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Everybody on TikTok is talking about castor oil. While the way people are learning about castor is thoroughly modern, the ingredient itself and its use in wellness and beauty trends are decidedly ancient, dating back to early Ayurvedic practices.
Castor oil can be used to hydrate hair and skin, but the trending practice is called “navel oiling,” and fans claim it helps with abdominal swelling, cramps, better digestion, or even deeper sleep. So what’s the truth?
What is navel oiling?
“In Ayurvedic tradition, the navel (nabhi) represents the origin of life, linking mother and child before birth and providing a hub for nutrients to flow between their bodies,” says Shrankhla Holecek, the founder of the Ayurvedic brand Uma Oils. “The philosophy of nabhi chikitsa tells us that the body’s center continues to serve as a foundation for balance in adulthood, because of its richness in blood vessels and pathways to the body’s extremities.”
You want to be very conscious when choosing an oil. A single-origin oil like castor oil, of course, is an option, but so is ghee. If you’ve been navel oiling for a while, you may want to try an oil spiked with adaptogenic like Uma’s Body Balancing Navel Oil.
Holecek adds that “even in modern science, we find that the belly button and navel area has a vital connection to the vagus nerve, stimulating which can have a profound impact on calmness, sleep, and overall wellbeing.” Studies have shown navel administration of medication is efficacious and that navel oiling can help with digestion, as well as potentially relieve gynecological discomfort.
How do you navel oil?
Holecek suggests a navel oiling practice like this:
- Start by lightly stimulating the area (the navel folds) by very gently pinching with your forefinger and thumb.
- After about 15 to 20 seconds of doing this, place 1 to 3 drops of oil into the belly button.
- Place a small ball of cotton or tissue inside the belly button to keep the oil in place for continued absorption, and to prevent transfer onto clothes.
It’s recommended that you do nabhi chikitsa at bedtime.
My Castor Oiling Experience
As a total beginning, I decided to start with Sky Organics Castor Oil—the first thing I noticed about the golden liquid is that it isn’t like other oils (rosehip, jojoba, almond) that I love—it’s thicker and stickier. Because of that, a little goes a very long way. It’s also a complicated practice because I have very long nails, so the pinching was a bit of a piercing feeling at times… unpleasant, to say the least.
I kept the oil, plus some cotton balls, by my bed every night so I wouldn’t forget to do this before bed. What started as just applying a few drops of oil into my belly button at night turned into a full-on stomach massage each night, something that was super luxurious and effective. By two weeks in, my stomach not only looked and felt better each morning, but the skin looked smoother and more hydrated, too. Better inside and outside? Win-win.
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