If you lead an active lifestyle or regularly experience muscle aches and pains, making your own muscle rub can provide some much-needed relief.
The ingredients help to warm, refresh and cool the affected area, which can make all the difference after a heavy workout or stressful day at home or work.
We’ve put together a muscle rub recipe using natural ingredients that is quick and easy to make, giving you a natural alternative for tired joints and muscles.
What is a natural muscle rub?
A natural muscle rub works in a similar way to a commercial muscle rub, as it can be used to treat minor pains and aches associated with joints and muscles.
The only difference is that you can make it as a homemade muscle balm, allowing you to include natural ingredients in the recipe.
This helps to remove any concerns you may have about rubbing synthesised compounds like methyl salicylate (an active ingredient found in most commercial muscle rub products) into your skin.
What are the benefits of making a natural muscle rub?
Making your own DIY essential oil muscle rub can offer benefits such as:
- Calming muscle and joint aches: It can work just as effectively as a muscle rub for runners and any other activity that places extra stress and strain on muscles and joints. A natural muscle rub can also reduce stiffness, pain and inflammation associated with conditions such as backache, arthritis and minor sprains).
- Containing all natural ingredients: According to a report published on Harvard Health, methyl salicylate can’t provide effective relief from the underlying cause or inflammation. Making your own natural muscle rub ensures you are fully aware of the ingredients being used, which gives you more peace of mind before you apply it to your skin.
- Being easy to make: The idea of putting together a natural muscle rub recipe may seem complicated, but you don’t need to be a chemist or biologist to make an effective balm. Take a look at the steps we’ve laid out below which will give you a good idea of just how simple it is to make.
How to make a homemade muscle rub
Before you start making your muscle cream for sore muscles and achy joints, gather the following ingredients:
- 1/4 cup grated beeswax
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 x teaspoons of cayenne powder
- 2 x teaspoon of turmeric or ginger powder
- 15 x dropswintergreen essential oil
- 15 x drops lavender essential oil
- 1 x heat-safe bowl
- 1 x glass jar
Steps on how to make a natural muscle balm
By following the steps below, our natural muscle rub recipe should take around 30 minutes to complete:
- Place all the oils (except the essential oils) into a heat-safe bowl.
- Bring a saucepan containing about 2 inches of water to the boil, then turn the temperature to medium-low so it can continue to simmer.
- Place the heat-safe bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler.
- Continue to stir the mixture until everything has melted and slowly add the cayenne and turmeric/ginger.
- Carefully remove the hot bowl from the saucepan.
- Leave the mixture to cool for 3 minutes before adding the essential oils.
- Stir the mixture again to ensure all the essential oils have been blended.
- Pour everything into the jar and leave it to cool completely, before putting the lid on. When the mixture has fully set, it is ready for use.
How to use your natural muscle rub
To use a muscle cream for sore muscles or achy joints, simply add a thin layer to the affected area no more than 2-3 times.
Rub the balm gently into your skin, and unless you are using it to treat them, make sure to wash your hands as soon as you have finished.
If you are using the balm to treat your hands, wait for at least 30 minutes before washing them, as this should provide enough time for the ingredients to soak in.
Final thoughts
Whether you intend to use it to reduce everyday aches and pains or you are making a muscle rub for runners and athletes, our natural muscle rub recipe gives you more control over what you rub into your skin.
If you have not used these essential oils previously, it is a good idea to carry out a patch test for each one before you make the balm to ensure they are compatible with your skin.
