Castor Oil Packs
Is it just another wellness trend?
If you’ve spent any time in the wellness world lately (which you probably have if you’re here on my Substack!), chances are you’ve heard someone mention castor oil packs. Maybe a friend swears they cured her bloating. Maybe a practitioner suggested them for hormone support. Maybe you saw a TikTok touting them as the ultimate liver detox. Or maybe, like many, you're just curious: what’s the real story behind this super messy and annoying to use healing remedy?
Either way, let’s get into it because castor oil packs are one of those old school practices that work well. And when you understand why they work, you’ll probably give it a pass for being a bit of a mess to use.
First things first: what is castor oil?
Castor oil is a thick, viscous oil made from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant — better known as the castor bean plant. It’s been used for thousands of years and the reason it’s so unique comes down to one major player: ricinoleic acid.
About 90% of castor oil’s fatty acid content is this rare compound. Ricinoleic acid is deeply anti-inflammatory. It’s not just working on the surface — it’s getting deep into tissues, blood vessels, and lymphatic flow under the skin.
Where did the practice of castor oil packs come from?
The use of castor oil goes way, way back — we’re talking ancient Egypt, where it was used for healing, beauty rituals, and even to protect the eyes (fun fact: Cleopatra was rumored to use it to brighten her eyes).
But if we’re talking about castor oil packs (as in saturating a cloth and applying it directly to the body) that practice has deep roots in Ayurvedic medicine too. In Ayurveda, castor oil was used for its ability to balance Vata dosha, support detoxification, move stagnation, and soothe inflammation long before it was trending on TikTok. It was often applied over the abdomen to support digestion and the liver, which are central to both physical and energetic balance in the Ayurvedic tradition.
Fast forward to the early 1900s and Edgar Cayce popularized castor oil packs for almost every condition you can think of: constipation, liver congestion, hormone imbalances, chronic pain, you name it. Cayce believed castor oil helped the body heal itself by stimulating circulation, moving the lymphatic system, and rebalancing internal rhythms.
Why use castor oil packs?
When you consistently use castor oil packs, here’s what they can do:
Support lymphatic drainage: Castor oil seems to stimulate lymphatic flow, which is key for clearing waste products, reducing inflammation, and supporting a strong immune response.
Help the liver detox naturally: Placing a pack over your liver can encourage bile flow, support gentle detoxification, and help clear excess hormones from your system — which matters for everything from skin health to PMS.
Ease digestion: Castor oil packs can reduce bloating, improve motility (how well things are moving through your GI tract), and soothe gut inflammation, especially if you're dealing with constipation or IBS-like symptoms.
Calm inflammation and pain: Whether it’s menstrual cramps, joint pain, or muscle soreness, ricinoleic acid’s anti-inflammatory power makes a noticeable difference for many people.
Support hormonal balance: By helping the liver and lymphatic system do their job, castor oil packs can indirectly help balance estrogen and progesterone.
Soothe the nervous system: Setting aside time to lay down with a warm pack on your abdomen naturally shifts your body into parasympathetic mode (aka rest, digest, and heal), which most of us could seriously use more of.
Improve sleep quality: Another thing people often notice? Better sleep. By calming the nervous system and supporting detox pathways, castor oil packs can naturally help deepen sleep quality — especially if you tend to wake up between 1–3am (classic liver detox time in Traditional Chinese Medicine).
How to actually do a castor oil pack
Here’s the good news: it’s super simple. Here’s how you set it up:
You’ll need:
Organic, cold-pressed castor oil (quality matters here)
Organic flannel or cotton cloth (or you can buy ready-made packs - I like the brand Queen of Thrones)
Old shirt (because castor oil stains)
Hot water bottle or heating pad (recommended, but not mandatory)
How to use:
Pour castor oil onto the cloth until it’s saturated but not dripping.
Place it over the area you want to treat (most often abdomen and liver).
Put your shirt on over the pack.
Place the heating pad or hot water bottle over it.
Chill there for 30–60 minutes while you listen to a podcast, meditate, or just chill.
After you’re done, store the cloth in a sealed bag in the fridge — you can reuse it several times before washing or replacing. Gently wipe off any excess oil with warm water.
Sometimes, I just massage the oil straight onto my abdomen then place the pack on. It’s not as effective, but less messy.
For maintenance, 2-3 times a week is usually plenty. If you’re in an intensive healing phase (like working on gut health or hormones), you might use them nightly for a few weeks under practitioner guidance.
What to be mindful of
As easy and gentle as castor oil packs are, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Avoid during pregnancy. Castor oil can stimulate circulation and uterine activity.
Caution during heavy periods: Some people prefer to skip packs during the heaviest flow days since the increased circulation could make bleeding heavier.
Skip the heat if you have certain conditions: Active infections or other conditions where heat is contraindicated — always check with your practitioner.
Detox symptoms: If your body’s clearing a lot, you might feel tired, have looser stools, or notice your skin purging a little at first. It usually passes quickly — just stay hydrated and start slow.
Expect stains: Wear your worst pajamas and use your oldest towels. Seriously.
Do not use internally: castor oil internally will without a doubt give you explosive diarrhea.
Final thoughts
Whether you're working on digestion, hormones, detox, or just looking for a simple way to reconnect with your body, castor oil packs are one of those practices that meet you where you are. Sometimes it's the small, steady rituals that open the door to the biggest shifts.