Last week, I woke up and realized that I am getting old! Somehow, I managed to sleep wrong (is that even a thing?), and I woke with a major kink on the right side of my neck/trap muscle. OUCH! I tried stretching it, heating it with a grain bag, massaging it, etc. but it just wouldn’t give!
Because I had a busy day in front of me, I knew I needed something that could dull the pain while this thing calmed down. I don’t do pain relievers such as ibuprofen unless it is a dire emergency, so I tried to think of something to use that would help throughout the day. Icy hot/Ben Gay came to mind, but I wasn’t sure about the ingredients in them. Thankfully, I knew about the EWG (Environmental Working Group) website. The EWG website’s skin deep cosmetic guide is a great tool to figure out if any beauty product or ingredient is safe.
I hopped on my computer and within a couple of minutes, I discovered that those Icy Hot/Ben Gay products aren’t too great…I’ve seen worse, but I knew I could do better. I looked at the main ingredients, and saw menthol and camphor as a common ingredient. Both of these have an excellent safety rating on the site so I figured why not make my own pain relieving cream/gel with these as my main ingredients?
Guess what? It worked!!! Both in that the recipe turned out great – it’s safe and non-toxic, and it helped to relieve my pain throughout the day as long as I reapplied as needed. I am also happy to report that the kink finally let up a few days later, and I’m doing much better now. I’m so glad that I now have this cream/gel recipe on hand for any future incidents that may arise! It’s perfect for anyone that gets minor aches and pains here and there!
HOMEMADE SAFE AND NATURAL PAIN RELIEVING GEL
Ingredients (I made a small batch since I knew I would only need a little bit. This recipe makes about 2 ounces of gel, but you can easily double or even triple the recipe to make more):
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp. beeswax pellets
- 3-4 drops of Camphor oil
- 3-4 drops of Eucalyptus oil
- 1 tsp. Menthol Crystals (You can also use 3-4 drops of peppermint oil or menthol oil in place of the menthol crystals, but I find that the crystals make the recipe more effective)
Directions:
1.) In a small sauce pan, completely melt the coconut oil and beeswax pellets over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the camphor oil, eucalyptus oil, and menthol crystals. Stir till completely dissolved. Pour into a glass container.
2.) Allow to sit until it solidifies (About an hour or so).
Rub into those painful areas an get ready for some sweet (and safe) relief! Enjoy! 🙂
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, and any recipe for food, beauty products, cleaning products, or the like is not a means of diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure for any disease or condition, mental or physical. One should always consult their medical professional before making any significant lifestyle changes.
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