01
Warm a little
Pump two or three pumps into your palms and rub them together. Warm oil spreads much further than cold, so start with less than you think.
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The Castor Oil Company
One ingredient, used slowly. A thick, cold-pressed oil worked through mid-lengths and ends, left to sit, then washed out. Here is what is in it, how people use it, and how often.
The short answers
What is in it
Castor oil is thicker than almost anything else on the shelf. That comes down to its fatty acid profile, dominated by a single unusual acid you will not find at this level in any other common oil. It is a description of the oil, not a promise about your hair.
Makes up ~87% of our oil. It is the reason castor oil is viscous and coats a hair strand rather than soaking straight in like a light oil.
Pressed without heat and without hexane, so nothing is stripped out and no solvent residue is left behind.
Nothing added. No fragrance, no carrier oil, no preservative — so you control the dilution, not us.
UV-shielding glass rather than plastic, with the pressed date of the batch on every bottle.
The Ritual
Four steps, about ten minutes of actual work. The waiting is the long part.
01
Pump two or three pumps into your palms and rub them together. Warm oil spreads much further than cold, so start with less than you think.
02
Start at the ends and work upward to the mid-lengths on dry or damp hair. Section thick hair so every strand gets a pass.
03
Twist it up, wrap it in a towel or an old shirt, and leave it thirty minutes . Use a pillowcase you do not mind oiling.
04
Shampoo dry hair before wetting it, then rinse and repeat. Castor oil is thick and one wash rarely clears it.
How much, how often
The most common mistake is using far too much. These are starting points by hair length — adjust down if your hair feels heavy the next day.
Fine or oily-prone hair: keep it to the ends only, treating once a fortnight to begin with.
Patch test on a small area of skin before the first full application. Do not use if pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have a scalp condition — speak to a doctor or healthcare professional instead.
Neat castor oil is heavy. Cutting it makes it easier to spread and easier to wash out.
The most common pairing. Melts together in warm palms and rinses out with noticeably less shampoo.
One part castor to two parts jojoba, almond or argan, for fine hair that goes limp under anything heavier.
Stirred into the conditioner already in your hand, for the days you want none of the wrapping and waiting.
What Goes Wrong
Two or three pumps covers most heads. The more oil you use, the more shampoo it takes to shift.
Shampoo goes on to dry oiled hair, not wet. Water first and the shampoo slides straight off.
A single ingredient is still an ingredient. Small area of skin, 24 to 48 hours, before the first use.
Amber glass helps, but a cupboard helps more. Heat and daylight are what turn any oil.
Your questions, answered simply
A small family business, committed to natural beauty and simplicity. We use the product ourselves. Still curious? We answer every email.
Yes, and many people do. Wrap it in a towel or an old shirt and use a pillowcase you don’t mind oiling. If your scalp feels irritated at any point, wash it out.
Shampoo goes on to dry oiled hair first, before any water. Massage it in, then add water and rinse, then repeat. Wetting the hair first is the single most common reason it takes four washes.
The ritual described here is mid-lengths and ends. If you want to use it on the scalp, patch test first and start with a diluted blend — castor oil is thick and harder to rinse from the roots.
Jamaican Black is roasted before pressing, which darkens the oil and gives it a smoky smell and a higher pH. Ours is cold-pressed, so it stays pale gold and neutral. Neither is a stronger version of the other — they are different processes.
At two or three pumps once a week, around eighty treatments — well over a year for most people. Keep it in a cupboard rather than a windowsill.
People commonly use a single drop on a spoolie for brows, kept well away from the eye itself. For anything around the eyes or lash line, we’d suggest speaking with a healthcare professional first. Avoid contact with eyes.
This page provides general information related to cosmetic and personal care use only. Our products are not intended to diagnose or treat any health condition. Always patch test before use, and consult a professional for personal care advice if needed. Individual experiences may vary.
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Cold-pressed, hexane-free, bottled in amber glass in Western Australia. One ingredient, nothing added.
