This easy homemade muscle rub will sure to sooth your tired muscles. My husband and I both sit in front of a computer all day. I also sit in front of a computer most nights (like now!). All that typing and mouse clicking mean that we both experience sore shoulders and neck pain occasionally. Sometimes when we are overly ambitious in the gym, we end up feeling our age and in need of smoothing remedies. We both have used products like Bengay, Tiger Balm, and Icy Hot.

Recently, I realized that the over-the-counter pain relief ointments all contain some synthetic materials. Bengay has Polysorbate 80 (a synthetic compound). Tiger Balm has Paraffin Petrolatum (a petroleum byproduct). And Icy Hot has Isopropyl Myristate (a synthetic oil). Your skin, the largest organ in your body, absorbs most of what you put on it. This means that if your muscle rub has artificial ingredients, those ingredients will make their way into your body and bloodstream. Luckily, we are not limited to these store-bought products. You can soothe your tired and tense muscles with homemade muscle rub that uses all natural ingredients. Both my husband and I use this homemade muscle rub regularly. We like its cooling effect that calms our sore muscles.

Homemade Muscle Rub that Uses All Natural Ingredients

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yields: about 3.5 oz

3.5 oz of homemade muscle rub usually lasts us about a month. You can make largest batches. But because the homemade muscle rub does not contain any preservative, it’s best to use it within 6 months of its creation.

Ingredients for Homemade Muscle Rub

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1. Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons (olive oil costs a few dollars at Trader Joe’s, La Tourangelle Extra Virgin Olive Oil also works)
2. Shea Butter – 1 tablespoon (Raw Unrefined African Shea Butter)
3. Beeswax (cosmetic grade) – 3 tablespoons (Beeswax Organic Pastilles)
4. Vitamin E Pills – 3 capsules (Use Vitamin E derived from natural sources. You want d-alpha tocopherol Vitamin E, not dl-alpha-tocopherol Vitamin E, which is synthetic. I purchase mine at Whole Foods. Now Solutions E-Oil also works)
5. Menthol Crystals – 2 tablespoons (Premium Menthol Crystals 100% Natural)
6. Camphor Essential Oil – 1 teaspoon (NOW Foods Camphor Essential Oil)
7. Eucalyptus Essential Oil – 1 teaspoon (NOW Foods Eucalyptus Essential Oil)
8. Clove Essential Oil – 1 teaspoon (NOW Foods Clove Essential Oil)

Instruction to Make Homemade Muscle Rub

1. Melt Olive Oil, Shea Butter, and Beeswax in a double boiler. You can create a double boiler by placing a glass container inside a pot that is filled with 2 inches of water.

2. Turn flame/heat to medium to heat up the water and to melt the oil, butter and beeswax. It took me about 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Add menthol crystals, which should melt completely in a few minutes. Add essential oil and Vitamin E. If you use Vitamin E capsules, cut their ends, and squeeze Vitamin E into the melted mixture.

5. Pour mixture into a container. I used an aluminum screw top container and had enough to fill 2 containers. You can also use a glass container.

6. Let your homemade muscle rub cool and solidify in the container. It took me about 15 to 20 minutes. When the rub turns from liquid to completely solid, it is ready to use.

That’s it! Pretty simple, right? If you ever have sore muscles from working or working out too hard, know that you have the option of using an all natural homemade muscle rub that smoothes your tense muscles. Your homemade muscle rub doesn’t have synthetic materials.  That means those yucky stuff won’t make its way into your body. So, give this homemade muscle rub recipe a try and share your experience. If you like this easy homemade muscle rub recipe be sure to share it or pin it!