NOW Foods Solutions, Castor Oil, 100% Pure Versatile Skin Care, Multi-Purpose Skin Softener, 16-Ounce

*I bought this to use on my brows and lashes, so my review will pertain to that.* Various things can lead to loss or thinning of your brows and/or lashes: genetics, pregnancy, certain diseases, over-plucking, you're the Mona Lisa or Whoopie Goldberg, or - in my case - just simply getting older. Naturally, there are products out there that supposedly help regrow lashes and/or brows; products that range between $20-$200. But regardless of price, you know what the main ingredient is in those products? Yep, castor oil. Personally, I'm not going to pay even 20 bucks, let alone 200, for something I can get for much less. Especially if I don't know for sure if it'll work. But I'll gladly spend $9 plus free shipping to find out if it does. Of course you're wondering, "Well? Did it work?" Let me back you up a bit. Here's how you're supposed to use it. After washing your face at night, use a clean spooly brush to coat your brows and lashes. Leave it on overnight, wash it off when you wash your face again in the morning. Easy, right? Sure, until you realize you need a more convenient way to store the castor oil than the big bottle it comes in, because you don't want to risk contaminating or spilling it. Also, not all of us have an extra spooly brush just laying around to dedicate to this use. Thankfully, those things are easy to overcome. As for storing the oil, I poured a small amount in a shot glass and put the shot glass in a Ziploc bag, keeping it clean and secure. The rest of the oil is stored in a cabinet. And you can pick up a good quality spooly brush from Target or Walmart. I like the brushes from e.l.f. Their spooly costs $2. The first night, after washing, toning, serum-ing, but before moisturizing my face, I dipped my brush in the shot glass, scraped the excess oil off on the edge, then applied the oil liberally to my brows; sparingly to my lashes since I didn't know if it would irritate my eyes if the oil got in them. I then moisturized the rest of my face and went to bed. Thankfully, I sleep mostly on my back, sometimes on my side. If you're a front sleeper...well, I dunno what to tell you except you'll end up with oil all over your pillows. Next morning, I washed my face. And OMG! My brows and my lashes looked fuller and thicker! I'm not kidding!! I stood there staring in the mirror in shock! How the...?? Then I thought about it. Just like quality hair conditioner, castor oil is full of vitamins and EFAs, the stuff that nourishes your hair, gives it fullness and shine. And while we condition our hair regularly (I do, at least, since I have thick, curly, course, multi-racial hair) we don't condition our brows or eyelashes. In fact, we strip them of natural oils every time we wash our faces. And the lotions and moisturizers we use on our faces aren't designed to also nourish the hair on our faces. The castor oil infused my brows and lashes with EFAs, causing each hair to sort of plump up, making them look fuller and thicker. So much so, that when I did my face, the usual light coating of mascara I use made it look like I had false eyelashes on. And my brows didn't need as much filling in with brow powder as usual. And that was after just one application of castor oil. Now, while it definitely made my brows and lashes fuller and thicker, it doesn't answer the question, does it actuality regrow them? I will hazard a guess though. If it's just a matter of kick-starting lazy hair follicles, I think it's possible the nutrients in castor oil can do that. In time. However, if the follicles have been damaged somehow (i.e., I have a scar that runs through the end of my left eyebrow, been there for decades) then I doubt it. I mean, damaged follicles aren't magically fixed by anything. Also, if your brows/lashes have thinned due to disease or medication due to disease, it's equally doubtful, except in cases such as cancer/chemotherapy, where it's possible for hair to grow back after. But again, it would be AFTER the disease/medication has run its course. All that said, I purchased and used this castor oil on my brows and lashes in hopes of improving how they look, wanting them to appear fuller and thicker, and was completely successful in that. I'll be continuing to use it regularly. If it also causes the hair to regrow in that scar of mine, I'll be thrilled!! Oh! I forgot to add, it did not sting or irritate my eyes - beyond feeling a little weird - when the oil got in them on the third night I used it. Tells me there really aren't any chemicals or additives in this product. One caveat though, my order arrived in a bubble envelope, but without any additional padding or protection. Many other reviewers complained that their bottles cracked and/or leaked during shipping. I can totally see how that might happen. It's a valid drawback to ordering stuff like this online. UPDATE (many months later): It actually has helped the follicles in that scar through my eyebrow to grow hair again! It's not completely filled in, but it's getting there. 😊 Now, here's something else to know about using castor oil for brows and lashes: just like with the hair on your head, if you stop conditioning it, giving it the nutrients and EFAs it needs to look full and healthy, it will begin to go back to how it looked before. So consistency is key. I stopped using the castor oil for awhile and my brows went right back to looking thin and sparse. But soon as began using it again, they became fuller, thicker, and healthier. And yes, my scar is getting less noticeable every day.

Purchased this product as recommended by surgeon to help with scarring. It is working great. It is thick and not too messy. No strong smell like other castor oil products. I would recommend for skin care needs.

I love this oil for my hair, face, nails and body. It’s so moisturizing for your body and face and makes your skin so soft. I incorporated it into my skin care at night and leather my face with it, and I wake up with such hydrated skin. this is a great quality oil so you can use it if you castor oil pack.

This oil will make your skin so soft!! The consistency of it is perfect for anywhere on your body and it’s not got a fragrance which is perfect. Great quality especially for the price!

It's not just for use as a nutritional supplement! Most already know of the benefits of internal-use/food grade Castor Oil as a digestive aid in the promotion of regularity, but, used topically, Castor Oil works wonders! And as far as preference goes, most people recommend either the Home Health or Now Solutions Castor Oil (and I have used both brands faithfully), but for those with aging skin issues or highly volatile/sensitive (eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, etc.) type skin concerns Now Solutions is less likely to trigger inflammation or reaction than other formularies. Castor Oil has natural antioxidant properties, and absorbed into the skin it helps to naturally minimize and prevent wrinkles as well as stretch-marks, and it even conditions hair when added in small amounts to shampoo or deep conditioner treatment! Great Castor Oil Tips: 1. Add about 1/2-tsp of Sublimed yellow Sulfur powder to 4-ounces of food grade Golden Castor Oil in a small 4-4.5ounce size nozzle/tint/applicator bottle for a superior growth aid (helps with mild to moderate forms of alopecia and general thinning). Look up Sulfur Yellow castor oil recipes on you tube to get ideas for customizing growth-oil blends. There are a lot of various recipes, but the main essential ratio is 1/2 - 3/4 tsp Sublimed Yellow Sulfur Powder to 4oz Oil base (the best blends use Golden Castor Oil, either on it's own or in a super blend of Castor +/plus Emu Oil -- but if you are sensitive to sulfur, you can use golden castor oil +/plus emu oil on its own). 2. For scalp dermatitis issues, spritz scalp with water and apply layer of aloe-vera, then apply light layer of castor oil to scalp, and cover hair with scarf overnight-- shampoo out next day with natural shampoo made from either natural-cosmetics' black soap or kirk's coco castile unscented soap (if hair is naturally finer/oilier, or simply leave in if hair is naturally med-highly textured/drier) as/if needed. 3. Also, a little added Castor Oil and natural vitamin E to a base of Coconut Oil or Jojoba Oil (ratios about: 1 part vitamin e oil, to 10 parts coconut oil and ½-part to 1 part castor oil) combine to make for a great all-natural body oil with full-on anti-aging and anti-stretch-mark properties! 4. Tips For Internal Use: smoothies/nutritional supplementation, only use castor oil that specifically says on-the-label for the occassional relief of constipation such as Walgreens Castor Oil, Sunmark Castor Oil (here on Amazon), or any pharmacy brand specifically marked for internal use--which is awesome also: Not only does Castor Oil aid with digestion, constipation and the occasional upset tummy, -- for those with dry or sensitive skin issues related to eczema, psoriasis, etc., a mere 1-tbsp of castor oil, taken once, every 2-3days (in smoothies or plain coconut water) assists the body in maintaining essential moisture balance levels/dew points from the inside out! ****Updated To Add: Some have noted that it would be simpler to use the larger Now Solutions or home Health castor Oil brands for internal use, however, they are labeled/prepared/formulated specifically for External-type-uses. Please Note Safety Concerns in Product Labeling: - Also, the labels on the Walgreens (pharm) and Sunmark brands however, do specifically indicate and/or state, internal-use instructions- " for the occasional relief of constipation" while the larger, Now Foods and Home Health brands either specifically indicate on the packaging for external use only /or advise against internal use. So while, it's true that Now Solutions and Home Health, etc. might all be 'food-grade', castor products, but -- the labeling implies otherwise. For consumer safety, I know the US labeling requirements (FDA) are very specific with intended use of 'some' things, so it could be that the bottles that don't specifically indicate use for relief of constipation taken in 1-2 spoonfuls may have additional processing techniques or preservatives/binders that the pharmacy-grade ones do not, so for safety's sake please don't use your castor or any other products off label.. It's strictly a household/consumer safety issue-- Note: If skin is very oily, use it to spot treat areas (under eye area, stretchmarks, dry patches, hands feet) overnight and rinse in the morning. If skin is very dry, then daily use,full-on for the entire face and body will leave your skin noticeably supple and smooth and o-so--soft! Apply full strength overnight to dry hands and feet (cover with cotton socks and cotton gloves). Overall, Now Solutions Castor Oil is an outstanding product, and a little goes a long way for healthier skin and hair. Our grade: B+ ; or 4.725-Stars!

I use this for eyebrow growth. My eyebrows are my favorite feature, and I love playing them up with my Dipbrow. But I got a bad wax recently and she took off way too much. I was going to buy one of the $30 serums because I thought there was no way a DIY method would work for this. I read all kinds of blogs about stimulating hair growth, and they all mentioned CO. So I decided to just give it a shot. I've been using this about 2 months now. It's great stuff! I smear some on after a hot shower when my skin is extra warm & fresh. Then I massage it in for about a minute or so. Then I use a q-tip to clean up the skin around my eyebrows. It's a pretty thick oil so it does stay in place, which is nice. I noticed results within a few days. I got a little lazy after a while and forgot to keep up with it, but when I resumed, I saw results the NEXT DAY, and I was only applying once a day. That's really all you need. You can do this before you wash your face, or before bed. I even use it to remove my Dipbrow, then I reapply after washing my face. HOWEVER, don't use this to remove eye makeup. I did, and then I washed my face as normal, but my eyes had solid black rings around them that were impossible to remove, even with makeup remover. It's like the oil welds your makeup to your face when it gets wet. It works fine to remove brow stuff though, which is weird. I have no idea what causes this, but I looked ridiculous. Another use for it is your hair. I have very fine hair that gets oily fast, so I was skeptical of using this on my hair. I mixed about 7-8 drops with my shampoo and shampooed as normal. I was paranoid that I would be left with a greasy, impossible to wash out disaster. NOPE. Rinsed right out, and my hair felt so nice. My hair is super damaged from heat styling, and this made my hair feel so nice. My roots did not look greasy AT ALL. If anything, my hair actually lasted longer before it needed another shampoo. This stuff is amazing. I can't comment on if it made my hair grow faster because I got my hair dyed a vibrant color soon after and I didn't know if CO is color-safe, but it definitely did make my hair feel stronger and softer. I've also used this for shaving! I wet my legs, apply a thin layer of this, then shaving cream on top. It makes my legs soooo soft. I have super sensitive skin that cuts easily because it's really dry, but the oil adds a nice barrier to help avoid nicks. This product is well worth it. It's cheap too. You only need 1 drop per eyebrow, and only a little for shaving or hair use, so this will last you at least a year or two.

I am guilty for having being quite cruel to my once healthy, thick and long manageable hair. Permanent straightening, then curling, then colouring, then blow drying and of course hair iron. None of these anymore. FOR SCALP & HAIR - Anyways, I recently started researching for recipe's for homemade hair masks to heal, lengthen and strengthen my hair. Majority of the recipe's had Castor oil in it and also as a kid my mother would apply castor oil to my eyebrows, to help thicken them. That got me to think and also to invest in this product along with NOW Sweet Almond oil. Just 2 weeks of using this product I felt my hair strands more thicker and noticeably less brittle. I apply a mixture of (NOW castor oil, NOW Almond Oil and Parachute Coconut Oil) twice a week and keep it overnight. I make the homemade mask with (Avocado, Eggs, Banana, Raw honey, NOW castor oil, NOW Almond Oil and Olive oil) every weekend and leave it on for 2 hours and shampoo and condition normal with COLD preferably or luke warm water. Hot water will cook the egg in your hair and I'd much prefer having scrambled eggs in my tummy than on my hair...lol! After every wash I re-apply (a drop of each-Castor, almond, coconut) just to my roots and ends when my hair is very wet, they work great as a leave-in conditioner and my hair doesn't feel greasy after they air dry. Instead they are nice bouncy and shiny Its been a month since I have started the above routine and I am so glad to have found these 2 products that I am hooked for good. I prefer to mix castor oil with Almond because its consistency is quite thick and Almond helps to smooth the application as well as moisturize, whereas castor gets the circulation going. DURING AND AFTER SHAVE - I also add the NOW sweet Almond Oil to my shaving cream or gel to smoothen the shaving process on my legs etc. Apply it after shave as well to avoid dry, itchy skin. EYEBROWS - I have recently tried using mixture of (castor oil and almond oil) on my eyebrows and eyelashes (be careful - avoid your tear ducts area and don't let it go into your eyes). Don't know whether its working on my eyelashes or not cos I am not keeping tabs but definitely noticed new hair growth on my eye brows. I do this before I go to bed. In the morning I take Almond oil on a round cotton ball and swipe over my eye-lids (just like when you attempt to remove eye-makeup) Just to give it a thorough swipe cos of the thickness castor oil contains and then wash your face normally. I suffer from mild to average acne and I feared of breakouts but to my surprise this routine after I washed it off gave a lovely glow around my eyes and forehead. Maybe I'll try just almond oil on face next time when I make my face pack. I am very happy with NOW products, received them in timely manner, in good condition and above all they are so ridiculously CHEAP. I have vowed NOT to buy expensive shampoos or conditioners or soap cos my hair, my scalp and skin are already getting all the nourishment it requires from the above routine's so why spend any more. PLEASE NOTE - Whenever trying anything new preferably do a small test to see if it suits you. Cos what works for one person may not work for everybody.

My skin is very dry. Nothing I have used has worked in the past. This does. It makes my skin feel smooth again.