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Home » Oils » Health & Oils » DIY Natural Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub

DIY Natural Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub

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Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub is essential in my household, especially during the cold months. With a few ingredients, this natural recipe can be whipped up within minutes to be used all winter long! No more suffering with stuffy noses and bad allergies with this DIY vapor rub.

A glass jar with a small spatula with a wooden handle inside of it with a green plant around it on top of a white coaster.

This is the season of stuffy noses and clogged sinuses! Congestion is the worst and can make it hard to sleep, breathe and get anything done.

I started making my homemade chest rub recipe a few years ago and now I am hooked! This recipe helps fight the congestion from the moment you put it on. Honestly, the scent alone makes me feel better!

A glass jar with a small white spatula with a wooden handle inside of it with a green plant around it on top of a white coaster.

I also really love making homemade recipes to see if they really save me money. It’s just so much fun to try to re-create products and find ways to be more natural. Plus the survivalist in me wants to know how I can make something like a homemade natural chest rub just in case of an emergency.

Say hello to a new homemade Vicks vapor rub that excludes petroleum and turpentine and that soothes naturally and smells AMAZING!

Ingredients

The best part about this recipe is there are only a few ingredients that you need for it – coconut oil, beeswax, eucalyptus essential oil, and your other favorite essential oils. I used lemon and sweet orange and it smells amazing!

Ingredients for homemade Vicks rub: a blue bowl with coconut oil, a small bowl of beeswax, Eucalyptus Doterra essential oil with a green plant by it.

Make your Own Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub

In a double boiler melt the coconut oil and beeswax together while gently stirring until the mixture is smooth and well combined. If you don’t have a double boiler, set a bowl on top of a pot of gently boiling water. Tada! Double boiler.

A metal pan sitting on the stove with a glass bowl on top of it with a hand pouring beeswax in it.

This is what my oil and beeswax looked like about 30 seconds after adding them to the bowl.

A glass bowl of melted beeswax and coconut oil with a white spatula with a wooden handle in it.

When the mixture is smooth, remove from heat and quickly add in essential oils before the rub starts to solidify. It won’t become totally solid, but it’s definitely easier to mix while it’s still in liquid form.

Pour into the storage jar of choice. I used a glass jar and it was the perfect fit.

A glass bowl of melted oil and beeswax pouring into a glass jar on a orange wire tray.

Store at room temperature.

This is the same strength as a regular store-bought chest rub, so if using it on children under 2, be sure to dilute with more oil.

A glass jar with homemade vicks rub with a small spatula with a wooden handle inside of it with a green plant around it on top of a white coaster next to a Doterra Eucalyptus essential oil.

Does the Homemade Vapor Rub Save Money?

Let’s break it down.

Coconut Oil: $0.58
Beeswax: $0.65
Essential Oils: under $0.50

Total Cost: $1.73

A regular container of chest rub at my local store is $4.75, so our homemade version is 64% cheaper! And no petroleum as an added bonus!

A hand holding a small spatula with homemade Vicks vapor rub on it with the glass jar below with a green plant around it on top of a white coaster.

How Long Does It Take To Make This Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub?

This recipe seriously comes together in minutes, and one jar should last about a year if you don’t use it all in the first few months!

What Can You Store the Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub In?

I like to use a reusable glass jar. I can see how much is left and be ready to make another batch when needed. I never want to run out of it!

You can use leftover baby food jars to save money or even a cute metal container if you are giving it away as a gift.

A glass jar with homemade Vicks vapor rub with a small white spatula with a wooden handle inside of it with a green plant around it..

How Do You Use this DIY Vapor Rub?

When you start to feel sick, rub on the chest, under the nose, back, neck, and the bottoms of your feet. The vapors act as a decongestant and make you feel so much better!

I find it works especially well if rubbed on the bottom of your feet and covered with socks before bed.

What Kind of Essential Oils Do I Use?

I use Doterra Essential Oils. Here is more information about Essential Oils.

A glass jar with a wooden spatula inside of it on top of a white coaster with a Eucalyptus Doterra essential oil next to it.

What Other Essential Oils Could You Use in this Recipe?

  • Peppermint
  • Lavendar
  • Frankincense
  • On Guard
  • Tea Tree
  • Ginger
  • Helichrysum
  • Lime
  • Cinnamon
  • Clove
  • Thyme
  • Chamomile
A glass jar with homemade Vicks vapor rub with a small spatula with a wooden handle inside of it with a green plant around it on top of a white coaster with a Eucalyptus Doterra essential oil next to it.

WANT MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS?

  • Homemade Elderberry Syrup
  • Homemade Hand Sanitizer
  • DIY Natural Allergy Relief Balm
  • Home Remedy for Hand Foot and Mouth Disease
  • Natural Care to keep Ears Ache Free

The next time you make this recipe, I would love to see it! Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #happymoneysaver and tagging me @happymoneysaver!

Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub Recipe

Make your own vapor rub in minutes! Easy 3 ingredient recipe that works just as well as Vicks.
Print Pin Rate
Course: homemade diy
Cuisine: Wellness
Keyword: diy vicks vapor rub, homemade vicks
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Author: Karrie

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp beeswax
  • 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
  • 20 drops other essential oils of choice.
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a double boiler melt the coconut oil and beeswax together while gently stirring until mixture is smooth and well combined. I obviously need a new double boiler, so I had to go with plan B—Set a metal bowl on top of a pot of gently boiling water. Ta da! Double boiler.
  • When mixture is smooth, remove from heat and quickly add in essential oils before the rub starts to solidify. It won’t become totally solid, but it’s definitely easier to mix while it’s still in liquid form.
  • Pour into storage jar of choice.

This recipe was first posted on March 5th, 2014, but has been updated with new photos and better-detailed instructions on Oct 18th, 2021.

Pssssst...

Make sure to follow along with @HappyMoneySaver on Instagram, connect with me on Facebook and pin along with me on Pinterest!.

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October 19, 2021
Health & Oils, Homemade, Oils

Comments

  1. Kira says

    April 18, 2020

    How long is the shelf life?

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      April 20, 2020

      It should last for 6 months or longer!

      Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    January 2, 2018

    Hi, can I apply to my 21/2 your old daughters back or chest or just on bottoms of feet?

    Reply
  3. Isabel says

    November 16, 2016

    HI 😉
    how many jars does this recipe make and what size?
    Thank you,
    Isabel

    Reply
    • Karrie says

      November 18, 2016

      One little baby food jar size. 🙂

      Reply
      • Marisol Lopez (personal) says

        December 23, 2017

        Is closer to a 2 oz or 4 oz jar?

  4. sue fox says

    January 12, 2015

    do you have to wash this off before you head for the outdoors

    Reply
    • Happy.MoneySaver says

      January 12, 2015

      I usually put this on my feet (or my kid’s feet!) at night before heading to bed and by morning it has absorbed. During the day it shouldn’t take long to absorb in your skin either. I think the only time I would be worried is if you were headed out to the pool right after you applied it. Then I would wait until later to apply it.

      Reply
  5. Rachel says

    April 4, 2014

    Where do you buy essential oils?

    Reply
    • Happy.MoneySaver says

      April 7, 2014

      You can buy essential oils from me if you like – see my favorite brand here: http://bit.ly/1NrhxZ2

      Reply
  6. Mickie wordhouse says

    March 14, 2014

    I think I’m going to make this with beef tallow, olive oil, and essential oils.

    Reply
  7. Denise White says

    March 9, 2014

    For children- how much more oil? Or could you just use less essential oils? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Happy.MoneySaver says

      March 10, 2014

      For children I would portion out what I needed and mix in the same amount of coconut oil before applying to my child. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  8. Sarah Davis says

    March 5, 2014

    I make the same thing- but I only use the coconut oil as the base. It still works great, and cuts down on work and cleanup!

    Reply

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Karrie

Hello & Welcome!

I'm Karrie. Come join me on my money savin' adventures but beware: you may find yourself wanting backyard chickens, making freezer meals and dancing along with me to 80's music.
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