For clear skin, spread castor oil super thin.
Time to use the industrial antiseptic at full strength on your face.
Table of Contents
Summary
I tried various acne regimens for decades, until I found that a single drop of castor oil per day was enough. The trick is to use a brush to spread it super-thin.
Intro
Are you tired of pathogens invading your skin? Plants have been fighting this battle since before the dinosaurs. There are many antiseptic oils to choose from, but one offers the best mix of effectiveness, price and comfort.
The castor bean holds the Guinness World Record for deadliest plant. Not only does it contain ricin, it also produces castor oil, an FDA-approved natural preservative for food. It's commonly used in skin, hair and lip products, also for wound treatment and as an anti-inflammatory.
Sticky solution
There is no better barrier between germs and your skin, but people rarely use castor oil by itself, because it's too thick. Spreading castor oil with a finger leaves a sticky shiny residue that feels gross.
The normal solution to this problem is to dilute castor oil with another carrier oil such as coconut or jojoba. Unfortunately, diluting castor oil reduces its antiseptic effectiveness. 100% concentration kills germs better than 10%.
There is a way to apply castor oil at 100% strength without feeling gross. I spread a single drop of oil onto a shaving brush. Then I can easily wipe the drop over my whole face!
Brushes are good at spreading oil. This is why one bastes a turkey with a basting brush. The oil clings to the brush, allowing it to spread evenly over a wide area.
Apparently spreading castor oil super-thin is a new idea. When people try castor oil topically, they just glop it on. That's bad for your skin, which needs to breathe. For example, this woman found castor oil helpful despite using way too much. Most people can't stand having their face coated like that.
Here is a 3-minute video showing how I do it. It is the simplest skincare routine I've ever had. The oil layer is invisible and comfortable.
Lasting protection
Washing with soap kills germs once, but weakens the skin's protective oil barrier. Castor oil is not a good substitute for the skin's natural oils, because it's too thick. Use a moisturizer instead.
Wait until your skin is dry so you can feel the faint layer of castor oil go on. That way you'll know when your brush needs another drop.
I use it from head to toe now, because why not prevent pathogens everywhere? It's also effective against fungal growth and for healing scrapes. I use it on my razor after shaving to prevent rust, and to generally disinfect items that see repeated contact with germs, such as doorknobs. Washing a doorknob with soap only removes the germs once; castor oil provides lasting disinfection.
A 3 USD 100ml bottle of castor oil lasts months, and the shaving brush lasts years. This may explain why there's been no research done on castor oil's impact on acne: there's no profit in it. "A patient cured is a customer lost."
I still have some scars, but the pimples are gone. Many believe castor oil reduces scars, and mine do seem smaller now!