Jamaican black castor oil vs castor oil: roasted or cold pressed
Jamaican black castor oil is made from roasted, pounded and boiled castor beans; cold pressed castor oil is pressed from raw seeds. How each is made, what JBCO is good for, and what neither can promise.
Jamaican black castor oil, often shortened to JBCO, is a dark castor oil made the traditional Caribbean way: castor beans are roasted, pounded and boiled in water until the oil rises to the top. The roasting gives it a deep brown colour, a smoky smell and a little ash. Regular cold pressed castor oil is squeezed from raw seeds, so it is pale and almost odourless.
JBCO is a much-loved part of Caribbean and Black hair care. Both oils come from the same plant and are mostly the same fatty acid, so the real differences are method, tradition, scent and texture, not any proven power to grow hair. Here is how each is made, what JBCO is good for, how to use it, and how to read a label that promises more than an oil can give.
At a glance
- JBCO is made from roasted, pounded and boiled beans: dark brown to black, smoky, with traces of ash.
- Cold pressed castor oil is pressed from raw seeds without roasting: pale yellow, with a mild smell.
- Both are up to about 90% ricinoleic acid, the fatty acid that makes castor oil so thick.
- There is no good evidence that either one grows hair faster or thicker than the other.
- Our castor oil is cold pressed, not JBCO, and it is for external use only.
What is Jamaican black castor oil?
It is a castor oil made the old Caribbean way, with fire and water instead of a press. The castor plant, Ricinus communis, is believed to have come from East Africa, and it now grows wild across the Caribbean. In Jamaica, making oil from its beans at home became a family skill passed down through generations, and the dark oil became part of hair and scalp care in Jamaican and Black diaspora households.
How it is traditionally made
- Dry: ripe castor beans are dried in the sun.
- Roast: the beans are parched in a pot over a fire until the shells darken.
- Pound: the roasted beans are pounded in a mortar or ground into a paste.
- Boil: the paste is boiled in water, and the oil separates and floats.
- Skim and cook down: the oil is skimmed off and heated again to drive off the last of the water.
The result is thick, dark and smoky, often with a fine sediment of ash. Haitian black castor oil is made in much the same way, with its own family recipes and its own long tradition.
How is cold pressed castor oil made?
Cold pressed castor oil is pressed from raw, cleaned seeds, with no roasting and no boiling. The oil is then left to settle or filtered. It comes out pale yellow, smooth and mild in smell.
Most castor oil sold in shops is made on a larger scale. A 2016 scientific review describes how factories usually warm the seeds, press them in a screw press, then use a solvent such as hexane to pull out the oil left in the cake, before refining. The same review notes that cold pressed oil is lighter in colour than solvent-extracted oil.
What about ricin?
Castor seeds contain ricin, a powerful poison. It stays in the seed meal, the "mash" left over after the oil is made, and properly processed castor oil does not contain it. Never chew castor beans, keep them away from children and pets, and do not try to make castor oil at home.
Jamaican black castor oil vs castor oil: what is the difference?
The method, and everything the method changes: colour, smell, texture and a trace of ash. The main fatty acid stays the same.
| Jamaican black castor oil | Cold pressed castor oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds | Roasted first | Raw |
| Method | Pounded, boiled in water, skimmed | Pressed, then settled or filtered |
| Colour | Dark brown to black | Pale yellow to golden |
| Smell | Smoky, roasted | Faint and mild |
| Feel | Very thick, sometimes slightly gritty | Very thick and smooth |
| Main fatty acid | Ricinoleic acid, up to about 90% | The same |
| Rooted in | Caribbean hair and scalp care | Hair, skin and nail care in India and beyond |
Why is Jamaican black castor oil dark?
Because of the roasting. Heat browns the beans, and fine ash from the roasted shells ends up in the oil. Some sellers say this ash makes the oil "alkaline" so it soaks into the scalp better. That claim does not hold up: pH measures water-based liquids, an oil has no pH in the usual sense, and the ash is only a trace.
What is Jamaican black castor oil good for?
Mostly for conditioning hair and scalp: people use it along partings, on dry ends, edges, brows and beards. Is it better for hair than cold pressed castor oil? There is no good evidence that it is, or that either oil makes hair grow. There are no reliable human trials comparing the two, and none showing that castor oil of any kind grows new hair.
What castor oil does do is coat the hair. It adds shine, smooths a dry, rough feel and reduces friction when you comb, and many people like how a scalp massage with it feels. These are real, everyday benefits, and both kinds give them. Our guide to castor oil for hair growth goes through what it can and cannot do.
So the honest choice comes down to preference. People choose JBCO for its heritage, its smoky scent and its heavier feel. Others prefer cold pressed oil because it is lighter in colour and smell.
A simple way to use either oil on the scalp
- Mix one part castor oil with two or three parts of a lighter oil, such as coconut or almond, so it spreads easily and washes out cleanly.
- Part dry hair into sections and dab a few drops along each parting with your fingertips.
- Massage gently in small circles for three to five minutes, then smooth what is left on your fingers over the ends.
- Leave it on for an hour or so, then wash it out with two rounds of shampoo. Our guide to washing hair oil out without stripping your hair has more tips.
How can you tell if Jamaican black castor oil is genuine?
There is no single legal standard for the name in most countries, so the label is your best guide.
- Ingredients: look for one ingredient, castor seed oil (Ricinus communis), sometimes described as roasted. Blends with other oils, mineral oil or added fragrance are not the traditional product.
- Colour and smell: traditional JBCO is dark and smoky. A pale, odourless oil sold as "black" castor oil was not made the traditional way.
- Sediment: a little ash settling at the bottom is normal for traditionally made oil.
- Maker and origin: if heritage matters to you, check where the oil was made and by whom.
Who should be careful with castor oil?
- Do not swallow it: our castor oil is for external use only. Taken by mouth, castor oil is a strong laxative and has been used to bring on labour, so if you are pregnant, speak to your doctor before using it in any new way.
- Patch test: dab a little on the inner arm and wait 24 hours. Stop if you see redness or itching.
- Eyes: keep it out of the eyes. For lashes, follow our safe method for brows and lashes.
- Long hair: doctors have reported rare cases of sudden, severe matting, called hair felting, after heavy castor oil use. Dilute it, use a little, and detangle gently.
- Babies: do not use it on a baby's scalp or face without your paediatrician's advice.
How to use our castor oil
Our Truly Cold Pressed castor oil is pressed slowly from raw seeds in a wooden ghaani and left unrefined, so it is pale, with a mild smell. It is not Jamaican black castor oil, and it is for external use only: the scalp, hair ends, brows, nails and dry heels. If you love the smoky scent and heritage of JBCO, that is a fine reason to choose it; the oil inside does much the same job.
The bottom line
Jamaican black castor oil and cold pressed castor oil are the same oil made two ways: one roasted and boiled, one pressed raw. Neither is proven to grow hair, both condition it well, and the right choice is the one whose scent, colour and tradition you enjoy using.
Frequently asked questions
What is Haitian black castor oil?
It is a dark castor oil from Haiti, made much like Jamaican black castor oil: the beans are roasted, pounded and boiled, and the oil is skimmed off. Scent and colour vary with each family's method. The same honest verdict applies: it conditions hair well, but it is not proven to make hair grow.
Does Jamaican black castor oil have to come from Jamaica?
The name describes a method and a tradition, and most countries have no legal standard for it. Some oils sold as JBCO are made elsewhere. If origin matters to you, look on the label for where the oil was made and by whom, and choose a single-ingredient oil.
Why is castor oil so thick and sticky?
Castor oil is mostly ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid with an extra hydroxyl group, a small oxygen and hydrogen unit, partway along its chain. These groups make the molecules cling to each other, so the oil is far thicker than other plant oils. That is why it is usually mixed with a lighter oil.
How often should you use Jamaican black castor oil on your scalp?
Once or twice a week is plenty for most people, and the same goes for cold pressed castor oil. Use a few drops mixed with a lighter oil, massage for a few minutes, leave it on for an hour or so, then wash it out with two rounds of shampoo. More oil, or longer, does not mean better results.
How long does castor oil last?
Castor oil keeps better than most plant oils, but it still ages. Ours carries a best-before of about six months; keep it capped, away from light and heat. If it starts to smell sharp, sour or like old paint, replace it.
