Wellness buyer beware: Counterfeit Castor Oil Packs are on the rise!

Wellness buyer beware: Counterfeit Castor Oil Packs are on the rise!

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

Wellness buyer beware: Counterfeit Castor Oil Packs are on the rise!

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Marisol Teijeiro, N.D. (inactive)

Est. reading time: 6 minutes.

How to spot imitation Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs before you buy

They say imitation is the best form of flattery. However, flattery quickly turns to concern when imitation Castor Oil Packs put your wellbeing at risk.

You may be a wellness queen with years of experience using Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs – kudos to you!

Or maybe you are testing the waters of your new wellness awakening and you might be wondering “how to avoid a counterfeit Castor Oil Pack?”

Does this sound like you? If so, read on!

Now, before we dive in, we would like to be the first ones to admit that our products are not perfect.

Because when you believe you are perfect, there is no longer room for improvement, agreed?

We pride ourselves on being 100% transparent so our customers will both trust us and are able to make informed purchasing decisions.

Why the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack is not perfect:

  • The outer less-mess layer is polyurethane (PUL) that is heat-bonded (a cleaner alternative to chemical-bonding) to an additional layer of organic cotton flannel. Polyurethane is the material used in reusable baby diapers, and is considered one of the healthiest plastics, but still a plastic nonetheless. This protective layer is what makes the pack less-mess, more convenient, and helps increase compliance.
  • The straps are made from nylon, also a type of plastic. These were changed from our previous organic cotton elastic straps due to customer feedback that the straps weren’t stretchy enough and uncomfortably dug into the skin. Now they are softer, stretchier, and the pack is comfortable enough to sleep in.

Our promise to you:

We are consistently innovating our products based on customer feedback and striving for the cleanest materials presently available on the market while being transparent about our manufacturing processes and materials standards.

Our aim is to create a product that bridges time-honored ancient cleansing, drainage and detox practices with modern day convenience.

Would you love to know what to look for when you’re reading labels of the things you wear? ? Get your FREE ‘buyer beware’ checklist below!

You may already know that Queen of the Thrones® products are designed by a naturopathic doctor with over a decade in clinical practice. She discovered the scientifically supported, game-changing, and easy way to make this ancient self-care practice a part of your modern routine.

With this practice gaining in popularity, there are unfortunately some imitation Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs on the market.

This is why we want to educate and empower you on how to spot phonies from the real deal so you can feel good about your self-care practice. Because your wellness is a top priority.

Because imitations can be dangerous…

Imitation brands made with cheap, synthetic and chemically treated fabrics are often blended with what sounds like healthy fabrics. They may label it as organic even though they may not be (also known as greenwashing).

Unfortunately, we can all be fooled into purchasing a less-than-premium product if we don’t know what to look for. Sometimes, there can be misleading advertising claims often copying the marketing from wellness leaders, like Queen of the Thrones®.

See the screenshot below taken from amazon.com of another Castor Oil Pack company that imitates the Queen of the Thrones® design.

Their image is almost an exact copy of Queen of the Thrones®, but the pack is placed on the wrong side of the body, a tell-tale sign they may not have an understanding of how Castor Oil Packs work. But, thankfully you do!

Your help is needed so we can put an end to Queen of the Thrones® imitations so we can all feel better. Because here you are, trying to do something really good for your health, and it’s worrisome as a consumer to be fooled by marketing if the pack is placed on the wrong side of the body, perhaps the materials it’s made from should be questioned too. Agreed?

Imagine, if they don’t even know what side of the body to put the pack on, it’s highly likely they don’t know the right types of materials that are a ‘must’ when doing a wellness-promoting pack.

Companies may make substitutions for cheaper materials thinking that’s what you want. Lack of knowledge on their part could lead to a less-than-healthy pack, that may do the very opposite of what they are promised to do.

The less expensive alternative ends up being more expensive in the end. So instead of balancing your hormones and detoxifying your liver, with these imitation packs you may be adding to your toxic load! Not good, right?

This is called a RETOX rather than DETOX!

We understand that with all great things there will always be a few bad apples in the bunch who will try to make a quick buck with poor quality products that don’t have your well-being in mind, only their bottom line.

So how do we prevent you, the trusting and innocent wellness consumer, to avoid being cheated into buying something that isn’t Queen of the Thrones®?

Get your FREE ‘buyer beware’ checklist below!

5 ways to spot a FAKE or IMITATION Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack or Castor Oil product

1. Synthetic materials

Many imitation packs are made with synthetic fabrics and materials that contain chemicals (endocrine disruptors) which may interfere with the natural function of your hormones!

Beware of “organic bamboo” and other materials like cotton velour that are most often blended with plastic fibers or highly processed with chemicals.

 

Some may even have regulatory symbols stating that they are “healthy”. But the definition of healthy may be very different for manufacturers compared to natural wellness practitioners. They are on totally different planets!

2. The words eco-friendly”, “green”, and “natural” – do not always mean health-friendly.

Yes, we want to help the environment and be eco-friendly, but not everything that is good for the environment is good for your health.

This is a great example of the marketing tactic mentioned earlier called ”greenwashing”.

3. Castor Oil found in plastic bottles.

 

Castor Oil is known as the best carrier oil, but not when it’s bottled in plastic, the oil can get contaminated by the container. Unless it’s packaged in glass, it’s likely not the best quality.

4. Check the Castor Oil label for “expeller pressed”, “cold-pressed”, “hexane-free” and “100% pure”.

Cold-pressed means the nutrients are maintained instead of being separated from the bean with chemicals (like hexane). It’s simply pressed mechanically and as pure as can be. Clearly the best option for your health.

5. Prices that are too good to be true.

Everyone understands that “you get what you pay for” with quality products, right? If the price is lower than the brands that you know and trust, there’s a reason for it.

6 ways to spot AUTHENTIC Queen of the Thrones® products:

1. The Label

Every Queen of the Thrones® product has a fabric label with our logo, website, and registration number on it.

2. The Material

Every Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack is made with organic cotton flannel that touches the skin directly and manufactured with the cleanest standards possible.

For hygienic reasons we suggest replacing your compress approximately every 2 months.

Note: Bamboo material will feel extremely soft to the touch because it’s been broken down with chemicals that may not wash out completely. In addition, pthalates are often used to make the material softer.

3. The Oil

Castor Oil is a premier carrier oil that can permeate deeply through the upper layers of your skin. Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil is always 100% pure, certified organic, hexane-free, extra virgin and expeller-pressed.

4. The Bottle

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil is always bottled in glass to avoid the potential of chemicals from plastic bottles contaminating the oil.

5. The Face Behind the Brand

 

All Queen of the Thrones® products are designed by a naturopathic doctor and homotoxicologist with a designation in environmental medicine, who created these packs for her patients, her family, and her wellness practice.

Most of these companies aren’t birthed in the natural wellness industry – they’re materials or textiles suppliers who hopped on the bandwagon.

6. Testimonials

Look for the “Verified Buyer” badge on product reviews. Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs have been used in clinical practices for years and have recieved tens of thousands of reviews from people who have experienced benefits.

Would you love to know what to look for and what to avoid when you’re shopping?

What can you do about your digestion problems?

Queen of the Thrones® Triple Purity Promise

Queen of the Thrones® is consistently innovating our products based on customer feedback and striving for the cleanest materials presently available on the market while being transparent about our manufacturing processes and materials standards.

Our aim is to create a product that bridges time-honored ancient cleansing, drainage and detox practices with modern day convenience.

As a result, we have built a loyal customer base who trust the brand, delivering to you the Triple Purity Promise:

  • Professional Customer Support
  • Practitioner Endorsements
  • Premium & Pure as Possible

 

When in doubt, you will always be in good hands and may reach out to our customer support team at: care@queenofthethrones.com

The team will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Here’s to smart shopping, to a healthy lifestyle, and to you!

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

Are there hormone disruptors in ‘organic’ Castor Oil Packs?

Are there hormone disruptors in ‘organic’ Castor Oil Packs?

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

Are there hormone disruptors in ‘organic’ Castor Oil Packs?

Written by: Dr. Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive) Christine Ruggeri Dr. Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive)
Dr. Marisol Teijeiro N.D. is an award-winning author and founder of Queen of the Thrones® line of products including the original less-mess Castor Oil Pack
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 6 minutes.

 

Here’s why you can feel safe with your Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack

So, you likely bought your Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack so you can support your hormone problems because it’s made with organic cotton flannel and manufactured with the cleanest standards possible, right? And now you may be wondering if you can counteract hormone disruptors with your organic cotton Castor Oil Pack?

You see, hormone disruptors (A.K.A. endocrine disruptors) are any compound/chemical that interferes with the natural function of your hormones. They may be connected to health conditions like ADHD, reproductive problems, thyroid conditions, diabetes, different types of cancers and more1.

And hormone disruptors aren’t just in the food you eat or in the air you breathe, but may be in everything you come into contact with (your clothes, sheets, furniture) through your largest hormonal organ2, your skin.

Would you love to know what to look for when you’re shopping so you can avoid hormone disruptors? Get your FREE ‘buyer beware’ checklist below!

And we wonder why almost everyone these days has some type of hormone problem, right? Estrogen overload, low progesterone, thyroid problems… Sound familiar?

But first, let’s start with Castor Oil Packs and why…

Castor Oil Packs must be done with organic cotton

This is important because many women and men do Castor Oil Packs with the goal of supporting their hormonal balance and helping to remove toxins and chemicals from their body.

Except the key is to use the RIGHT materials that come in direct contact with your skin, without hormone disruptors. Your Castor Oil Pack should always be made with organic cotton, wool, or linen that touches your skin. And always with organic Castor Oil in a glass bottle. Why?

 

Well, Castor Oil is the premier carrier oil that can permeate deeply through the upper layers of your skin and through the stratus corneum3. So, you only want to use Castor Oil that is 100% pure, organic, hexane-free, extra virgin, cold pressed, and bottled in glass to avoid the potential of chemicals that could be carried into your body.

So, if you’re using a Castor Oil Pack that:

✗ isn’t Queen of the Thrones®

✗ doesn’t have organic cotton, wool or linen touching your skin directly

✗ is paired with Castor Oil in a plastic bottle

It could actually be counterintuitive for a hormone balance, liver detox and cleansing self-care practice.

It’s every textile product you use, not just Castor Oil Packs!

You may not think about it because you haven’t been told, but, all textiles/materials in your life may be laden with toxins, chlorine, bleach, flame retardants and other harsh solvents/chemicals used during the manufacturing process.

Yes, this includes pads, tampons, diapers and clothes.

The problem with ‘organic’ bamboo in Castor Oil Packs

Most of the other Castor Oil Packs available are made from ‘organic bamboo’.

Bamboo material may feel super soft, but that’s only because it’s been chemically broken down to feel softer than normal cotton. It’s kind of like genetically modified fruits and vegetables that look perfect but have no taste, agreed?

You see, bamboo is known to be as strong as steel in the construction of buildings, with two times the compressive strength of concrete5! Because the fibers are SO strong, many toxic caustic chemicals are used to soften the strong fibers; making it even softer than cotton.

‘Organic bamboo’ uses toxic chemicals when it’s being processed6. The only part that’s truly organic is the initial bamboo plant.

Imagine the type of chemicals you would need to use in order to break down this strong plant to make it softer than all-natural organic cotton.

Sadly, this is common, and it’s truly about ‘buyer beware’. It’s shocking when you start seeing what is happening with Castor Oil Packs and other wellness products in the industry.

It comes down to trusting your supplier. Take note: if you can’t find a website for their company (and even if you do), you may want to proceed with caution. Always ask, read the label, and contact the company if you have any questions or concerns.

Would you love to know what to look for when you’re reading product labels? Get your FREE ‘buyer beware’ checklist below!

Why Choose Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs?

You see, the pack you have in your hands was made by our founder, Dr. Marisol Teijeiro, N.D. (inactive) who first used it when she fell dreadfully sick, she then shared it with her family, patients, and now with you.

As a naturopathic doctor and homotoxicologist with designations in environmental medicine, knowing the effects of using cheap chemical-laden materials, the packs were created to avoid this as much as possible in our world. She knew you needed a tool that would be easy to use AND support wellness, not make you sicker.

So, she selected the quality needed to make Castor Oil Packs easily accessible.

You also want a company you believe in and one that is honest about the deficiencies of their products.

You see, the part that touches your skin with the oil is organic cotton flannel. But, to create the convenience that you want with your pack, the outer layer is polyurethane (PUL) that is heat-bonded to an additional layer of organic cotton flannel.

Heat bonding is a cleaner alternative to chemical bonding, that helps to dissipate the phthalates in the protective layer (instead of adding chemicals to bond it).

Polyurethane is the material used in reusable baby diapers, and is considered one of the safest plastics, but still a plastic nonetheless. This protective layer is what makes the pack less-mess, more convenient, retains natural body heat so no external heat is necessary, and helps increase compliance.

Then these two layers are sewn together by hand in North America.

These modifications have all been made with your feedback and input. When Dr. Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive) first launched a Castor Oil Pack, the entirety was 100% organic cotton. They were a lot more expensive, they leaked rapidly, and the organic cotton straps dug into peoples sides. It wasn’t making you, our most important person, happy.

So, she looked for the best possible midpoint solution that would agree with her standard and make you happy to use it even with these modifications.

To be clear, the part that is 100% organic cotton is the flannel, the part where the Castor Oil goes and the part that directly touches your skin.

Cheap organic vs. expensive organic cotton. Does expensive always mean better?

In Spanish, there’s a saying, “lo barrato sale caro”, which translates into “the cheap often becoming expensive.” So, it’s time for the health consumer like you to truly understand the game.

Remember, cheap becomes expensive and because this is your wellness, you can’t afford cheap. The investment in high quality is key because it’s as important to do self-care right with the right materials. Makes sense, agreed?

Let’s put it this way, we would rather people not do Castor Oil Packs than do them with materials that could be harmful.

It’s a jungle out there, with little regulation about materials.

There’s a huge lack of transparency, as some Castor Oil Pack manufacturers don’t even put labels on their products so you can know what you’re actually buying. How can you trust them if you don’t know what the product is made of?

Why Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs are the cleanest most convenient less-mess option

The self-care practices of Castor Oil Packs are often used to balance stress and inflammation7 as well as supporting natural liver detox8, lymphatic drainage9 and colon cleansing10.

So, one would think it’s imperative to have as clean as possible materials to do this practice, agreed?

Here’s why we feel Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs are your best option:

  1. The cotton flannel layer that touches the skin is organic vs. other packs that use chemically processed fabrics (i.e. bamboo)
  2. It’s been used in clinical practice by thousands who have benefited vs. dozens of capitalistic companies jumping on the bandwagon with no background due to consumer demand
  3. It’s meant to be used with fresh Castor Oil each time, and replaced after approximately 30 uses or 2 months, as its unknown whether or not toxins are transferred from the body into the pack and exposure increases over time as the natural materials break down

Is it perfect? Well, no, because we had to do a few workarounds to get compliance from patients.

All less-mess versions of Castor Oil Packs use a protective layer of some sort, whether it be a harsher plastic like vinyl or other.

Ultimately, the healthiest way is to use only cotton flannel, but you would lose all the convenience of the ‘less mess’ outer layer on the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack.

Plus, that’s why you have the organic cotton flannel side of your Queen of the Thrones® Pack, that’s meant to sit on your skin and be as free of hormone disruptors as possible.

I know what you’re thinking, can’t I just rub the oil on my abdomen instead of using the pack? That won’t work because it’s not the oil that does the work, it’s the gentle compression from the pack WITH the oil.

Would you love to know all the reasons why the pack is essential? I have the answers for you in this blog post.

Because you’re reading this, you’re now aware of the quality of care that you need. If this scared you a little, that’s good because that’ll help you become more aware so you can make the smartest choices for you and your loved ones.

 

Our promise to you:

We are consistently innovating our products based on customer feedback and striving for the cleanest materials presently available on the market while being transparent about our manufacturing processes and materials standards.

Our aim is to create a product that bridges time-honored ancient cleansing, drainage and detox practices with modern day convenience.

Please contact us at care@queenofthethrones.com if you have any questions about your product or need support. We have a dream team to help you!

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Susan Adcox, Medically Reviewed by Dany Paul Baby, MD. What are Endocrine Disruptors? Published on WedMD.com April 7th, 2022 https://www.webmd.com/children/what-are-endocrine-disruptors.

2. Beszterda M, Frański R. Endocrine disruptor compounds in environment: As a danger for children health. Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2018;24(2):88-95. doi: 10.18544/PEDM-24.02.0107. PMID: 30300430.

3. Drexler H. Skin protection and percutaneous absorption of chemical hazards. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2003 Jun;76(5):359-61. doi: 10.1007/s00420-002-0423-4. Epub 2003 May 22. PMID: 12761626.

4. De Jong MDT, Harkink KM, Barth S. Making Green Stuff? Effects of Corporate Greenwashing on Consumers. J Bus Tech Commun. 2018 Jan;32(1):77-112. doi: 10.1177/1050651917729863. Epub 2017 Sep 25. PMID: 30034204; PMCID: PMC6044111.

5. Esti Asih Nurdiah, The Potential of Bamboo as Building Material in Organic Shaped Buildings. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 216, 2016, Pages 30-38, ISSN 1877-0428, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815061844

6. Bamboo Fiber Processing, Properties, and Applications. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2014 ISBN : 978-3-319-07640-9. Sameen Ruqia Imadi, Isra Mahmood, Alvina Gul Kazi

7. Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8. PMID: 11200362.

8. Holm T, Brøgger-Jensen MR, Johnson L, Kessel L.Glutathione preservation during storage of rat lenses in opti-sol-GS and castor oil. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 19;8(11):e79620. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079620. eCollection 2013. PMID: 24260265.

9. Holmes GM, Browning KN, Babic T, Fortna SR, Coleman FH, Travagli RA. Vagal afferent fibres determine the oxytocin-induced modulation of gastric tone. J Physiol. 2013 Jun 15;591(12):3081-100. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.253732. Epub 2013 Apr 15. PMID: 23587885; PMCID: PMC3832121.

10. Arslan GG, Eşer I. An examination of the effect of castor oil packs on constipation in the elderly. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.04.004. Epub 2010 May 18. PMID: 21168117.