Several readers have asked about promoting eyelash growth. The notion of using castor oil as a growth accelerant keeps coming up…
Marta Says:
I have heard that castor oil does promote eyelash growth. I was talking to an old Indian lady who is an aesthetician and she said that in the old country this is what women used for eyelash growth.
The Left Brain Comments:
At the risk of upsetting Marta and aetheticians everywhere, I feel compelled to point out that while aestheticians are trained in skin care techniques, they are generally not chemists. This half of The Beauty Brains would prefer to see the scientific research on castor oil rather than take someone`s word for it.
So what does the scientific community say? Well, the American Cancer Society looked into a bunch of false claims about castor oil and decided that there was no data to show that it did much of anything. I quote the ACS:
Naturopathic practitioners and some others claim that castor oil boosts the immune system by increasing white blood cells, which help the body fight infection,and other immune cells. They also claim that castor oil helps dissolve cysts, warts, and tumors, as well as soften bunions and corns. Other claims for castor oil include treating lymphoma, bacterial and viral diseases (including HIV), arthritis, skin and hair conditions, eye irritations, diseases of the colon and gallbladder, bursitis, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. There is no scientific evidence to support these claims…
So, until someone can do a controlled study that shows castor oil makes your eyelashes grow, color me skeptical.
By the way, did you know that castor oil comes from the castor bean, the same bean that ricin, one of the world`s most deadly poisons is derived from? Only 1/5000 of a gram of ricin can kill you if you inhale, ingest, or inject it. It’s twice as deadly as cobra venom! Does that mean castor oil is dangerous? Is it it really some kind of murderous mascara? Not at all, I just thought this was an interesting science fact that would catch your attention. (he he, I warned the Right Brain that I was feeling mischievious today!)
Ok, but what about other eyelash growth products that readers have asked about like Jan Marini Age Intervention and Mavala Switzerland’s Double Lash? Stay tuned for a future post on these soon!
Loading ...
Sandy Says:
Actually, I’ve used pure castor oil from my pharmacy on my lashes and they became thicker and longer after about a month.
thebeautybrains.com » Does Jan Marini Really Make Your Eyelashes Grow Says:
[...] readers have asked about eyelash growth. I looked into this product and can’t find any convincing evidence it works. Hair growth [...]
jen Says:
I have been using castrol oil for about a month, and Havn’t seen any changes. My eyelashes are the same. This is just a myth, and i wouldn’t be recomending anyone to use it, since i have had several eye infections since using castrol oil.
Left Brain Says:
Thanks for the comments Jen. Castor oil could harbor bacteria so it would make sense that you could get an eye infection. You could put a preservative in there to prevent it.
dsd Says:
Castor oil really does work.. my eyelashes are great because of this.. so shut up.. you dont know everything!!!
thebeautybrains Says:
True we don’t know everything. But we know enough to be skeptical of claims about castor oil. I’d love to believe it but there just isn’t any proof. Just because you use a material and you think you see a benefit (whether you really do or not) doesn’t mean the stuff you put on was responsible for the effect.
If you treat your lashes with castor oil, 3 things can happen.
1. They get longer
2. They get shorter
3. They stay the same.
The exact same things could happen if you treat your eyelashes with nothing. Now, how do you prove the castor oil did anything. Anecdotal stories about a material working for someone is not proof.
tac Says:
On this website: http://www.agingeye.net/otheragingeye/blepharitis.php
which says its is from the university of chicago dry eye institue it says that castor oil has anti-inflammatory effects on the eye if used regularly (it even cites a journal article) and it says that 2 popular dry eye ointments contain castor oil. While this is not scientific evidence that it helps with eyelas growth it does look like ther is evidence of other eye nenefits
thebeautybrains Says:
Thanks for the reference, Tac. You’re right, this doesn’t prove anything about eyelash growth but it’s interesting none the less.
rob Says:
Does It Make Ur Hair Grow On ur Head?
thebeautybrains Says:
No.
earth Says:
Refresh lubrication eye drops as well as Restasis for severe dry eye have Castor Oil in both.
The most important thing is to understand how the oil or medication is formulated.
L Says:
A hypothesis: Is it possible that the appearance longer lashes is just due to the castor oil killing off demodex folliculorum (which make lashes fall out easier)?
It would explain why castor oil is effective in treating eye irritation and hit or miss as far as seeing lash results (you’re either have the mites or not). And probably a good alternative to those in less developed countries (like India) where such ointments aren’t readily available.
Sara Says:
I’ve had literarily amazing effects with CAstor oil. Just apply it like you would mascara (lightly) and then go to sleep .. do this for a week and you should see excellent results.
My lower lashes are SO long.. as well as my outer ones which means i no longer wear mascara. My boyfriend started telling me just how amazing my eyes/eyelashes were when i woke up first thing int he morning.
This stuff seriously does work.
Obviously it will vary from person to person.. as in how much your eyelashes are already growing ot their full potential and what the full growth potential of your eyelashes is!
It works. NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER
aysha Says:
i really tried it b4 ad it worked and later on it stopped workin..isnt this a bit weird??lol
aysha Says:
and btw is there any eye drops or sumthin which will help in growth of eyelashes (as in thicker,longer,and darker lashes?!) please replllyy!!! thnx heapz
lizzie Says:
i have the same question as wat aysha asked…….please email me or write it in here if therez any way in getting longer,thicker and darker lashes……anything for the eyebrow to get thicker and darker aswell?? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reply….thnx alooot
Janie Says:
I share a healthy skepticism of a natural healing claims but am also open to trying some. I can tell you, for a fact, castor oil works on removing warts and skin lesions. I had a wart like skin lesion; I put castor oil on it, covered it with a bandaid, and after 10 days it peeled off smoothly. It left a red spot, but that faded within a week or so. It ou can’t even tell anything was there now. This skin lesion was the same type that was on my back that I had frozen off a year or so earlier.
I don’t know about the hair growth, but it actually worked for me on the skin lesion, and we also use it for sore muscles, and it works for that also.
Janie
ram Says:
Hi,
Will castor oil help grow hair back on my bald head??
Appreciate an answer
~ram
Kishia Says:
It depresses me to see your site be so negative, it seems like no product works out there and that we are so dependent on chemicals drugs and studies , which a lot of times are purposely rigged to have the drug companies make the most money. How in the word have we survived for so long without those drugs before????
Kishia Says:
No Castor oil will not help hair growth.
nasty Says:
i don’t really understand “deadly poison” …most of the people in haiti use it(and have been using it for many years) for about everything and they ingest it too and i’ve never seen anybody have any kind of reaction with it and the haitian one is unrefined…so…i dont know about that poison thing
and it does make hair and lashes thicker
heidi Says:
well Castor Oil is a stimulant laxative, its not a “deadly poison”. if it werea “deadly poison” people wouldnt be selling it, but im going to try it on my eyelashes see how it works for me
T. Mendes Says:
Ummm…. Castor Oil grew the hair on my head out. But see, I am black and my hair is naturally curly and dry. It works wonders as a hair shine serum since you only need one drop for the whole head. My hair was cut in a bob due to a bad salon experience and I used this on my ends for protection. My hair is now past my bra after 2 1/2 years. No, it doesn’t make it grow ‘faster’ but it coats the hair shaft to make the hair stronger so that it doesn’t break and it helps lubricate the scalp to give the hair a healthy environment to grow. It doesn’t force hair to grow. It does work on my eyebrows though
That and I don’t think this will work on Caucasian hair. My hair can be oiled daily after washing. For castor oil to work, you must use it often. I think this will make caucasian hair oily and limp.
So if your hair already grows fast, you dont need this. If your hair is dry and breaking, rub some oil on your ends at night and wash out. This will help retain your length and grow out longer.
ann Says:
My dog had a wart in his mouth. The vet said it is very common for puppies in daycare because of mouth to mouth contact with other dogs. For 3 weeks there was no change until I read on a homeopathic website about castor oil. I put it on a q-tip and put it on the wart for 2 nights….IT IS TOTALLY GONE. I’m still amazed!
Kelly Says:
I have used Castor Oil on my eyelashes (which are pretty nice to begin with) for the past month. They are incredibly long and full now. My bottom lashes are longer & fuller than they have ever been. I have had no irritation. What I’ve seen so far is very impressive.