Today, we’re going to make another easy DIY recipe: homemade vapor rub. This rub is made with several essential oils to help you breathe easier, the natural way.
Last year, on a quiet afternoon, alone in my bathroom, I mixed a few ingredients in a simple glass bowl: cocoa powder, arrowroot, clay, and a dash of spice. The creation of my very first DIY, homemade foundation powder. Hesitantly, I dipped my finger in the powder and applied it to my face. I studied the mirror, inspecting my creation. Homemade make-up worked. It was a glorious moment. An addictive moment. An epiphany.
Since that quiet afternoon, I’ve been on a DIY kick. A mission to oust the chemicals and replace them with simple homemade products that actually work.
Body wash? I got that.
Boo-boo cream for ouchies? Homemade salve to the rescue.
Laundry Soap? Absolutely. Move aside Tide.
And the list could go on.
Last week, Piper started to get the sniffles. Sniffles led to congestion and no sleep. A couple of nights later, congestion struck again, this time it was my turn. Immediately, knowing a very rare cold was coming for our family, I made a batch of homemade elderberry syrup. While the elderberry syrup, broth, and probiotics went to work cold-busting, congestion relief and a good night’s sleep were needed.
Time for a new DIY?
I think so.
Colds always evoke memories of my mom with a little blue bottle. The smell that radiated from that bottle was like no other. The sweet relief it brought to my congested nose and chest was always welcome. My mom would gently rub the moist balm under my congested nose, back, and chest. Anytime I feel congestion coming on, my mind always goes to that blue bottle and my mom’s TLC.
With the memory of my mom’s healing touch and a love for DIY, this recipe was born in our time of need. A combination of simple, natural ingredients coming together to provide a relief for chest and head congestion. The warm touch and scent of this homemade rub is not only calming, but also contains antiviral and anti-bacterial properties. A vapor rub that’s natural and effective.
DIY accomplished.
Cold busted.
Congestion gone.
Note: I didn’t use this rub on our kids, just the adults, since rosemary, eucalyptus, and peppermint aren’t considered “kid-safe” essential oils for young children. Here’s a handy post about kid ages and essential oil use. Personally, as my son has gotten older (elementary school), we’ve used a small amount on the bottom of his feet with socks, when congestion strikes.
Homemade Vapor Rub
Ingredients
- 5 TB coconut oil
- 2 TB cocoa butter
- 1 1/2 TB beeswax pellets
- 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops rosemary essential oil
- 5 drops tea tree essential oil
Instructions
- Place a glass bowl on top of a saucepan partially filled with water over medium heat. Add the coconut oil and cocoa butter. Melt
- Once melted, add the beeswax. Melt.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the heat. Allow the mixture to sit in the saucepan for 5 minutes. This will allow the mixture to cool so the oils aren't damaged.
- After 5 minutes, add the eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, and tea tree oils to the coconut oil mixture. Combine with a spoon.
- Pour the mixture into a glass jar. This recipe will make one 4 oz. jar of vapor rub. As the mixture cools the liquid will solidify, making it a creamy, spreadable rub.
Video
Notes
Hi. I’ve just found this on Pinterest It is similar to the blend I make for my grandchildren, but I left out the rosemary when they were small, as they had febrile convulsions. (Rosemary essential oil should never be used for any one with convulsive conditions) It still worked very well. I haven’t used coconut oil before but I will certainly give it a try.
I love your blog.
Hey Loraine, Wonderful info–thank you for commenting about the rosemary! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Live Simply!
I find it strange that Vick’s itself is marketed as a “children’s cough cold product appropriate for ages two and up” and does contain eucalyptus oil. Yet this natural version with no harmful chemicals like petroleum or turpentine is recommended only for kids over 10 because it contains eucalyptus oil. I have a feeling that warning is mainly intended for the full strength essential oil and not the 1% dilution used in vapor rub.
Hey Danielle, I’ve always found that interesting–I don’t think essential oils are used in the commercial formula. When using pure essential oils at home, it’s best to use caution, particularly around children. While many kids are okay with eucalyptus essential oil, some may have a reaction.
This is a cool idea. Can this be made with an alternative to beeswax? If so is it the same amount? Candelilla or soy wax perhaps?
Hey Jess M M, I haven’t tried using another product as a beeswax substitute. I know people have commented about their success with candelilla. Let me know if you try it!
Hi! So, I completely understand the decongestant aspect of eucalypse for MOST people. My family, are not those type of people. We have a reaction to the SMELL of eucalypse which cause worse nasal congestion and sinus headaches. I was recently sick and picked up for Vapor Rub without looking at the ingredients and after opening it and putting on my feet with socks got a bad headache. That’s when I found out about the eucalypse (it hasn’t been used in my family for years upon years and now I know why.) Is there a way that this can be made WITHOUT the eucalypse or melaleuca (which are essentially the same thing)?
Hey Paige,
Wow! What an experience.
Unfortunately the eucalyptus is one of the key ingredients, so I’m not sure how effective the vapor rub will be if it’s replaced or removed.
Paige, Plant therapy has a kid safe sniffle stopper you could probably use. I don’t know the ingredients but it shouldn’t have eucalyptus or peppermint because they ar nt kid safe. I think I have heard that fir is a great congestion relief. If you can handle that it would probably be a good replacement. There are others too, just google it and you will probably find something that works for you 🙂
I use Rosalina from Plant Therapy in place of Eucalyptus to be safe around my kids. Works so well for nasal congestion! It’s Melaleuca Ericifolia, so not sure if it’s related to the Tea Tree Melaleuca, but it doesn’t smell like it at all. Very pleasant. I often mix with Fir Needle and Cypress (all three are kid safe).
Wonderful, Trisha! Thank you for sharing!
I’ve seen salt and sugar scrubs in mason jars but not vapor rub. What a cool (pardon the pun) gift idea! I can’t wait to try this!
Lol, nice pun ;). I have a “thing” for little mason jars and generally use them for just about everything. Enjoy!!
Where should I store the vaporub? Fridge? Just made some. Thanks!
Hey Mindi, You can store the vapor rub in a medicine cabinet or cupboard for 12 months. Enjoy!!
I love your website. I made the vapor rub and love it. It has helped my son a lot at night when he gets congested. Thanks!!
Thank you so much, Sabrina! I’m so happy to hear the vapor rub is helping your son. Thank you for sharing!!
Wonderful recipe, looking forward to adding this to the christmas baskets of homemade items for my adult kids. They always think I am amazing when I do everything homemade and its a great feeling when they ask for more of them the following year. Thank you again. 🙂
Thanks so much! I did go ahead and grab a new sauce pan at the store. It’s made and cooling now! I love your blog! 🙂
You’re very welcome, Donielle. Enjoy!!
Hi!
Is this safe to use in a regular cooking saucepan or do you have a separate you use to make oil concoctions? 🙂 Do you think it would be ok to melt everything in the microwave (glass bowl)?
Thank you! 🙂
Hey Donielle, I’m not sure about the microwave. If you try melting the ingredients in the microwave I would heat the ingredients in intervals of 30 sec. I use a separate pan for making homemade products only because they can be a bit sticky when cleaning, but you can use any saucepan (even a saucepan you normally cook with).
Mango butter – I love the stuff. Could I use that instead of cocoa butter? I can’t stand the smell of cocoa butter – even the deodorized stuff. LOL Thanks!
P.S.
Love your blog, and thanks for sharing!
Hey Renee, I’ve never personally used mango butter, but I keep hearing great things about it. From what I’ve read, I think it will work great!
I made this the other day and it came out grainey? Any idea what I did wrong. I was really hoping for a smooth texture. Thanks
Hey April, The vapor rub shouldn’t be grainy at all, rather very smooth like a hand cream. I’m not sure what went wrong…maybe one of the ingredient brands? Did the cocoa, coconut oil, and beeswax fully melt into a liquid? Or was it grainy?
Thank you
You’re very welcome :). It’s handy to have around this time of year. I also use this vapor rub for headaches. 🙂
you need to leave it on heat for at least 20 minutes. that will stop the grainy texture.
Thank you for the tip, Destiny.
The graininess is probably due to the crystalization of the coconut oil. It happens in lip balm all the time. It will still melt far below body temperature, so just rub it on and use it the same way. You can try remelting it, but it doesn’t always help and heat can damage the EO’s, so it’s probably worth just leaving it. Next time, make sure the coconut oil melts at a lower temp, remove it from the heat as soon as it’s melted, and stir as it cools. You could also sub an oil/fat that is less prone to crystallization, like hemp or avocado butter.
Thanks, Gyen. Great insight.
The graininess comes from the fatty acids in the oils solidifying at different temperatures (each has a different melting point), and has no effect on the quality of the finished product. After you pour your product into its containers, refrigerate them until they are solid and you’ll end up with a velvety smooth texture.
Hope this helps!
Thanks, Izzie :).
I, too, have fond loving memories of my mom giving me that menthol rub during many a cold and many cases of bronchitis as a child. Every since, I always loved the smell! (I know, many that do not!, though :)) This looks like a great recipe for me to try and have ready for the winter to come. Thank you! And, such a lovely blog!
Thank you so much, Lori. Enjoy the homemade vapor rub and sweet memories :).
Lovely recipe, I have bought all that i needed to make it. I have one problem though – I couldnt get beeswax in pellets only as sheets, so how many grams (preferably) is 1 1/2 TB of beeswax?
Thank you, Louise. I’m not sure how many grams, but I found this site very helpful: http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php?topic=567.0. Hope that helps :).
Yeah, I looked at that before alse, but in your recipe your 1 1/2TB is in solid form, and the forum site is telling me how to measure the liquid beeswax 🙂 Can you tell me how many TB liquid beeswax goes in this recipe?? And TB means tablespoons right?
I’m sorry if this is confusing and a lot of trouble, I’m from denmark and we use only the metric system 😀
SORRY!! I just understood the last part of the blog post 🙂
Hey Louise, No problem. I was away from my computer this afternoon. I’m not sure how many melted tablespoons (TB= tablespoons) I use. I would try 1 tablespoon of melted beeswax, if possible, or grating the block you have.
If I wanted to use a different oil other than coconut, would I use the same amount that it calls for?
Hey Lynn, yes, you can use the same amount as the recipe calls for.
I was wondering I don’t have rosemary Oil on hand does it change the effectiveness or recipe of I left it out? Also is it safe to use while pregnant?
Thanks
Jenny
Hey Jenny, The rosemary is an antiviral and antibacterial. It’s also great for respiratory health. You can leave it out and still produce a wonderful vapor rub with the other oils. I’m not sure about pregnancy, as I haven’t been pregnant and used this, but I would consult this site: http://www.learningabouteos.com/. Lea is my go-to source for trusted oil info.
Lea recommends against eucalyptus and rosemary for children under 10 and against peppermint for children under 6. So this is just for adults and older kids. I think I’ll try the recipe using Plant Therapy’s Kid Safe Sniffle Stopper. 🙂
Hey Jess, Yes, rosemary and eucalyptus are on the list of oils to be very cautious with around children. For that reason I’m hesitant to recommend anyone using this around a child’s face, however, the feet are generally a safe place to rub this vapor rub. Some kids have had reactions to these oils (slowed breathing) when applied near the face, hence the precautions. My kids do well with both oils so I apply the vapor rub on their back when needed, but first started with their feet and a pair of socks over top. I waited until my children were older before applying to their backs (an older toddler or preschooler) and not a baby.
What can you use as a substitute for coconut oil?
Hey Brandy, You could use olive oil or even add more cocoa butter to replace the coconut oil.
Awesome thank you……It suck being allergic to coconut anything
I bet, Brandy. So many DIYs call for coconut :(.
Would Shea butter work in place of cocoa butter? I usually have Shea on hand already for my sons 🙂
Hey April, Shea butter would work perfectly!
I thought about pouring this into a empty deodorant container and that way you can roll up the amount you need and not get your fingers greasy and smelly from the rub.
Haven’t tried it but thinking of doing it, what do you think?
Leann, That’s absolutely brilliant! I’m going to try that next time I make a batch. Essential oils don’t last as long in plastic, but for a short-term use (a few months) a deodorant container would be perfect!
I’ve been using deodorant containers for years for my vapour/muscle rub recipe. I love it because you can glide on just the right amount without it getting all over everything. However, Kristin is absolutely right that plastic is a poor choice for effective storage of essential oils but I just make sure that I keep it in a cool place (even fridge at times). Moreover, I also use it often as a muscle rub (after sports/running, etc) so the product doesn’t always last that long, the turnover is pretty quick. I also have a glass jar tucked away just in case 😀
Great idea, Gena! Thank you for sharing!
Found this on Pinterest and going to pin on my Au Natural board. I love Vicks but have been looking for an alternative. I will give this a try. I have used Vicks on sore muscles also. Do you think this would work for that also? Can’t wait! Trying to clean out my cupboard of the store bought stuff too.
Hey Erika, I think this would work very well for muscle-pain relief too. I may add a bit more peppermint to the mixture (a couple drops) if using for sore muscles. Enjoy!
Mmm peppermint I agree!
Also let ppl know they may want a separate “special pot” for their concoctions.
;^) Cheers, Kris
I agree! A few years ago when the DIY bug bit me, I went shopping at my local Goodwill store and found a small stainless steel saucepan and a couple of small Pyrex mixing bowls to use as a double boiler. I also had a 2 cup size Pyrex measuring cup that all the measurements had washed off in the dishwasher. I use it primarily when I make my homemade lip balm since the pour spout makes it easier to fill the little tubes. Great point though, no sense ruining your good cookware, especially when using any kind of wax. 🙂
Hi, I have a small, very small, business that helps me support my family and I was wondering if I could use your recipe to sell a homemade vapor rub. I think it’s a great and easy recipe but if your not okay with me selling the product I can find another. Thank you.
Hey Jill, I think it would be best to develop your own recipe if you’re selling the product. Bloggers, including myself, work hard to develop our recipes and the little we earn from blogging helps us support our families while doing what we love. I’d love to hear what you come up with.
While I agree that you shouldn’t use other recipes, for selling, this is a failrly common recipe. Almost all homemade vapo rubs have the same ingredients. The addition of tea tree oil is the only difference that I see. The carrier oils could be interchanged but, a vapo rub is a vapo rub because of the essential oils used. I have been making your recipe well before I knew it was your recipe. I am not trying to be rude just making an observation. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Hey Lisa, I’m glad you enjoy making vapor rub. I’m not quite sure about your question (or what it is), but I’m glad you’re making and using a vapor rub you love. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so grateful for your website. I just made some DIY lip balm for my family. I want to make my own rub since I have a cold but I only have Shea butter in hand. Can I use that instead of cocoa butter? Thank you!
Hey Elle, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Yes, I believe shea butter will work great. The final product may be a little soft, but should still work well.
Spearmint in lieu of peppermint would probably work great for sore muscles. IMHO… (I’m so pinning this btw;)
Great idea, Nicole! Thank you :).
I made this yesterday and I use this for sore Muscles and I use it for my chest Being Congested I like the way it make my skin feel after I put it on think I’ll use more the next time. But I does work try it lady’s easy to make
I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Monical!