I Tried Castor-Oil Packs, Aka The TikTok Remedy For Bloating

Remember when the “hot girls have stomach problems” movement went viral on TikTok? I’ve never felt more seen. I’ve tried what feels like a million natural remedies, but between hot lemon water in the morning to kombucha throughout the day to lying upside down with my legs against the wall, nothing has worked. So when a TikTok search led me to castor-oil packs, I thought, “Why not?”

This natural remedy, which has blown up on the app in recent months, promises a multitude of health benefits, from detoxifying the liver to helping with digestion — all it takes is the simple act of affixing an oil-soaked cloth to your stomach (allegedly). Just as my curiosity was getting the best of me, HigherDOSE gifted me their brand-new Sweat Band, which was the sign I needed to test out this de-bloating remedy, once and for all.

What Are Castor-Oil Packs?

Using castor oil for health benefits is actually an ancient practice: According to the Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, it has thousands of years of history as a medicinal treatment in Mediterranean, African, and Asian cultures. The “pack” part involves covering a wool cloth in the oil and securing it to the right side of your abdomen, a placement that’s meant to target the liver and aid in detoxification, digestion, and metabolism. Habits like drinking excessively and heavy sugar intake can negatively affect your liver function, which can contribute to bloating, slower metabolism, and poor gut health.

You can leave the castor-oil pack on for as long as you want — some even wear it overnight — but most TikTokers like Kali who swear by the method say they don’t see results unless they leave it on for at least an hour.

Benefits Of Castor-Oil Packs

Castor oil has been well-studied for its ability to function as a laxative, and is even FDA-approved for this reason. Throughout history, it’s also been a common ingredient in folk medicine; when crushed up, doctors have placed it on various parts of the body to do everything from promote lactation to cure the flu.

In the modern day, castor oil can be purchased easily at grocery stores and online, so the castor pack has replaced the need to crush up the plant’s leaves on your own (thankfully). TikTokers rave about the castor oil pack’s ability to help with everything from period cramps to lymphatic drainage to digestion. Scientific research on castor oil packs specifically is limited, with little proof of the method’s efficacy — but with all of the positive reviews, the lack of scientific study doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

My Experience With Castor Oil Packs

While you can purchase wraps specifically meant for castor oil packs from Amazon, I chose to use castor oil, a wool cloth, and HigherDOSE’s Sweat Band. The Sweat Band, on it’s own, is meant to target your core temperature to amplify the results of exercise, but it can also be used as an easy way to fasten your castor oil pack to your stomach.

After laying my wool cloth on a table and coating it in castor oil, I pressed it to my right side and secured it by wrapping the Sweat Band around my waist. I wore the pack for three hours after showering, then removed it before bed.

While I often wake up with stomach pain from bloating, the morning after my first castor oil pack was the first time I had woken up with no discomfort or intense bloating in three weeks; I also looked visibly less bloated than usual. Each night, I did my castor oil pack, and each morning, I experienced the same results. Additionally, I usually get stomachaches after eating, but the castor oil packs helped soothe my symptoms throughout the week. An added plus was the fact that the oil made my skin feel so smooth and nourished. So, I was left with baby-soft skin and a less-bloated stomach.

HigherDOSE also sells the Sweat Band in a set called the Endorphin Set, which comes with the brand’s own Endorphin Oil that claims to be a “modern day castor pack.” I decided to try the oil paired with the Sweat Band while taking my daily walks to see if it would deliver the same result. Upon removing the Sweat Band, I didn’t notice any visible difference in how my stomach looked or felt, but it did increase how much I sweat on my walk, making me feel like I was getting more out of the exercise than I usually do. The HigherDOSE Endorphin Set would be a great option for an avid runner or yogi, but I didn’t experience the same results I got from a traditional castor oil pack.

The Final Verdict

I’m often skeptical of holistic health practices and tend to think that these techniques present a placebo effect, but for me, castor oil packs were definitely worth the hype. With long work days and nights out, I don’t know that I’ll incorporate them into my everyday routine, but intend to use the de-bloating approach a few times a week and as needed when my stomach problems rear their ugly head. I liked that the HigherDOSE Sweat Band made it easy to secure the castor oil pack to my body, and can be used on its own, too; I’ll continue to use it with the HigherDOSE Endorphin Oil on my walks and workouts to ensure that I’m always getting a good sweat.

After trying castor-oil packs for a full week and seeing such noticeable results, I can confidently say that castor oil packs are “hot girl with stomach problems” approved.