The key difference between castor oil and black castor oil is that castor oil is extracted through the cold-pressed method, whereas black castor oil is extracted by roasting the castor beans, grinding them into a thick paste, and then boiling them in hot water.
Both castor oil and black castor oil are made from caster beans, which are scientifically known as Ricinus Communis. These are organic and sulfate-free. They have omega fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Both are heavy oils and help in promoting hair growth and give a shiny look to the hair.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Castor Oil
– Definition, Processing Methods, Features, Benefits
2. What is Black Castor Oil
– Definition, Processing Methods, Features, Benefits
3. Difference Between Castor Oil and Black Castor Oil
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Black Castor Oil, Castor Oil
What is Castor Oil
Castor oil is a nutrient-rich vegetable oil from castor beans. It originated in tropical east Africa, but now it is popular in India and the West Indies for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Castor oil is made by pressing fresh castor beans without using any heating methods. We use the name cold-pressing to describe this process. Some manufacturers also use chemicals in this process.
Figure 01: Castor Oil
Castor oil is normally clear or pale yellow. It is a long-chained fatty acid that provides essential nutrients and proteins. It promotes hair growth and also has other benefits for hair, such as providing gloss and shine, coating the hair shaft, increasing its flexibility, and providing antimicrobial properties. This oil is good for reducing frizz, but if you are suffering from dandruff, you should not use castor oil. You can apply this oil on eyelashes and eyebrows as well. But since these are close to the eye area, you have to first do a patch test before applying them.
What is Black Castor Oil
Black castor oil is a hair growth support oil taken from Jamaican castor beans. Like castor beans, it also hydrates the scalp and skin. Jamaican black castor oil is another name for this oil. Though castor oil originated in Eastern Africa, it came to Jamaica via the slave trade. It has a dark brown to black color shade because of the ash from the roasted castor beans.
Black castor oil promotes hair growth and thickens, moisturizes, and strengthens hair. This oil also prevents dandruff, brittle hair, thinning hair, alopecia, breakage, bald spots, and itchy and dry scalp. If you have never used it, you can start by applying a small amount once or twice a week. Black castor oil contains alkalines, and if your scalp is too acidic, this oil is capable of reducing irritation and making the scalp neutralized. But, if your scalp is too alkaline, then applying this oil will make it dry and sensitive and may lead to eczema. This oil also treats acne and eases muscle pain. You can use this for your eyebrows and eyelashes.
Figure 02: Castor Beans
Since this oil is very thick, you can’t apply it all over the head every day, but you can apply some to your hair roots and scalp before going to bed. You can do this about two or three times a week or even daily. You can also use this oil for hot oil treatments.
Difference Between Castor Oil and Black Castor Oil
Definition
Castor oil is a nutrient-rich vegetable oil from castor beans, while black castor oil is a hair growth support oil taken from Jamaican castor beans.
Color
Castor oil has a golden yellow color, whereas black castor oil has a black color.
pH Level
While castor oil has a low pH, black castor oil has a high pH.
Smell
Castor oil is scentless, whereas black castor oil has a decadent roasted scent.
Processing Method
Castor oil is extracted through the cold-pressed method, whereas black castor oil is extracted by roasting the castor beans, grinding them into a thick paste, and then boiling them in hot water.
Number of Steps in Processing
Processing castor oil has fewer steps as it does not involve roasting or boiling, whereas processing black castor oil involves more steps.
Effectiveness
Black castor oil is more effective than castor oil due to its ash content.
Conclusion
Castor Oil is a nutrient-rich vegetable oil from castor beans. It is extracted through the cold-pressed method. It is golden yellow and is scentless. Black castor oil, on the other hand, is a hair growth support oil manufacturers make from Jamaican castor beans. This oil is extracted traditionally where the castor beans are roasted, and because of the ashes, it is deep brown or black. It also has a roasted scent. The main difference between castor oil and black castor oil is their production method.
Reference:
1. “4 Benefits and Uses of Castor Oil.” Health Line.
2. “Why You Should Use Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Hair Growth.” Naturally Curly.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Castor oil” By Pete Markham from Loretto, USA – It looks so harmless (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Castor beans (Ricinus communis) collected from Bolarum Bazar” By Adityamadhav83 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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