A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall HUH???????

Ok - everyone here likes to get a bargain, right?

So... last year (2006 after Christmas), I bought some lip balm at Walmart - it was Junior Mint flavored - my favorite candy, and 1/2 price!

Sooooooooo... I'm just getting around to using it, as my other lip balm ran out last night. I decided to read the back of the card it came on for some odd reason, and was SHOCKED to read one of the ingredients on there, especialy being a gardener who grows these things - this lip balm contains RICINUS COMMUNIS!!! Sound familiar??? It's Castor seed oil. Now I KNOW that every part of that plant is poisonous, but I also know that castor oil has been used for many many years, but this says Castor SEED oil.

What bothers me is, that there is a bold print WARNING above the ingredients that states...

NOT TO BE EATEN . USE ONLY AS DIRECTED . AVOID EYE AREA . FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY . DISCONTINUE USE IF RASH, REDNESS OR ITCHING OCCURS . CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN IF IRRITATION PERSISTS . KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN . FOR AGES 8 AND UP, PARENTAL SUPERVISION IS ADVISED.


I must admit that I did not read this when I bought it last year, as I was excited to find my favorite flavor in a lip balm - less calories that way, right?

Now I'm afraid to use it with all those warnings on it. It's not like I'm going to EAT it, but who needs to risk a rash???

What would you do?

Well Lynne that IS a weird ingredient isn't it?

I guess if I'd used it the previous year and been fine I'd use it again.

Just don't eat any of it no matter how good it smells!

If you are worried I guess you could switch to a different, safer kind though.

Ricinus give castor oil which is a laxative (gives you dirrareah) I've heard of people who've swollowed the seed whole without breaking the seeds coat and they had it bad, but luckily no poison. If it's just castor oil, it's not poisonous, but I wouldn't be eating it...try writing to the company, not sure if it'll help clarify things, but you could always try!

loz - I've never used it before... this is a new one for me.

Kenny - it' lists tootsie.com as the website.

I just think it's rather weird that they didn't just list castor oil, but instead said Ricinus Communis seed Oil. And all the warnings too - no wonder it was there on sale after Christmas, huh?

Sorry Lynne, I misread. I'm so tired tonight!

I think then that I'd not use it. Especially if you'd got it cheap in the first place.

They probably didn't expect anyone to reallllly read it and IF someone did they probably may have wanted to use a term noone would bother looking up or would recongize I just looked at two different brands of mine ( suggestive response ) and one said caster oil extract and the other Ricinus Comminis oil,, Both say not to be eaten,, welll DUHHH


I bet many many brands have it in there as well as many other products,,and we have softer lips,and not sick,, After all A LOT of people I know had to take castor oil as kids,, EYUUUUUUUUK Even Pg women used to have or want to take a little castor oil back in the day when they wanted to hurry up and go in labor because their due date had passed,, I really don't know if it helped induce labor,, I imagine that's an 'Ol Wives tale.

I remember castor oil. It is not an old wives tale and is still in use today to speed things up when in labor. Or just plain mineral oil. You had me running to check my chapstick ingredients. Castor was not listed in any form.

I wouldn't even risk it...[ maybe use it to smell it every once in a while ] but thats about it... otherwise i'd toss that thing

maybe use it on your nose next time it's chapped from a cold? it is weird, and i'm guessing they thought whoever read the ingredients would not know what that meant. they weren't counting on a whole bunch of gardeners discussing it


the reason i said use on your nose is that you can enjoy the scent (as much as you can with a stuffy nose), not waste your money (even though it wasn't much), and not worry about chewing it off your lips (i do that sometimes if i am nervous or they are particularly chapped). i know the chap stick i bought last week doesn't have it in it, i read the ingredients several times while i was listening to parents on the phone today at work (read - bored, they were repeating themselves )

then there is the other thought, which is, the quantity you would get in your system may be small enough, assuming you don't eat it, not to have any effect other than moisturizing.

The lip balm I've been using for the last several years - Natural Ice - is not sold at any of the WalMarts around here anymore, and they were the only place I've ever found it. That one does not contain any castor oil - it has instead lanolin, mineral oil and petrolatum.

The Junior Mint, and also a Peppermint Patty lip balm that I bought at the same time are made in Taiwan. The PP also has the castor seed oil.

I'm going to look up Natural Ice (I've been calling it NICE!) online now to see if I can find it anywhere else...
I like it because it also has SPF 15, and is very minty.

Jiffy - this stuff was CHEAP! Only 92 cents BEFORE the 50% off - I think I'll just toss them - I really don't need a rash right now!

And yes... the only reason I even brought it up here, is because we ARE a bunch of savy gardeners who know more than the average consumer might not! :wink:

sounds like a plan. i probably would to!

I think they said two millionths of a gram of ricin can kill an average weighted adult, but that's the poison. I think they used to get a tablespoon for a smooth bowel, so I think a little bit won't do much, but that's just me

I just entered a search... " caster oil in lip balm" There are as I suspected MANY companies using it,, in fact there are several site giving reciepes to make your own lip balm and Yes,, Using caster oil,, some believe it adds an extra "gloss' ,, it's also in soap and body lotions,, I wouldn't be concerned about it, I personally wouldn't toss it out either ..... you'd be surprised what we use that is relatively Toxic,, But through careful extractions and processing it is safe enough for the FDA to approve,, I mean chocolate and water is toxic too if you consume too much,,

I have bigger things to worry about ,,,,,,, Like FINDING a NEW JOB!!

Mc Donalds is hiring.......

Been there done that !

Beats the alternative............

My grandmother chased us with a spoon and fed us a tablespoon of castor oil every sunday....she did this to all her 17 children and any grandchildren she ever got her hands on.....yup, still living

poor you since grandma thought that necessary--poor grandma since you all knew it was coming if you visited her---

She gave us everything...no wonder I'm so sickly. She fed me castor oil, sulfur powder and worm treatments(still don't know why. ) then I went home to play with my little lead block samples that my father would bring home from the smelting and mining company.

Oh Tamara - I'm glad I didn't know your grandma!!!

Speaking of worms, did anyone watch Oprah yesterday? She had Dr. Oz on - gotta love that man! He is the smartest doctor and a very kind and gentle human being. BUT... he had a tapeworm to show - this thing was about 30 inches long - he made Oprah hold one end - EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! He also showed pictures of worms in the digestive system - EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! But her shows are always fascinating when he is on. And... I found out he works in a hospital here in NYC - wow would I ever like to have a dr. like him! I bet it's more than difficult to get in with him though...

I missed that, Lynne---and yes I agree is is sure one fine Dr.