One of my childhood memories is getting out of a really hot shower and having my mom rub Vicks all over my chest before wrapping a big fluffy towel around my middle and sticking me in footie pajamas straight from the dryer. I don’t remember how sick I was, or how old I was, but I remember feeling loved, cherished, and less miserable.
And up until recently, my recipe for a nasty cough, a case of the sniffles, or just a general ugh was a hot shower, that blue jar, and pajamas. But then I started learning about essential oils and how easy it was to use them. And more importantly how I could make my own vapor rub without petroleum products. I made my first batch following this recipe in February and have since made it a few more times tweaking it toward our own family “tastes”.
With cold and flu season just around the corner, I knew it was time to make some more and I posted a very messy picture of my kitchen on instagram. A few of my friends had questions, so I thought I’d share my recipe here.
You’ll need:
A double boiler or (like me) a glass pyrex in a larger pan
1/2 cup {organic} sweet almond oil (coconut oil gives it a thicker consistency in the tin but melts down on application so we use that if I don’t have almond oil)
2 Tablespoons Beeswax (either grate some up or use pastilles)
Essential oils (eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, lavender)
Containers (I use these tins in either the 2oz or 4oz size and lip balm tubes for baby foot applications but a jelly jar would work great)
Directions
Melt your beeswax and oil in the double boiler.
Remove from heat.
Add essential oils:
Full (grown up) strength:
Add 25 drops eucalyptus
Add 20 drops peppermint
Add 10 drops rosemary
Add 10 drops lavender
*Some essential oils like eucalyptus are not recommended for young children, please research/use accordingly*
Pour into containers, let set. Cover. Store in a cool, dry place. Rub on chest or feet when necessary.
Another perk: I feel a lot less greasy the next morning than when I used the store bought stuff.
As for which oils I use: As you can see I have both Young Living and Mountain Rose Herbs bottles on my {messy} counter. I started ordering from Young Living a little over a year ago and I’m quite happy with them but I’m also happy with Mountain Rose Herbs – I get my beeswax and a few of my oils from them in addition to containers. I have some friends who are huge fans of DoTerra and while I haven’t tried them, I certainly wouldn’t be afraid of recommending them. I’m a little skittish of purchasing essential oils off the shelf at a grocery store, but if you have a brand that you use and trust, I say give it a try.
**I am not a doctor and am not qualified to treat illness or prescribe medications. Please see your doctor for any medical questions.**