Castor Oil: What Is It? The History & Benefits of Castor Oil

Leave a comment

What Is Castor Oil?

Another week, another blog! Welcome back everyone, this week we will be diving into the world of castor oil. You have probably heard of castor oil at least once in your life but wether you are a regular user of castor oil or a newbie, this blog is for you!

What is castor oil anyway? Well, according to the National Institute of Health “castor oil is a [thick] vegetable oil made from the Ricinus Communis [the castor bean or castor oil plant], a plant common in the Eastern areas of the world.” Castor oil is a thick and mostly odorless oil but due to how thick it is, it is very tough to get out of clothing and can leave a dark, wet-looking stain. However, castor oil has been used for centuries for many different things such as (and most commonly) a natural laxative, to encourage birth in 40+ week pregnant women, hair and skin care, and so much more.

The History Of Castor Oil

Castor oil’s “first recorded medicinal use goes back to the time of the Ebers papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical treatise… A traditional name for the plant is “Palma Christi” because of its supposed resemblance to the hand of Christ and its widely-reputed healing power.” “Castor Oil has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4,000 B.C. Evidence of its cultivation was discovered circa 500 B.C. in central Egypt where it was used in cosmetics, medicines and as a lamp oil. Castor oil is mentioned in the Ebers papyrus in recipes intended to treat numerous health conditions and ailments.” Castor oil has been used for hair and skin treatments, medicinal purposes, to cure leather, and oil lamps (although we can imagine that would not have smelled very nice) among other things. It was used in Egypt and all over the continent of Africa as well as in China, India and Brazil. Castor beans were brought to America and cultivated as early as the late 1600’s.

The MANY Uses For Castor Oil

We have a few of the benefits and uses of Castor Oil listed on our website:

Castor oil’s benefits for hair & body are many, here are the highlights

  • It is reputed to be good for repairing hair, softening skin, and easing aches and pains.  
  • Rich in fatty acids, as well as antioxidants.
  • Contains anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties make it effective for treating acne-prone skin, as it penetrates the skin easily without clogging pores or aggravating the skin condition.
  • Stimulates circulation to boost hair growth and locks in moisture.
  • Anti-fungal properties can treat scalp infections by eliminating the bacteria and microorganisms that can cause hair loss, dandruff, and infection. 
  • For mature skin types, it may delay the signs of aging by deeply moisturizing, softening and soothing the skin, boosting elasticity, and stimulating collagen production.
  • Restores the skin’s hydration and reduces the appearance of unwanted blemishes and scars when applied regularly.

Medicinally

  • Soothes skin inflammation caused by dry skin, acne, sunburns.
  • Relieves the discomfort of sore muscles and joint pain, especially for those who suffer from arthritis.
  • Antimicrobial properties help it work effectively as a disinfectant for wounds, minor cuts, and scrapes. 
  • Breaking up adhesions or scar tissue.
  • Strengthening the immune system
  • Increases relaxation and improves sleep quality
  • Improving lymphatic drainage
  • Reducing headaches
  • Detoxifying internal organs
  • Reducing menstrual cramps

Castor oil is a highly absorbent oil so if you put it on your skin, it will penetrate deeply and work quickly. It can be used with a Castor Oil Pack to help to break up blockages, inflammation, and bone spurs and growths under the skin. You can also put a little in your belly button with a small piece of organic cotton for better sleep, to relieve constipation, and improve overall health. Use the castor oil with a castor oil pack on your liver, kidneys, or thyroid* to help with detoxification. Use on your stomach and digestive system to improve inflammation, digestion and gut health. It has been said that castor oil can help with fertility in women. It can also be used both externally and internally to induce labor in 40+ week pregnant women. It has been used for centuries to induce labor because castor oil is a natural uterine contractor (which is why it is not recommended for use during pregnancy.)

*Please note that you should talk with a trusted natural doctor or specialist before you use a castor oil pack for detoxification and be aware of the side effects of the detoxification process. You might not feel your best for a day or two during detoxification as your body has to clean out and flush all of that crap (pun intended) from your body. When using a castor oil pack, start with only 20 minutes at a time a couple of times a week for a couple of weeks or so and slowly increase the time and frequency as your body is able. Eventually you will be able to wear your castor oil pack overnight.

Why the Quality Of Your Castor Oil Matters

As with most things, the quality of the product you use matters. As mentioned earlier, castor oil is a highly absorbent oil so if you put it on your skin, it will penetrate deeply and work quickly. If you are putting something onto your skin that will be quickly absorbed deeply into your body, wouldn’t you want to make sure is it the best of the best? If you are getting castor oil for any topical or internal uses, make sure that it is first and foremost Organic. This means we don’t need to worry about it the castor bean plant having been sprayed with chemicals and pesticides or grown with the use of GMO’s. Next you want to make sure it is Cold Pressed and Expeller Pressed, this means it is not heated while going through the extraction process so none of the goodness and healing benefits of the castor oil have been lost or “cooked out” of the oil. And finally you want to make sure your castor oil is Hexane Free. You might be asking, what in the world is hexane? Great question, according to Toxic-Free Future, “Hexane is a solvent widely used as an industrial cleaner and degreaser and is an ingredient in many consumer products. Easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin, hexane has been recognized for more than 40 years to cause long-lasting and even permanent nerve damage in feet, legs, hands, and arm.” Do you want that in your castor oil to be absorbed into your body and organs? Yeah, I didn’t think so. A castor oil this pure can be tough to find but don’t worry! We have an amazing organic, expeller and cold pressed, hexane free castor oil just for you on our website, or if you are a Minnesota local, you can stop by the AVNS Boutique to pick up a bottle.

Organic Cold Pressed Castor Oil | Expeller Pressed, Hexane Free Castor Oil

A beauty staple for centuries, this unrefined (virgin), certified organic, cold pressed castor oil is a nutrient-rich, moisturizing and conditioning oil for hair, skin & nails. Soothe, soften, and promote healing with our rich, nourishing, hexane free Castor Oil.

Use alone, or with a Castor Oil Pack for cleansing internal organs, helping sore joints, & reducing inflammation. Our Organic Castor Oil is thick and undiluted and is packaged in a 16 ounce amber glass bottle.

(Please note that this product is not intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. Castor oil may stain clothing or other fabrics. Keep out of the reach of children. For topical use only, do not use on open wounds, and do not use if pregnant.)

How To Use A Castor Oil Pack

What You’ll Need:

1. Unrefined (virgin), certified organic, cold pressed castor oil

2. Select your desired Castor Oil Pack (or all of them)

3. A heating pad or hot water bottle if desired. (A heating pad or hot water bottle is recommended if you are only wearing the castor oil pack for a short period of time, it is not necessary if you are wearing it overnight.)

4. A glass container with a lid to store the oil soaked pack in-between uses. A glass mason jar or glass food storage container would both be great options.

5. Old clothes and towels – as mentioned above, castor oil stains so it is best to wear old clothes that you don’t mind having oil stains. And you’ll want to put an old towel down where you are planning to sit or sleep to protect your furniture from the oil.

6. A place to relax that you will be comfortable.

Directions:

1. Choose your relaxing spot and place the towel down to protect the furniture from oil. And wear old clothes you don’t mind getting oil stains.

2. Have your book, TV show, or music and snack or tea ready to go. (Making this an enjoyable experience is important!)

3. Have your hot water bottle or heating pad ready to go where you will be laying.

4. Drizzle your Castor Oil Pack with about 1 Tablespoon of Castor Oil

5. Place the Castor Oil Pack on where you want it (most commonly over your liver or kidney’s, thyroid, stomach/digestive system, etc.)

6. Get into your relaxing spot and put the heating pad or hot water bottle over the pack.

7. Lay back and relax for 20 minutes to an hour. If you have a pack with ties and you’ve gotten used to using the pack, you can go about your day wearing it or sleep with it on.

8. When it is time to remove the pack, gently take it off and wipe off the excess oil with an old towel or rub the excess oil into your skin. Place the pack into your glass container and put the clothes and towels you used into the wash. (Make sure you don’t put your Castor Oil Pack into the washing machine.)

Personal Castor Oil Testimony

I personally have used castor oil regularly and for many things for almost a year now. I was first introduces to Castor Oil and Castor Oil Packs when my doctor recommended it to help with liver detoxification. I used castor oil packs on my liver primarily for many months and then when I started to deal with inflammation in my abdomen and digestive issues, I used the castor oil packs on my abdomen overnight. I also used castor oil in my belly button overnight with a small piece of organic cotton to help with sleep and to fight against inflammation. During this time I have done lots of research on castor oil and its many benefits. I have personally seen the healing benefits of castor oil and have recommended it to family and friends. I have also used castor oil to help fight against dryness and irritation in my ears from years of being a competitive swimmer, countless ear infections, and antibiotic ear drops. During 2023 I was dealing with some health issues and I would get inflamed lymph nodes and adrenal glands frequently, so I would apply castor oil to them to help with drainage and decrease inflammation. A high quality castor oil is an amazing tool to have in your self care collection and I couldn’t recommend it enough!

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it too, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have happy week,

Amanda Pehrson

Sources:

The National Institute of Health – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551626/

Health First Network – https://healthfirstnetwork.ca/blog/why-castor-oil-has-been-around-for-centuries/

Qhemet Biologics – https://qhemetbiologics.com/blogs/news/the-history-benefits-of-castor-oil#:~:text=Castor%20Oil%20has%20been%20found,and%20as%20a%20lamp%20oil.

Apple Valley Natural Soap – https://www.applevalleynaturalsoap.com/organic-cold-pressed-castor-oil-expeller-pressed-hexane-free-castor-oil/

Summer Skin Care

Leave a comment

Is It Just As Or More Important Than Winter Skin Care?

With the much anticipated seasonal release of our Limited Edition Summer Skin Saver soap bar, we are invited to ask the question on the importance of summer skin care. If you’re anything like me, you probably grew up hearing about the importance of washing your face morning and night, using SPF to protect against the suns harmful rays, and using clean products. And if you’re ANYTHING like me, you grew up trying every product known to man that was marketed for Acne Prone Skin. But how much of the success of our perfectly honed skin care routine comes down to the season? Yes, that’s right! How much can we blame our skins irritations and imperfections on wether is it Summer or Winter. Join me as we unpack the impact the seasons have on our skin, the benefits of our Limited Edition Summer Skin Saver soap bar, and much more…

Do The Seasons Really Effect Our Skin?

To put it simply, Yes! Seasons and changes in seasons can play a huge roll in the health and life of our skin. In the Winter for example, it is usually dry and cold which can lead to dry and chapped skin prone to cracking. And in the Summer it is usually hot and humid which can lead to sweating, oily skin and breakouts, and sunburns, or hot and dry which can lead to skin dryness and irritation and sunburns that don’t heal very well. With this information in mind, it can help us to adjust our skin care routine, the products we are using, and our daily habits to promote healthy skin no matter the season. In the winter, it is vital to consume extra water as a part of your daily routine and use really healing and moisturizing products to fight against the dryness. So what should we do in the Summer to keep our skin safe?

How To Protect Our Skin In The Summer

1. Products

The products we use in the summer and leading up to summer really sets us up for either failure or success with our skin. Make sure that you are using products appropriate for your skin type, products that will boost hydration in your skin, and avoiding products that can cause harmful damage to your skin. Some of the products I would recommend for summer skin are our limited edition Summer Skin Saver Bar and organic herbal salve. You will also be able to find amazing moisturizers and other skin care products on our website, applevalleynaturalsoap.com. Another product to pay attention to, is your SPF or sunscreen (we will talk about this a little bit in the Diet section as well, but you’ll want to pay attention here too.) We have been told over and over again to wear our sunscreen if we don’t want sunburns, skin pigmentation issues, and even skin cancer. But have you ever thought that maybe it’s what we’re putting on our bodies (and in our bodies, but more on that later) and what it does when it comes into contact with the sun that is the problem? Did you know that sunscreen (or sunblock) started out simply as zinc oxide? But over the years pharmacists, doctors and manufactures started adding more and more ingredients to create what we know sunscreen to be today. However, studies have shown that there are more harmful ingredients living inside your average bottle of sunscreen than good. And we have found that when these harmful ingredients are put in contact with the sun, they react negatively to those rays actually causing skin cancer and other issues. This can happen on such a microscopic level that we have no idea what is actually happening to our skin when we apply these harmful chemicals. Instead, look for a sunscreen with minimal ingredients, the main one being zinc oxide! Some great options to try are the Earth Harbor ECLIPSE Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 that we actually offer in our AVNS Boutique, the Alba Botanica Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, and the Babo Botanicals Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50.

2. Diet

Did you know that what we put into our bodies plays a bigger role in the health of our skin then the products we put on it? It’s true! The products we apply topically morning and night can only do so much to help our skin. What we choose to put inside our bodies will show on our skin. For example, if we partake in a few alcoholic beverages in a weekend without proper rehydration, our skin will show the effects in dryness and dullness with puffiness and bloating in our face and neck. And if we eat a lot of refined sugars, it will most likely make itself known in the next day or two with breakouts/acne and puffiness in the face and neck.

The health of our skin is also a sign of gut health. Do you have dull skin, acne that won’t seem to go away, and dark circles under your eyes even after a good night of sleep? This might be a sign of and unhealthy gut and it might be time to invest in some quality pre and probiotics to help your guts microbiome.

Did you know that seed oils increase the sensitivity of your skin to the suns UV’s? This is a theory that is still in discussion, however most people (myself included) have noticed that with the elimination of seed oils from their diet, the time they were able to be outside in the sun without their skin getting irritated by the sun (sunburned) went up drastically. Plus the severity of the sunburn and rate of recovery from that sunburn dropped (yes, this is a good thing.) Seed oils were first introduced to the United States as early as 1911. Cottonseed Oil was developed and marketed by Procter & Gamble as a creamed shortening called Crisco which was then made available to the public. The first sunscreen in the United States was invented in 1944 by a pharmacist named Benjamin Green which would later become known as Coppertone Suntan Lotion. Coincidence? I think not, but let me know what you think in the comments.

3. Routine

Making sure we have a healthy routine in place, will help the health of our skin for years to come. Getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night, drinking 80 – 100oz of water each day, getting a good sweat in during a workout (but making sure to shower and wash your face afterwards), and applying clean and natural products to our skin after it is cleaned. Staying away from inflammatory foods such as refined grains, refined sugars, and seed oils, taking a high quality pre and probiotic, eating fermented foods, and keeping alcohol consumption in a minimum will all greatly improve the over all health of your skin not just on your face but your whole body during the summer months. Do you love spending time outside in the summer? I mean who doesn’t? One of the best ways to get your skin used to the stronger UV rays from the sun is to sit outside or do something in the sun for very short periods of time everyday. 5, 10, or 15 minutes a day for a couple of weeks and making this a part of your routine will help your skin to acclimate to the suns stronger rays during the summer and reduce the risk of a nasty sunburn.

Summer Skin Saver Limited Edition Soap Bar

With summer comes an increase in outdoor activities, and our skin takes a beating. The negative effects of sun, wind, bugs, and added opportunities for scratches and scrapes require some tender loving care and attention. Gently wash and protect your skin with our limited edition Summer Skin Saver Bar. Super-fatted with lanolin, the oil sheep secrete to keep them warm, dry, and protected, this bar not only cleanses, but it forms a barrier on the skin that locks in existing moisture while at the same time attracting additional moisture from the surrounding air. This barrier created by lanolin is helpful for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema as it can help seal and protect skin, while also allowing it to breathe and attract moisture.

But that’s not all! Unrefined organic cocoa butter and mango butter add an extra boost of moisturizing benefits while white kaolin clay makes this bar smooth and silky on your skin. We’ve also scented this one with uplifting citrus fruit essential oils. In selecting these essential oils, we made sure that each one either by the nature of the oil itself or by the way it was produced, is NOT photosensitive. Enjoy this zesty, sweet, sparkling bar of happiness for all people everywhere.

Natural Deodorant Creme

Moisturize and deodorize those pits with our all natural, aluminum-free deodorant cremes. Made with anti-bacterial, odor absorbing ingredients like organic virgin coconut oil, diatomaceous earth, aluminum free baking soda, arrowroot powder, and white kaolin clay, our natural deodorant creme is safe and effective.

Our unscented version fights hard with the anti-bacterial, odor absorbing base ingredients (perfect for sensitive skin), while our regular deodorant adds an extra level of protection with the antibacterial essential oils of tea tree, lavender, and lemon.

Organic Herbal Salve

Chock full of soothing, certified organic herbs infused in a base of organic, extra virgin olive oil and unrefined beeswax, this organic herbal salve is amazingly multi-purpose and economical. Apply it to rashes, bug bites, sun burn, wounds, dry, cracked skin, bruises, diaper rash and more!

St. John’s wort has historically been known to help speed up the healing process and prevent scarring, Echinacea has a long history of success with venomous stings and bites and is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Comfrey & Yarrow have astringent properties and have been used to promote cell regeneration and healing. Plantain is acclaimed for its ability to relieve bee stings, insect and spider bites and rashes. Calendula is impressive because of its ability to speed healing, improve the appearance of the skin, lower inflammation, and protect the skin against infections. Rosemary has natural antiseptic properties, which makes it a superior disinfectant for our skin. It can also help protect skin cells from damage often caused by the sun and free radicals. Grapefruit seed extract is an excellent anti-fungal agent.

Keep a jar of this on your counter top! It is safe for your children to grab and put on their frequent summer scratches, bites, and rashes.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the appropriate skin care routine at any time of year is very important. But during the summer, there are things we want to be aware of that will set us up for either failure or success in the seasons to follow. The seasonal changes play a huge roll in the health and overall wellbeing of our skin and we want to make sure we are giving our skin the best chance to have the best summer this summer and every summer after. Make sure you are using natural, clean products on your skin. Make sure you are cleansing well and applying healing products back on to your skin. If you are using an SPF or sunscreen, make sure it is clean with minimal ingredients with the main one being zinc oxide. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, avoiding large amounts of alcohol, eating fermented foods, taking pre and probiotics, and staying away from seed oils in your food. Set up a healthy routine, getting plenty of sleep, getting a good workout or sweat in, and spend a few minutes outside every day to let your skin get acclimated to the sun. And stock up on our favorite summer skin care products like the Limited edition Summer Skin Saver Bar, All natural, aluminum-free deodorant cremes, and organic herbal salve. Most importantly, don’t forget to have FUN this summer! Summer is an amazing season full of fun, days on the water, bonfires, and time out of doors with family and friends. So enjoy it! It is only here for a short time, so make the most of it starting TODAY.

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it too, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have happy week,

Amanda Pehrson