How To Make A Vapor Chest Rub Without Chemicals

Are you looking for an all-natural chest rub substitute for Vick’s VapoRub that helps ease cold and flu without the added chemicals?

What’s great about this recipe is that it uses all natural, vegetable-based ingredients plus beeswax. The “real” Vicks contains a few petrochemical ingredients which may have adverse health effects (of course, the research on these such chemicals is always scarce, and the FDA would certainly call them all ‘harmless’).

Some of the chemicals contained in Vick’s include “special petrolatum” (petrochemical) and “spirits of turpentine” (potentially petrochemical). They also add Camphor (cough suppressant and topical analgesic), Eucalyptol (cough suppressant), Menthol 2.6% (cough suppressant and topical analgesic), Cedarleaf oil, Nutmeg oil, and Thymol.

The “alternative” recipe, on the other hand, contains olive oil, coconut oil, grated beeswax, and some great smelling essential oils (eucalyptus, mint, lavender, rosemary and camphor). But there’s nothing stopping from you from trying out your own favorite oils in the mix and seeing what kind of results you enjoy.

The essential oils in this all-natural chest rub work wonders as a decongestant, so the next time you are stuffed up and can’t breathe, reach for a tin of this miracle rub and slather it on your chest, under your nose, or on your feet (if you enjoy foot rubs, you’ll love the tingling feeling).

The oils used all have specific benefits. Due to the menthol in peppermint, it will cool and soothe your skin, in addition to being antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Eucalyptus is antimicrobial and acts as an excellent expectorant — perfect for the lungs. Rosemary boasts many antioxidant properties, and is also an anti-inflammatory, as well. Last but not least, lavender is a fantastic calming oil that can help to calm the nervous system and promote better sleep.

Ingredients for the chest rub

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 3/4 cup grated beeswax
• 35 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 30 drops mint essential oil
• 15 drops lavender essential oil
• 15 drops rosemary essential oil

Melt the olive and coconut oils and wax over a double boiler (a bowl over a pot of boiling water), or in a Turkish coffee pot on the stove. Stir it constantly so it’s well-mixed and do not overheat. It should just melt, not cook or burn. Then add in your essential oils. Once mixed, pour the oil into small metal tins (or anything you want to store in that is heat resistant) and let set. Re-melt to add more essential oils if you want it a bit stronger.

Rub it generously on the chest and feel better soon!