Homemade Vapor Rub Recipe - Carolina Honeybees (2024)

While you can buy many commercial products, it is so easy to make homemade vapor rub. Whether you use it as a chest rub or other applications during the cold and flu season – it is wise to keep some on hand. Make your own natural diy vapor rub with beeswax and essential oils and avoid petroleum products..

As a beekeeper, I continue to be amazed at the many different ways to use beeswax. This gift from the hive is found in many health and body care products – a lot of those you can make yourself!

DIY Vapor Rub

In my home, we used vapor rub products for more than severe colds.Our family has always been plagued with seasonal allergies. Sometimes the use of a bit of rub on the chest, made going to sleep much easier.

Materials

• coconut oil
• cocoa butter
• beeswax
• essential oils

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is an all around good cream for the skin. It has vitamins that promotes healthy skin and serves as a barrier too. Along with the beeswax, it helps create the perfect thickness of your rub.

If you don’t have cocoa butter on hand – you may substitute shea butter instead. It is a bit different in chemistry but will perform well in this remedy.

Beeswax

Using beeswax in this chest rub recipe is beneficial because it helps hold in skin moisture. It also adds some body to the texture so your homemade vapor rub is not too liquid.

This natural wax is special because only honey bees can make beeswax. More valuable per ounce than even honey – we use the wax from many projects. Heck, even your wooden kitchen spoons can benefit from beeswax spoon butter.

Essential Oils

I listed a few popular essential oils to use in your diy vapor rub. Of course, you can choose others but these are known for being safe to use and effective.

Peppermint oil does contain some menthol and creates a cooling sensation when inhaled. It is also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Other commonly used oils include: lavender, rosemary and tea tree oil.

Eucalyptus oil is used in many products for stuffy noses or colds.The cooling sensation of Eucalyptus helps open my sinuses.Be sure that the essential oils you choose are skin safe – not all of them are.

Cough drops containing eucalyptus can be useful – but I prefer my own homemade honey cough drops.

There is no cure for the cold. But, by combining skin safe oils and other natural ingredients together, you may find some relief from your symptoms.

Basic Steps

1. Begin by melting your beeswax in a safe manner. (Safest method is a double boiler setup). When the wax is melted, add the coconut oil and the shea butter. The wax may seem to solidify for a minute but soon all will be melted and combined.

2. Remove your mixture from the heat source and let it begin to cool down just a bit. A few minutes is usually fine.

3. Add any essential oils that you want to use in your homemade vapor rub. I have suggestions in the instructions below – but the choice is yours.

4. Stir well. Then while still warm – pour your vapor rub into your desired containers. Let sit until the beeswax vapor rub mixture has solidified. Seal with a lid.

How to Use Homemade Vapor Rub

This recipe can be applied to your chest when you are feeling congested or having a stubborn cough.

Rub a thin coat of homemade vapor rub into the skin. Mom insists on putting a warm piece of cloth over the area – but that’s up to you.

You may also apply a little under your nose if you are feeling stuffy. Beeswax is good for skin care – a natural humectant it helps hold moisture.

It may help that skin feel less irritated, as it works in the way way when we make beeswax lip balm to moisturize and soothe lips.

Some people report good results from rubbing homemade vapor rub on their feet! But if you do so, be sure to wear socks – or you may slip and fall.

*Remember – anyone can be allergic to anything – test on a small area of skin first.

Storage

Store your product in a container with a tight fitting lid. If kept in a cool place – it should last for at least 12 months. When choosing your container, keep in mind that you may want to use a finger to get your chest rub out later.

Expert Tips

• Always label your jars – you may forget what is in there!
• If pouring hot oils into glass – temper the glass first by warming it up
• If making these for gifts – be sure to include the ingredients on the label

While I do not believe that essential oils are a cure for everything, they do have many beneficial properties.

Be very cautious when using any product like this on young children.Some folks make a kid version using half of the recommended essential oils in the recipe.

However, I would always check with your doctor or health professional before using on the kids.

And, because there are so many good ones to chose from, you are sure to find something that appeals to you. I even use some essential oils in my beekeeping.

More Ideas

If you want to pamper your skin even more – consider trying this whipped beeswax body butter – it has a luxurious feel. For the arms and hands homemade beeswax lotion is a good choice.

However, I also love the portability and feel of a good beeswax lotion bar. Just wrap it in a piece of cloth and when you need it – the heat of your hands will melt enough to use.

If the high cost of face cream is getting you down, perhaps you should try this recipe for face moisturizer.

And, for those minor cuts and scrapes – you can’t beat this homemade Vaseline type product.

Finally

If you don’t have the desire of time to make your own homemade vapor rub, be sure to choose the natural versions when shopping.And, always read the use directions on the bottle because even natural essential oils are powerful stuff.