Nothing in my natural medicine cabinet gets used more often than my DIY essential oils muscle rub.
Our household has extensive experience with muscle rubs, since my husband has chronic back pain. We’ve likely been through about a dozen of commercially-made products.
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But what do we like best? You bet. My DIY recipe!
If your family likes to be active or work out, this salve recipe will be your new best friend!
Its anti inflammatory properties help with tense muscles, sore muscles, and chronic pain. Use it on the neck, back and legs to help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
The muscle rub recipe is also not hard to make. It’s formulated with nourishing oils so it won’t irritate the skin.
You’ll need:
- Just 4 essential oils,
- 2 carrier oils,
- and your basic kitchen equipment to blend it all together.
Let me show you how!
How to Make Your Own Muscle Salve
My DIY muscle rub recipe uses just 4 essential oils (and 2 base oils)
It’s easy to make your own muscle rub with essential oils. In fact, if you want to know what you’re putting on your body, it is always best to make a blend yourself. It is less expensive and doesn’t take much time.
For my recipe below, I have picked 4 of the best essential oils for pain relief, and have combined them for maximum effect. The goal with my blend is to help you relax tense muscles, fight inflammation in your body, and work towards effective natural pain relief.
Plus, the recipe simply smells amazing, too!
Make sure that you apply the salve generously and rub it into the affected areas for at least 2-5 minutes. Massaging the area of pain helps improve circulation, which also helps to reduce pain.
And: please make sure your recipe uses only pure and unadulterated oils.
Aching shoulders and back can be a real inhibitor to your regular lifestyle.
Homemade Muscle Rub Recipe
Here are the items and ingredients, and the steps to follow:
- Small round metal tins with lids
- A glass container or a small mason jar (or a double boiler if you have it)
- 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (solid)
- 1/4 cup grated and well-chopped shea butter or beeswax
- 15 drops Rosemary essential oil
- 6 drops Turmeric essential oil
- 15 drops Peppermint essential oil
- 2 drops Lavender essential oil
Should you need to stock up, Amazon has everything you need! I used the following products:
How to Make DIY Muscle Rub
Don’t be worried before you start. It’s really super easy to blend the ingredients together!
- Warm about 1 inch of water in a pot, using low to medium heat.
- Place your double boiler into the pot, and add all of the solid ingredients (coconut oil, shea butter or beeswax). If you don’t have a double boiler, place a glass jar directly into the water.
- Bring the water in your pot to a boil and leave the ingredients to dissolve. Stir occasionally.
- Take the pot off the heat and leave the mixture to cool down slightly.
- Add essential oils.
- Stir the blend thoroughly.
- Pour your salve into round tins and leave them to cool down thoroughly. This recipe makes 6 oz.
- Store your homemade muscle rub in a cool place and use it up within about six months.
- Don’t forget to label your creation!
Tips
This recipe yields a soft consistency salve.
- One of the best things about making your own muscle rub recipe is that you can customize it to your own needs. If you need more or less of certain essential oils, or you happen to not have one oil and don’t feel like buying it, simply adjust the recipe by omitting one oil (i.e., Turmeric), and increasing the number of drops from another oil. Just make sure you stay with the total number of recommended essential oil drops.
- The ratio between liquid and hard wax defines the hardness of your finished product. If you do not like the consistency of your DIY product, change the base as follows: increase the carrier oil amount to give your salve a softer, balm-like texture. If your salve is too runny, increase the amount of beeswax or shea butter.
What Is This Muscle Rub Recipe Used For?
The muscle rub recipe helps to relieve pain and inflammation. It can be applied anywhere on the body that you are experiencing discomfort.
Use your homemade muscle rub after a workout.
Use your DIY muscle rub for:
- Tense shoulders
- Sore neck
- Aching back
- After a workout
- Apply on your feet after a long of walking or standing
- For sore tendons on arms, wrists or fingers
- General muscle fatigue
Apply your homemade muscle rub on any sore or tense spot of your body. Make sure not to use it on open skin, wounds or cuts. It would burn and hurt.
Test your rub on a small area before using more liberally. If you experience skin irritation, stop use immediately. Dilute the irritated area with more carrier oils to alleviate the itching. Do not wash with water.
Muscle Rub Benefits
How does a natural essential oils muscle rub benefit your body?
- Helps to reduce inflammation in your muscles, joints and body
- Can provide relief for tense, sore and achy muscles
- Cooling and refreshing sensation
- Penetrates deeply
- Simple to make
- Inexpensive to make
- Uses all natural ingredients
- Smells incredibly amazing
- Bonus points for prolonging the muscle rub application into a mini-massage at home
Final Thoughts
To me, using a homemade muscle salve feels as great as (if not better) than applying a store bought alternative. The product is fresher, and most likely smells better than traditional creams.
I hope this helps you, and you find natural relief for your tired and sore muscles.
Can I use cocoa butter instead of Shea butter please?
Yes absolutely, that would work just fine.
Emma, I know where you are coming from. I too have been delving deep into essential oils and also working on becoming certified aromatherapist. I am always searching for information and experiences to add to my knowledge. Thank you for sharing with me. Marybeth
Emma,
I have a question.
Is this recipe asking for solid coconut oil or the liquid coconut oil??
Thanks
Hi there, the recipe uses solid coconut oil. Thanks for asking!