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Ingredients & questions

Three oils, and what they actually do

We only use three carrier oils across the whole line, plus essential or flavour oils for scent. Here's what each one contributes, what castor oil does for each part of you, and the questions we get asked most at the market.

The base · in every bottle

Castor Oil

Ricinus communis seed oil

Pressed from the seed of the castor plant. Nearly all of it is a single fatty acid — ricinoleic acid — and almost no other plant oil is so full of it. That's what gives castor oil its weight, its slow pour and its grip: rather than soaking straight in and disappearing, it stays on the surface and helps skin and hair hold onto the moisture they already have.

On its own it's simply too thick for most people to enjoy. Blended, it's the reason the oil still feels like something hours later.

Brings: shine, slip, a soft seal, staying power.

The thinner · in every bottle

Jojoba Oil

Simmondsia chinensis seed oil

Closer to the natural oil your own skin makes than almost anything else from a plant. That likeness is why it absorbs quickly and leaves barely any film behind.

In our blends it does two jobs: it thins everything down so the oil spreads easily, and it pulls the castor oil in with it.

Brings: absorption, spread, a lighter feel.

The finish · lips, hands, face, hair

Rosehip Oil

Rosa canina fruit oil

A light oil that soaks in fast and leaves no shine behind. It's the one that keeps a castor blend from feeling greasy on thin, delicate skin — the mouth, the nail bed, the face.

It's also the most fragile of the three, which is part of why these bottles are amber and why we pour small.

Brings: a dry finish, softness on delicate skin.

From the farm

What it looks like before it is oil

Castor oil is pressed from the seed of this plant, and the seed sits inside a spiny pod that splits open as it dries. Our grower sent these from his own land.

Young castor plants growing in a row along a gravel track
Plants set in a row along the track at the edge of the field.
Green spiny castor seed pods clustered on the stem
Pods come in clusters along the stem, green and spiny at first.
Castor pods dried to brown on the stem, ready to release their seed
Left to dry on the stem until they let the seed go.

By ritual

What castor oil brings to each group

The same oil behaves differently depending on where it goes and how thin we cut it. These are cosmetic effects — how the oil conditions, softens and holds moisture. We don't make growth or medical claims, and we won't start.

Luminous Hair · 2 oz dropper

Hair & scalp

  • Coats the strand and holds a visible shine, especially on dry or coarse hair.
  • Slows moisture loss from lengths and ends, which makes hair feel softer and look less frizzy.
  • Adds slip, so detangling and combing pull less.
  • Massaged into the scalp, it comforts tightness and flaking from dryness.

How we use it: 4–8 drops into the scalp and through the ends, massaged in and left in. Start with less than you think — it's a rich oil.

Luminous Brow · 10 mL wand

Brows & lashes

  • Conditions and softens brow and lash hairs so they sit smoother.
  • Gives brows a groomed, slightly glossy finish without a hard hold.
  • Comforts the dry skin underneath the brow line.
  • Thinned well below our hair blend, so it doesn't weigh lashes down.

How we use it: one light pass along the brow and lash line at night. Keep it out of the eye itself — if it gets in, rinse with water.

Luminous Revive · 10 mL roller & 3 mL pen

Lips & cuticles

  • Lays down a cushioned, glossy film that stays put longer than a wax balm.
  • Holds moisture in skin that has no oil glands of its own to speak of.
  • On nails, softens the cuticle and the dry ridge along the nail wall.
  • Rosehip keeps the finish comfortable rather than tacky.

How we use it: roll over clean lips whenever they feel tight; twist the pen and brush a little around each nail at the end of the day.

Luminous Glow · 2 oz dropper

Face & body

  • Seals in whatever you've already put on — press it over damp skin and it holds that water in.
  • Softens rough patches: elbows, shins, knuckles, heels.
  • Leaves a lit, not wet, finish once it's worked in.
  • The lightest castor ratio we pour, for thinner facial skin.

How we use it: 3–5 drops warmed between the palms, pressed into damp skin rather than rubbed. On the face, at night first, and try it on a small patch before you commit.

Before you use it

All of our oils are for external cosmetic use only — never swallow them. Before using a new blend properly, try a little on your inner arm and give it a few hours — a reaction can take a while to show up, so leave it overnight if your skin is easily upset or the blend is scented. Keep everything away from the eyes; if oil gets in, rinse with cool water. If you're pregnant, nursing, treating a skin condition, or using prescription skincare, check with your own doctor or midwife before adding an essential-oil blend — we make oils, we don't give medical advice. Stop using it if your skin is unhappy.

Asked at the market

Questions, answered plainly

Will it feel greasy?

Straight castor oil would. Ours is cut with jojoba — and on lips, hands and face with rosehip too — so it sinks in and leaves a soft glow rather than a slick film. The trick with every oil is using less than feels right: 3–5 drops for the face and body, 4–8 for a whole head of hair.

How often should I use it?

The hair oil, once or twice a week is plenty, left on for an hour or overnight before washing. The lip roller and cuticle pen, as often as you like. The brow serum and the face oil, once at night.

Is it safe for sensitive skin?

The Unscented hair oil and the cuticle oil contain nothing but the three carrier oils, which is the gentlest we make. Essential oils are the usual culprit for a reaction, so try any scented blend on your inner arm a few hours ahead of a first full use. If your skin objects, stop using it.

Will castor oil break me out?

It can for some people — it is a rich oil that sits on the surface, and on acne-prone skin anything like that is worth testing carefully. Luminous Glow is our lightest ratio and the only one we suggest for the face. Try it on a small area for a few nights before going all in.

Does it grow hair, brows or lashes?

We will not tell you it does. There is no good evidence that castor oil grows hair, and we renamed a whole product line rather than imply it. What it does do is condition, soften, add shine and hold moisture — which can make hair look and feel fuller while it is on.

Why is the oil so thick?

Castor oil is almost entirely one fatty acid — ricinoleic acid — which is unusual in the plant world and is exactly what makes it heavy, slow-pouring and good at clinging. Cold weather thickens it further — if it feels stiff, warm the bottle in your hands for a minute.

Can I use the lip oil on my cuticles?

You can, and plenty of people do. It is the same three base oils with a flavour added. The pen just puts it in a more precise place and fits in a pocket.

Which one for fine hair?

Use the dropper sparingly and keep it mostly on the scalp and the last few inches — 3 or 4 drops, not 8. Glacial feels lightest on the scalp thanks to the spearmint and tea tree. Unscented is the other good pick if fragrance weighs your hair down.

Is it vegan and cruelty-free?

Yes to both. Everything is plant-pressed — castor, jojoba, rosehip, and the essential or flavour oils. Nothing is tested on animals, and the only person testing them is the one who blends them.

Are these preservative-free? Is that safe?

They are, and it is — because none of them contain water. Bacteria and mould need water to grow, so an oil-only blend does not need a preservative system the way a lotion does. What it does need is protection from light, heat and air, which is what the amber glass and the small formats are for.

How long does a bottle last?

A 2 oz dropper used a couple of times a week usually runs about two months. The lip roller lasts most people a month or two of daily use; the 3 mL cuticle pen, around a month. Unopened, expect a year on the shelf; once opened, use it within about twelve months.

Does it stain pillowcases or clothes?

It is an oil, so treat it like one. It will mark fabric if you sleep with a wet head of oil on a good pillowcase — use an old one, or a hair wrap. On clothes, wash warm with a normal detergent and it lifts.

Can I use these while pregnant or nursing?

That is a question for your own doctor or midwife, not for us — some essential oils come with caution in pregnancy, and we are not qualified to advise on it. If you would rather not think about it, the Unscented hair oil and the cuticle oil contain no essential oils at all.

Do you make custom or wholesale orders?

Yes to both, within reason — bundles for gifts, a case of one lip flavour, small wholesale for a local shop. Email us and tell us what you are after.