DIY Chest Rub
Ok, real talk, did you know good ‘ol Vicks Vaporub isn’t so good for you or your family? The primary active ingredient in Vick’s is synthetic Camphor, which can be fatal to infants and small children, along with synthetic menthol, which also has serious negative side effects for kids. Not to mention petroleum and turpentine oil - both known human carcinogens.
Yikes.
But have no fear! There are plenty of safe, equally (if not more) effective alternatives.
First, I should mention, if DIY isn’t your thing, you can totally buy a premade, natural vapor rub from doTERRA - the Breathe Vapor Stick! It works wonders and I like to include one in your welcome gift if you mention you saw the offer on this post 😏
Back to the recipe and one of the easiest “DIY” things you’ll ever find. Check out the short video making it here!
Ingredients
Coconut oil (ideally unrefined virgin cold pressed)
Respiratory supporting essential oils, like Breathe® or Frankincense
Instructions
Whip coconut oil on high with a blender or stand mixer for a few minutes until light and fluffy
Stir in essential oils
Store in glass or stainless steel container and use as often as needed. Safe for babies and kids if you’re using a high quality, pure essential oil. Stay away from store bought essential oils, as those contain synthetic fragrances which can be a skin irritant and are also a known endocrine disruptor 😳
I estimate the shelf life on this is about 3-5 years. Coconut oil is shelf stable for 5 years and high quality essential oils don’t necessarily “expire” (they just become less potent). This is fine to store on a shelf, but if it gets hot where you live, it might start to melt into a liquid. If that’s the case, I’d store in the fridge and whip it back up when needed.
I used about 1/2 cup coconut oil and 30 drops of oil. Start with less oil and add more as needed based on smell and how effective it feels on your chest
Essential Oil Options
Breathe® essential oil blend: this is the easiest way to get all the good respiratory oils in one and gives off the most “Vick’s” smell if you’re looking for that
Frankincense: a classic essential oil good for just about anything, you can’t go wrong with Frankincense! It blends well with other oils and enhances their benefits too, gentle for babies
Copaiba: an unsung hero for respiratory support, especially for babies and kids - so so mild and gentle, but effective!
Lavender: a calming and relaxing essential oil that helps calm and soothe your whole body, including respiratory system, great option to include if you or your kids are struggling with sleeping at night
Roman Chamomile, Cardamom: two great, gentle, mild respiratory options great for babies, and also kids/adults of course!
Eucalyptus, Peppermint: these have some more “zing” to them and peppermint is a cooling oil, I usually use these for the toddler age and old, and stick to the other options for infants/babies. Eucalyptus is one of my personal favorites any time I have a respiratory thing going on!
Green Mandarin, Lime, Lemon: great for supporting any congestion in the body and clearing things up
Magnolia Touch: Magnolia is high in linalool, which is what makes you so calm and relaxed with Lavender so this is another hidden gem of an oil for calming and relaxing the respiratory system. I’ve had great luck with this and clearing out the gunk
Fir oils: another great option, I especially love using Siberian Fir when seasonal threats start to get high in spring and fall and all that pollen
