DIY Sinus Balm- homemade stuffy nose relief in a tube

I recently came down with the flu, for the first time in my life. At first, I thought it was just a horrible cold, the "Campus Crud" from college days. Ginger tea with ginger honey was not cutting it, finally I succumbed to day and night NyQuil for a week.


However, one of my homemade remedies was a true balm to my health... or atleast made me feel like I was doing something!


An actual balm, a sinus balm!


Full of the healing vapors reminiscent of Vick's and Mentholatum, this balm is easy to make, can be made in very small batches, and is a riff on my lotion bar recipe (found here).

I like that it is also petroleum free and protects my nose from drying tissues.





The Recipe:

(I use a formula because this can be made up as a couple of tubes, a big stick tube size, or enough to give to everyone as gifts, depending on what you use as your unit- teaspoons will make a few tubes, cups will make about a quart of product.)

2 parts coconut oil
1 part beeswax (I have used beeswax pellets and shaved beeswax before. Both work, but the pellets are easier.)
1 part almond oil

heat together until mixed, cool slightly and add essential oil listed below

Your oil mix will depend on your preferred "flavor" of relief. I like Mentholatum the best so my mix includes a few drops of each of the following:
Camphor essential oil
Menthol essential oil (main scent)
Eucalyptus essential oil
Sweet Birth essential oil

IF Vick's is more your speed, you will need a few drops of each of the following:
Cajeput essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil (main scent)
Sweet Birch essential oil

If you are making a lot, consider that the few drops are used for the teaspoon/ tablespoon sized units, not cups.

Your container can vary I have some lip,gloss tubes and larger tubes I purchased at a wholesale supply shop to make beauty products, but you can use small clean tins, sterilized empty lip gloss tubes (boiling them sterilizes them)  or a small jar with a screw on lid. Make sure if you are reuses them that they are sterlized!

Once you have made your brew an carefully poured it into your containers, left it cool before adding the lids and give it a few days to mellow before using. Then liberally apply and tell everyone that turns up their noses at the liniment-old lady-smell that you made it yourself!

*~*~*~* TIPS *~*~*~*

HEATING THE WAXES AND OILS
My fave product for heating these types of formulas is a chocolate tempering device, like the one below.




It heats at a very low temp and prevents burning. Best part, it has a pour spout for easy tube filling. May sure you mark it that you use it for beauty making, so you don't get chocolate in you sinus balm and sinus balm in your chocolate!

TUBE FILLING

The tubes are tricky to fill because they are easy to tip over. If you have a small rack for tools, test tubes or other small racks that the tubes will stand up in, use it. Other wise, you can rubberband the tube to something stable, like a straight sided glass.

Please know that I do not have the recipes for Vick's brand or Mentholutum brand cold relief. I am only replicating how they smell to me. And, this post should not be considered medical advice. If you are sick, seek medical attention!