Aleppo soap & natural care
What Is Castor Oil Made From?
Castor oil is pressed from the seeds of Ricinus communis, the castor bean plant. The raw seed itself contains ricin, a highly toxic protein, but ricin is water-soluble and stays behind in the leftover seed cake during pressing rather than passing into the extracted oil — which is why cold-pressed castor oil is widely used topically on skin and hair while the raw seed and mash are not used at all.
Levant Direct's castor oil is a cosmetic-grade natural oil, sold for external, topical use.
From bean to bottle
Castor beans are mechanically pressed to separate the oil from the solid seed material. What remains after pressing — the seed cake or mash — is a separate by-product from the clear, thick oil that's bottled and sold; the two are handled and used completely differently.
The ricin question — a factual safety note
Ricin is a genuine toxin present in raw castor beans, but it's water-soluble rather than oil-soluble, so it remains concentrated in the pressed seed cake rather than transferring into the extracted oil in any meaningful amount. That processing fact is the basis for cold-pressed castor oil's long history of topical, external use — it's a point about how the oil is made, not a claim about what applying the finished oil does for skin, and our Castor Oil is sold and labelled for external use only.
How it's traditionally used, cosmetically
Castor oil is thick and viscous compared to lighter carrier oils, and it's traditionally applied to skin, and along the lash and brow line, as a conditioning oil in Levantine and Egyptian beauty tradition. We describe that use in cosmetic, traditional terms only — as a conditioning oil applied topically — without making a growth or thickness claim for lashes, brows or hair.
Texture and other cosmetic uses
Its thick, viscous texture also makes castor oil a common carrier base for blending — often mixed with a lighter oil like sweet almond or grape seed to make it easier to spread, since pure castor oil on its own can feel heavy on skin. It's also a traditional ingredient in soap-making, valued for the rich, creamy lather it can help produce when blended with other oils rather than used alone.
Buying it in bulk
For wholesale buyers sourcing larger container sizes, see castor oil in 4 L wholesale containers for format and handling details. It sits within the broader natural-oils range alongside other cosmetic-grade carrier oils.
Related questions
Is castor oil safe to use on skin?
It's a long-established cosmetic ingredient used topically. As with any new oil, a patch test is a sensible first step, and it's sold here for external use, not as a supplement.
Is the raw castor bean the same as the oil?
No — the raw seed contains ricin and is not the product sold. Only the pressed, refined oil — where ricin stays behind in the leftover seed cake — is offered.
Does castor oil grow eyelashes?
We make no such claim. It's traditionally applied along the lash line as a conditioning oil, which is a cosmetic description, not a growth claim.
Can castor oil be used undiluted?
Yes, though its thick texture means many users blend it with a lighter carrier oil first for easier spreading. Either way, it's applied topically, for external use only.