The Yaad Guide to Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Plenty of castor oil sits on shelves around the world, pale and odorless. Jamaican Black Castor Oil is a different thing entirely — and the difference is the method.

Why it's black

The traditional Jamaican process starts by roasting the castor beans over fire before grinding and boiling them to press out the oil. The roasting gives the oil its signature dark color, its smoky, nutty scent, and the ash content that devotees insist sets it apart. It is castor oil the way it has been made in island yards for generations — slow, by hand, without shortcuts.

The weekly ritual

Warm a small amount between your palms. Massage it into the scalp with slow circles, work a little through the ends of your hair, and leave it in for at least an hour — overnight under a wrap if you're serious. Many use it on brows, beards, cuticles, and dry patches of skin, too. It is thick oil; a little goes a long way.

Buying the real thing

Look for oil that is genuinely dark amber-brown with a roasted scent, sourced and pressed in Jamaica. Our Jamaican Castor Oil is bottled in dark glass to protect it, from small island producers we know by name. Thick. Wild. Restorative.