Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Natural Hair | Nutrients, Benefits, How to Use & Caution

Let’s explore the amazing benefits of Jamaican Black castor oil for natural hair!

If you’re looking for one of the top most oils in natural hair history, it’s JBCO, also known as Jamaican Black Castor Oil! Seriously, many naturalistas have had huge success using this miracle oil on their nappy, curly, coily or kinky hair! In this article, I’ll share the nutrients found in JBCO, how to use it and what you should know before using on your hair! Let’s get started, shall we?!

Buy Jamaican Black Castor Oil here.

Nutrients in Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Now Jamaican Black Castor Oil is made from the same castor beans as the regular castor oil we know. The major difference between JBCO and regular castor oil is the color. From the name, you can tell Jamaican Black Castor Oil is black right? Yup! And don’t let that put you off because it’s filled with amazing nutrients you simply don’t want to miss out on! Regular castor oil is a light yellow color. What makes JBCO that dark color is the roasting process the castor beans goes through. Roasting and boiling the castor beans prior to being cold pressed gives it a dark color and more nutty scent. It’s mainly due to the burnt ash content which mixes up with the oil during roasting. This ash actually increases the castor oil’s benefits!

Here are some of the major nutrients in JBCO:

• Omega 3 fatty acids
• Omega 9 fatty acids such as Ricinoleic acid (over 90%)
• Vitamin E
• Linoelic acid
• Oleic acid
• Phytochemicals
• Enzymes
• Carbohydrates
• Mineral salts
• Antioxidants
• And others!

Where to Buy Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Benefits of Jamaican Black Castor Oil

There are lots of benefits of Jamaican Black Castor Oil for natural hair! Here are just the top most benefits:

• Encourages stronger, longer and thicker hair growth.
• Helps repair dry damaged hair.
• Prevents and minimizes hair breakage.
• Has anti-fungal properties that clear scalp fungal infections
• Detoxifies hair follicles
• Excellent for hot oil treatments
• Coats hair with a protective barrier
• Seals in moisture
• Can be used as a leave-in conditioner
• Soothes scalp inflammation

How to Use Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Natural Hair

1. Apply on Hair Length & Hair Ends – Some people prefer not to use castor oil on their scalp and instead use it on their freshly washed hair length and on the ends. It keeps hair soft and good.
2. Hot Oil Treatment – One of my favorite oils to do a hot oil treatment with is JBCO! Here’s my hot oil treatment recipe: Combine 1 tbsp moringa oil, 1 tbsp liquid coconut oil, 1 tsp black cumin seed oil and 1 tsp JBCO in a small pan and warm it over medium low heat for a minute. Now get it out and massage the warm oil onto your scalp. Cover your hair with a shower cap or saran wrap and let it sit for 2 hours. After 2 hours, wash your hair with a sulfate-free shampoo then apply a leave-in conditioner. You can also do the LOC method after washing your hair.
3. Make a Hair Serum – When mixed with other lighter oils, you can get a nice serum like consistency with castor oil for your hair. Here’s a good recipe: In a 4 oz amber glass dropper bottle, add 1 tbsp JBCO, 1 oz camellia seed oil and 2 oz grapeseed oil. Now add 4 drops each of lavender essential oil, rosemary essential oil, geranium essential oil and ylang ylang essential oil. Cap the bottle tightly and roll it between your palms to mix the oils without creating air bubbles.

Caution when Using Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Natural Hair

• Itchy Scalp? Some people report getting an itchy scalp after applying JBCO on their hair. This may be due to an allergic reaction so PLEASE do a patch test with JBCO first! Apply a little on your inner wrist or a small portion of your scalp and leave it overnight. If the area is itchy, wash your hair thoroughly and discontinue use. Other people say that the itching is a sign of hair growth but take that with a grain of salt and patch test first!
• Dilution. JBCO is very thick and viscous so please dilute it with a lighter oil for easier application. If you use JBCO alone, your hair will be very sticky and may fall out because of difficulty applying it. I like diluting JBCO with liquid coconut oil, moringa oil and black cumin seed oil for hair growth.
• Patch Test First. Once again, I cannot stress enough how important doing a patch test with any product is! You just can’t know what you could be allergic to. Apply JBCO on a small area of your skin or scalp to see that JBCO doesn’t irritate you and is safe for use.

How are you planning on using Jamaican Black Castor Oil for Natural Hair?! Share below!