I first read about the Castor Oil Challenge on one of my fave hair blogs, United Kinkdom, I liked the idea of doing a challenge and castor oil intrigued me. If you Google, Castor Oil Challenge you'll find advice from the likes of Love Your Tresses, Afro Deity and many others who are far more knowledgeable than me. However, what I understand of castor oil is this. It is a vegetable oil created from roasted and pressed castor beans and is used for skin care, hair care and to soothe aches and pains (as a massage oil I presume). The oil has been hailed for promoting hair growth, thicker hair and smoother ends.
After a chat with my mum, who told me that when she was a child she used castor oil in her hair as there were no other black hair products available in the UK, I decided to definitely give this challenge a go. I've chosen to use Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil with Ylang Ylang as ylang ylang is another reported growth stimulant.
The oil itself is a deep yellow, brown colour and has a nutty herbal scent. It's also quite thick, almost the same thickness as a serum rather than an oil. When working with oils I always tend to pour a small amount out into a tub as I find it easier to work with that way.
Here's what I'm hopping to see during my challenge.
Healthier ends - my ends have always been dry and bushy.
Growth - always a good thing
Shinier hair with locked in moisture - I won't be using any other oils or moisturisers for the duration of this test.
For the duration of the challenge I will
Massage the oil into scalp 3 times per week - most likely at night
Seal ends each night before bed - that's going to be the tricky one for me
Sleep on a silk pillow - there's no chances of me ever wrapping my hair.
Deep condition using castor oil fortnightly.
Duration: I aim to keep this up for 3 months (wish me luck!)
Reporting: I'll be taking a picture each week to show any growth. I'll also keep a weekly diary monitoring any changes I notice
Your comments and tips are VERY welcome
Hi ;)
ReplyDeleteDo you know if castor oil would be good for any type of curly hair?
Thanks!
Hello! I'm no expert, but it is meant to be good for all hair types. My hair can handle it being left in all day. Some people find it a bit heavy, so they only use it on their scalp at night before washing their hair the following day.
DeleteIt's also really good to add a few drops into your regular conditioner. Makes your hair nice and shiny.
It's very thick though so use sparingly!
x
Thanks, Sabrina! :)
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