Castor oil comes from the seed of the castor plant (Ricinus communis), a broad-leafed flowering plant native to tropical Africa, which spread through pre-historic sea trade to India and the Indonesian islands. It has no close botanical relatives, but is distantly related to the poinsettia and the rubber tree. They are all members of the Euphorbiaceae botanical family, which they share with thousands of other species mostly found on the Indonesian islands. The Castor plant has a long history of medicinal use throughout the Old World, with a large number of uses prescribed particularly by the Ayurvedic system of traditional plant healing in India. One of the primary topical uses of Castor oil has been to treat a number of skin conditions and irritations.
The seeds of the Castor plant are almost 50% oil. In recent times there has been some alarm over the toxin ‘rincin’, also found in the Castor seed, that is poisonous if consumed. However, rincin is water-soluble (not oil soluble) and so is not present in the oil produced for human use. Castor oil is used extensively in soaps and body care treatments because of its incredible benefits to skin and body. It is known for its naturally healing, cleansing, and anti-inflammatory properties. A little goes a long way, and we’ve added just a touch to our natural lip balms and soaps to enhance their natural healing effects.