Spring is finally here and with the warm weather comes lots of planting. Gardening is not always easy work and after a day of turning soil, lugging around bags of compost, and bending over to plant seeds my entire body is usually one gigantic knot of muscle pain. I have been buying Tiger Balm for years but have you seen the size of those tiny containers? Yeah, the stuff works really well but it’s expensive if you need more than just a finger full of pain relieving salve on your aching body. I decided to try my hand at making my own DIY pain relieving salve to see if I could save a little bit of money and make it with only natural ingredients.
This stuff works great for trigger point massage if you suffer from chronic muscle pain!
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Tiger Balm comes in a couple of different strengths. This pain-relieving salve is fairly mild so if you prefer a stronger feel to it, just up the amount of essential oils. Most Tiger Balm-like recipes I found used a combination of essential oils that usually include peppermint, eucalyptus, and clove oils. If you are looking for an arnica salve recipe, try adding organic arnica oil.
I also added rosemary essential oil to mine since it has analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. I included a pinch of cayenne pepper to increase circulation as well and create a bit of heat. You can use your choice of carrier oil for this pain-relieving salve. I used a combination of olive oil and coconut oil with beeswax to solidify it a bit upon cooling.
Let me know what you think if you try this pain relief salve recipe. It’s great if you can get somebody to massage it into your aching muscles for you. Check out my DIY massage tips to make it a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Do you use a pain-relieving salve for your aches and pains? It’s challenging to remain physically active when aches and pains are a constant reminder of your limitations. Whether it’s a pulled back from gardening that will get better in a few weeks, or joint pain and stiffness that will need an arthritis pain salve for the next few decades, don’t let pain stop you from living life to it’s fullest!
Yield: 1 cup
All Natural DIY Pain Relieving Salve
Easy DIY recipe for a pain relieving salve.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Ingredients
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
4 TBSP beeswax granules
1 tsp Vitamin E oil
40 drops peppermint essential oil
40 drops eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops clove essential oil
10 drops rosemary essential oil
pinch ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
In the top of a double boiler, combine the olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax. Heat over medium until the beeswax is melted.
Add the cayenne pepper, stir and let cool 5 minutes
Add the Vitamin E oil and all essential oils. Mix gently.
Pour into container and let cool until solid
Seal and store at room temperature
To use, scoop a small amount onto fingertips and gently massage into sore muscles.
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.
10 thoughts on “All Natural DIY Pain Relieving Salve”
Hi Diane,
I just made a batch of salve and I think I may have used too much beeswax. It came in small bars and not granules, so I kind of guessed what 4 TBSP would be.
It is very waxy. Do you think there is any way to salvage it? Not sure if I could melt it all again over a double boiler and add more oil. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Hi there, my mother suffers from Dupuytren’s contracture
and often has very painful hands. I just wanted to double check that none of the ingredients in this balm would be harmful to her in any way?
Thanks so much!
I would say this is more mild than icy hot. You can try adding more essential oils but I believe they use much stronger ingredients than essential oils.
Hi Diane,
I just made a batch of salve and I think I may have used too much beeswax. It came in small bars and not granules, so I kind of guessed what 4 TBSP would be.
It is very waxy. Do you think there is any way to salvage it? Not sure if I could melt it all again over a double boiler and add more oil. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
you can definitely remelt and add more oil. You may have to add more essential oils since they may be dulled a bit by the reheating. Good luck!
Is this safe for pregnant women?
I recommend asking your OB about essential oils and pregnancy before using g.
Hi there, my mother suffers from Dupuytren’s contracture
and often has very painful hands. I just wanted to double check that none of the ingredients in this balm would be harmful to her in any way?
Thanks so much!
I cannot give medical advice but I recommend asking her doctor before trying any health or medicinal products!
I want an icy hot affect, does this recipe feel like that ?
I would say this is more mild than icy hot. You can try adding more essential oils but I believe they use much stronger ingredients than essential oils.
Can you leave out the vitamin E
I would say that ingredient is flexible but not sure how it would turn out.