damp skin after a shower.

Mix only what you will use in the next few weeks, in a clean, dry bottle, preferably dark glass. Shake before use.

Which is better, castor oil or jojoba oil?

Neither is better overall. It depends on what you want the oil to do:

Rich, glossy finish on dry ends or rough skin: castor oil.
Light everyday oil for face, scalp and body: jojoba oil.
Fine or oily hair: jojoba oil, or a blend with only a little castor oil.
Thick or textured hair: castor oil, alone or blended.
A bit of both: blend them.

How to choose a good bottle of either oil

The same checks apply to both oils:

Cold-pressed: pressed mechanically rather than extracted with solvents. See why pressing method matters.
Certified organic: look for a named certification rather than just the word "organic".
Single ingredient: the label should list one oil and nothing else.
Dark glass: amber or other dark glass protects oil from light.

Our castor oil is pressed from certified organic seeds grown in India, certified under NPOP and verified by Ecocert. It is cold-pressed and hexane-free, with no solvents used at any stage, and an independent lab test confirmed no hexane was detected. It is bottled in amber glass in Western Australia. Shop certified organic castor oil.

Frequently asked questions

Is jojoba oil thicker than castor oil?

No. Castor oil is far thicker. Jojoba oil is thin and pours easily, while castor oil is slow and sticky.

Can I use jojoba oil instead of castor oil?

For light, everyday use, yes. If you want castor oil's heavy, coating feel, jojoba won't give you the same result, but it is a good way to thin castor oil down.