This piece is an offering of premium fundamental information on how to safely and effectively make a castor oil pack. I was introduced to castor oil packs when I was learning Maya abdominal massage. It was one of the complementary therapies covered in my training. Since 2013, I have been using castor oil packs on myself and my clients

Over the years, my techniques have evolved, and I am going to share my pearls of wisdom with those who want to benefit from this incredible healing modality and who want to avoid making unnecessary and potentially harmful mistakes.

As always, these conversations are like a spiral, containing many layers of context and nuance. I have also included a link to a complimentary video "How to make a castor oil pack" that I created for my clients who wanted to do castor oil packs at home. It walks you through the process step by step. A heartfelt thank you to all those who played a part in my learning journey and trusted me to care for them. Now on with the show!

Use organic cold-pressed oil

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Castor oil is unique in that it's used both therapeutically and industrially; in adhesives, paints, packaging, bookbinding, lubricants for machines etc. These various uses are reflected in how the oil is manufactured. The two main categories are solvent-extracted or mechanically pressed. The solvents used are typically petroleum, hexane or heptane. All three of these are industrial crude oil derivatives and are ONLY appropriate for industrial use. The mechanical pressing methods are either cold-pressed or expeller-pressed. Cold-pressing creates a superior quality of oil as it retains the maximum amount of medicinal components during the extraction process by ensuring that the temperature remains under 60℃ or 140℉. Premium standards for organic oils are lower, with a range of 40℃ - 50℃ or 104℉ - 122℉

The type of castor oil you will need will be dictated by its intended use. If you are using castor oil for therapeutic reasons, such as ingesting it or applying a castor pack, you will want to get organic, cold-pressed castor oil, ideally sold in an opaque glass bottle, that protects it from damage from light.

Choose cotton flannel or wool flannel

When I first started using castor oil packs, I applied the oil to a cotton hand towel,, thinking that whatever material I used probably wasn’t very important. I did this for about a year or two. When I decided to switch to cotton flannel and make sure the pack was four layers thick, the difference was astonishing. There are several factors that make cotton flannel or wool flannel an ideal choice. Flannel’s loose weave, napping, and brushed surface make it a great insulator, creating millions of air pockets that trap warm air in.

Ensure your fabric is organic

Using organic fabric is crucial for a therapeutic pack, though accessing it can also pose as a barrier for many people. Once I started using cotton flannel, I purchased it locally at a fabric store on Queen West. I did this until a client one day asked me if the fabric I was using was organic. I told her it wasn’t. She expressed her concerns about the hazardous trace chemicals that would still be present on the fabric I was using despite the fact that I had washed it.

There are a multitude of chemicals, such as formaldehyde, flame retardant coatings, colourants, bleaches and heavy metals that are involved in the manufacturing of textiles, which we want to avoid entering our bodies. Although organic fabric is free from these harmful chemicals, it still needs to be washed initially before use. Often it needs to be ordered online (even in big cities like Toronto), and considering one needs maybe a forth of a metre for their pack, plus the expense of shipping, it’s easy to see how this step can dissuade people even before they start. This was the main reason I created pre-made packs that my clients could purchase. So they could be confident they had the proper materials needed and didn’t have to go out hunting for them and waste money buying way more than they needed.

Step away from the plastic!

Many castor oil pack recipes include putting a piece of plastic wrap over the castor oil pack to keep it from releasing heat. I would strongly advise against this practice! Whatever benefits could be derived from this action are overshadowed by the fact that plastic wrap contains plasticizers that break down and leech into the substance it is covering when exposed to heat, especially if the substance has a high fat content, which oil certainly does. These plasticizers are known hormone disruptors and hence can affect many of the body's important metabolic processes. The same goes for castor oil pack storage. I recommend that you put your pack in a glass jar

Keep it cool

Store your castor oil pack and castor oil in the fridge. This will prevent the pack from going rancid and allow you to reuse it multiple times. I tend to switch my pack out after about 8 - 12 uses. At some point, the pack will feel “full”, like it's already completely saturated and has absorbed all that it can. To prolong your pack, you can apply a generous amount of the castor oil directly on the abdomen and then place the fabric over top instead of the method I use in my video where I pour the oil onto the fabric and apply it to the abdomen. Both methods work well, however this tip may give you 1- 3 more rounds before you need to retire the pack. Keeping your castor oil in the fridge will extend its shelf life.

Castor oil is a phenomenal gift from the earth, and castor oil packs are a pleasurable and potent folk medicine remedy. But like my aromatherapy mentor Tracey Tief likes to say, “the ingredients aren’t the recipe.” The real magic is in the ability to skillfully formulate all the pieces together so that they synergize and become something greater than their individual parts. This comes with time, experience and seeking knowledge.

I hope that I’ve given each and every one who has taken the time to read this at least one new jewel that they can apply to their castor oil pack healing. Please reach out via email if you would like to learn more about my offerings or are interested in having me present a talk or workshop.