By Lisa Barthuly
Join me and step into the kitchen as we make some all-natural, effective homemade vapor rub and cold salves that are quick and simple.
Homemade Vapor Rub – “Breathe”
I love essential oils, DIY projects, and caring for my family. So making homemade vapor rub is something I enjoy. Homemade vapor rub is so useful, easy to make, and it works wonderfully! God gave us some pretty amazing plants to care for us, and the oils derived from them can do everything from clean our homes to help heal our bodies.
Breathe Respiratory Blend of essential oils carries antibacterial and antifungal properties; it works wonders on chest congestion and clearing our airways. My asthmatic daughter uses this oil to keep her asthma under control. It’s good stuff!
Let’s gather up our tools and make our vapor rub. You will need a pan to melt the ingredients in, something to stir with (I use a popsicle stick), and a container/lid to store the finished product in. I use half-pint canning jars; you can use whatever suits you.
The size of your container will determine how much salve you want to make, so I will list the ingredient amounts in parts instead of a pre-determined amount. Over the years, I have found this to be much easier than trying to adjust a recipe to fit the container I store it in.
How to Make Homemade Vapor Rub
Makes 1 cup. For this recipe, you will need:
- 2/3 cups coconut oil
- 1/3 cup beeswax
- 10 drops of Breathe Respiratory Blend essential oil
Directions
Simply melt the oil and beeswax in a pan on a medium-low temperature. Once melted completely, remove from heat and add essential oil. Pour into your container, and let it cool.
The salve will harden within 10 to 15 minutes. Cover and store in a cool, dark location for up to a year. To use, just apply to the chest area and right under the nose. (For first-time use always do a small test on the skin to make sure no one has unknown allergies or reactions!) If you find it is too soft, like the consistency of an ointment, you can scoop it back into the pan, re-melt it and add more beeswax. If it is too hard, re-melt and add a bit more coconut oil.
If you are unhappy with the strength of your essential oil, just re-melt to add more. This is a forgiving recipe.
Customize Your Homemade Vapor Rub
You can customize this recipe to your preferences by using other essential oils that are known to help with chest congestion. I use doTerra Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils. (NOTE: If you are pregnant or nursing, research the oils you choose to use. Some essential oils are not safe to use during pregnancy or nursing).
I also love to use Frankincense or Hyssop; they smell wonderful! Peppermint, rosemary, thyme or myrrh oils are also winners for vapor rub. You can substitute oils just depending on what you have in your “home remedies pantry.”
You will want a minimum of 10 drops of essential oil, with Breathe blend as your main oil; but you can get creative too! I oftentimes will also melt down my coconut oil, add in 1/4 cup or so of dried Eucalyptus and Hyssop leaves and let it sit at a warm, even temperature for about 20 minutes (give it a stir once in awhile) to draw the healing properties from the leaves. Then strain the leaf out of the oil by pouring the mixture into a canning jar covered with a coffee filter or cheesecloth, secured with a canning jar ring or heavy duty rubber band. Then return the oil to the pan and continue on with the recipe.
I love making my own homemade vapor rub and teaching my children how they can use herbs and pantry staples to make their own home remedies, too. These basic home remedies make for great hands-on life lessons in teaching our children how God provides for our needs through His creation, and how we can take care of one another, naturally.
Lisa lives in the mountains of the American Redoubt with her family. She is a Follower of Yeshua, Torah Lover,
Helpmeet, and Mama! She enjoys a simple, home-centered life, built on God’s foundations; studying scripture, homeschooling, scratch baking and cooking, canning, candle making, gardening organically, raising dairy goats and chickens, she’s the family herbalist, enjoys her coffee, reading and loves a round of competitive target practice! Visit her at her “homestead on the Web” at www.HomesteadOriginals.com/blog and for homemade recipes utilizing essential oils, check out her book: A Simply Homemade Clean, available at www.HomesteadOriginals.com.
I found your recipe interesting, since I have always refused to use vapor rubs because of the odor. I wonder if the coconut helps with the odor.
Great informative post! Thank you for sharing with us on The Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! 🙂