Can Castor Oil Really Help Your Lashes & Brows Grow?

Hair loss is a well-known and wide-spread issue. Thinning hair can be caused by a vast array of different things, from genetics to stress to diet and prescription medications. However, while we typically think of the hair on our head when it comes to this concern, our lashes and eyebrows can also be impacted by the same reason the hair on heads begins to thin. Castor oil has been generating buzz lately, touted for its apparent ability to help promote accelerate eyebrow and eyelash re-growth. Unlike Biotin and other B-vitamins, there isn’t a ton of clinically backed research vetting the alleged connection between castor oil and accelerated hair regrowth. On the other hand, the anecdotal research is pretty compelling, with plenty of before-and-after pics scattered throughout the web.

While the academic research and clinical trials examining the oil’s ability to promote hair re-growth may be scant, that doesn’t mean the connection is to be completely discredited. In fact, castor oil does have natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal proprieties, which can thoroughly cleanse and remove dead skin and product buildup from the scalp. When the hair follicles on the scalp are clogged, this inhibits normal hair growth. Just like congested pores on your face, congested follicles on your scalp are simply no good. And, according to some castor oil manufacturers, it functions as an effective growth accelerant because it’s penetrated easily, delivering a saturated dose of Vitamin E, triglyceride fatty acids, and bond-building proteins. In short, while more research needs to be conducted for castor to earn  the FDA’s seal of approval, if you’re like us, the vast amount of “true stories” documenting its benefits are enough to convince us to try it out for ourselves.

After experiencing a month or two of non-stop stress and lack of sleep, I woke up one morning and as I looked in the mirror, I realized that my brows were noticeably thinner than a week or two ago. Of course, given my non-stop schedule that had taken over my life during the past weeks, it makes sense that the thinning brow situation would go unnoticed until that very moment. In panic mode, I immediately began to research what type of disease could be at the root of my suddenly skimpy brows, only to settle on the conclusion that it was in fact, probably stress — a very common cause of hair loss according to my bible, WebMd. Anyways, after learning that a few friends of mine had also been battling this sudden onset of thinning brows, I began to try out the oil myself to see what I could glean. I’m not sure if my restored brows were courtesy of my return to a more balanced schedule or the castor oil, but there was a visible improvement in the fullness of my brows. While I can’t speak to its impact on eyelash growth, I would imagine it would have same effect and the products below all claim to help in this department. Here are some of our favorite formulas.

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