Can you use castor oil as a skin moisturizer?

What does castor oil do for dry skin?

Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid that helps retain moisture. More generally, oils in moisturizers form a thin film that reduces water evaporation. That is different from the work of humectants, ingredients that attract water, and emollients, which help keep the skin surface smooth. A formulated moisturizer can combine these functions instead of relying on an oil alone.12

Castor oil has a long history in cosmetics, which is a history, not a deadline for replacing your moisturizer. Its moisturizing use is more established than an optimal routine for applying pure oil: there is no well established amount, frequency or results timetable to follow. Treat it as an optional moisturizing ingredient, not a treatment for every skin concern. Castor oil packs have no proven skin benefits, even if the cloth makes the process look more official.13

How should you moisturize?

1. 1Choose a moisturizer suited to your skin rather than defaulting to pure castor oil. If a finished product contains castor oil, follow that product's directions.
2. 2Wash your skin, then leave some water on the surface rather than drying it completely.
3. 3Apply moisturizer to damp skin to help trap that water. This is general moisturizing guidance, not a tested routine for pure castor oil.
4. 4Use moisturizer every day when your skin feels dry. For nummular eczema, which causes patches of eczema, moisturize after every bath, shower and handwashing, and again when skin feels dry.

What if you have acne or sensitive skin?

For acne prone skin, choose a moisturizer marked oil free, noncomedogenic or won't clog pores. Those descriptions mean the product is unlikely to cause acne, not that breakouts are impossible. Moisturizer is particularly useful if benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, prescription retinoids or isotretinoin leave your skin dry and irritated. Daily moisturizing can help skin tolerate those treatments; pure castor oil is not the default substitute for an acne friendly moisturizer.4

If you have nummular eczema, choose a fragrance free, hypoallergenic cream or ointment rather than a lotion. Unscented does not mean fragrance free: a product can contain fragrance to mask other smells. People with atopic eczema are more prone to irritation from topical products, so replacing a suitable moisturizer with pure castor oil is not a useful shortcut.56

When should you stop using it?

Stop using a topical product if it causes burning, itching, redness, swelling or a rash. Reactions can appear quickly or develop after repeated exposure, so one uneventful application does not settle whether you tolerate it. Persistent or severe reactions need medical attention; a dermatologist can investigate a suspected allergy with patch testing. Keep pure castor oil out of your eyes because it can cause pain, blurred vision and eye damage.16

Finished products also have their own warnings. The CASTOR soap label says not to use it on broken skin, to stop and ask a doctor if a rash occurs, and to ask a doctor during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Those instructions belong to that product, not to every castor oil formula.7

Can you use castor oil as a carrier oil?

Yes. Castor oil has been used as a carrier oil, meaning a base for other ingredients in topical formulations. That does not make a homemade mixture equivalent to a finished moisturizer. Chemically modified castor oil ingredients also differ from native castor oil and are often used to help formulations mix, remain stable or deliver other ingredients.3