Ingredient glossary / Emollient
Castor oil
On the label: Ricinus Communis Seed Oil · Emollient
What it is
A thick, glossy oil from the castor bean; gives lipstick its shine and soap its bubbles. The beans are toxic; the refined oil is not.
Emollients: Emollients fill the gaps between skin cells and leave the surface smooth and soft; oils, butters and esters.
Wikidata: Species of plant, Castor oil plant. Q155867 →
In the research
185 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Complement Activation-Related Pseudoallergy (CARPA): An Underrecognized Risk of Drugs, Drug Carriers, and Formulation Vehicles · Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology, 2026
- Transdermal Delivery of Salbutamol from Nanoemulsions: Influence of Ternary Composition and Surfactant Architecture · Pharmaceutics, 2026
- Cryo-emulsion gel patches as versatile platform for dual drug delivery to wounds · International journal of pharmaceutics, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Products whose label lists it
6 on the siteMatched from the ingredient list the supplier printed; the position in the list (first or thirtieth) is on each product page.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USAOther emollients
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.