Castor Oil, Almond Oil and Coconut Oil

I've had a long relationship with castor oil, almond oil and coconut oil.  They are the three staples in my skin and hair care routine.  I am not able to rank them because they all serve a different purpose but all of them have been used or experimented with on skin and hair.

I will start with coconut oil because it was the first oil that I used on my hair and skin.   I would read a lot of articles about coconut oil and how it was a main product that Indian women used in their hair.  I thought I would try it.  Coconut oil is very light and absorbs easily into the skin without leaving an oily residue.  For me, that's one of the best things about it.  On my hair, I didn't feel it was strong enough.  My hair is thick, and my results showed me I needed something stronger or at least that when I touched my hair, I felt some type of moisture.  My hair would still feel and look dry after using coconut oil.  The biggest con for me was that after putting coconut oil on my skin and hair, it would leave a dirty looking residue under my nail if I scratched my hair or skin.  I hated that. So for a while I stopped using coconut oil, and I let it sit for a few months in my cabinet.  Just recently, I started back using it, but only for my hair not skin.  I mix the coconut oil with baking soda until I get a smooth, creamy paste.  I use that as shampoo to wash my hair.  It lifts the dirt off my scalp and hair and at the same time leaves it moisturized and with sheen.

Almond is by far my favorite skin care oil.  It doesn't absorb as easily or as quickly as coconut oil, but it is great in that you can use it solely as a moisturizer and it smooths and evens out skin tone if used consistently.  I use it very lightly because it can and does leave an oily look if you put too much. It takes about an hour for it to absorb so that skin no longer looks oily.  If you plan to use almond oil on your skin, then use just a little, rub into the palm of your hands and rub it all over your face.  I tried almond oil mixed with baking soda for shampoo when I ran out of coconut oil. It doesn't work as well.  It takes longer for the oil to completely dissolve, and I had to add water to get the creamy paste I easily get when only using coconut oil and baking soda to mix.  Almond oil is best for the skin.  For those of you who have dark skin, it gives the skin a glistening appearance.

Castor oil is the only thing I put on my scalp.  I remember as a young girl that older people used to say to put castor oil on scalp to get hair to grow back.  I remember seeing castor oil in the store, but it was grease.  I remember thinking: Why is it called castor oil, if it's not oil?  When I got older and discovered the liquid form of castor oil, I thought I'd try it.  I like that it is thicker than the other oils. So it would definitely work for my hair and it has.  Castor oil is the only substance I can put on my scalp and not get flakes and dandruff.  I've never put castor oil on my skin alone because it's too thick, but it's best for my hair.

And there you have it.  I try to use as much natural products as possible for my hair and skin since chemicals can absorb easily into the skin.  Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts and please comment.

I am the dark mystique.