Homemade Sore Muscles Rub

INGREDIENTS

• 4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup) melted coconut oil – this will yields about 2 fluid ounces of infused oil

• 4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup) shea butter

• 2 tablespoons grated beeswax, tightly packed

• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

• 100 drops peppermint essential oil or eucalyptus globulus

• 50 drops of eucalyptus essential oil

• 40 drops copaiba essential oil

• 40 drops juniper berry essential oil

EQUIPMENT: double boiler (or a pot that fits inside another pot)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place coconut oil and cayenne in a double boiler and gently warm the oil. Be careful not to let it get hot because the smell of cayenne will fill the room and make you cough. (Not that I would know that from experience – ahem).

2. Once the oil is slightly warm give it a stir and then turn off the stove. Allow it to sit for half an hour and then repeat the process.At this point you can move on to step 3, or you can warm it again and allow to infuse 1-2 more times for a stronger oil. Overall this process should take 1-2 hours,

depending on how many times you reheat the oil to intensify the infusion.

3. Using a cheesecloth or old t-shirt, strain the mixture mixture over a measuring cup. After straining out the cayenne, add enough coconut oil so that the final amount is 1/4 cup.

4. Melt beeswax and shea butter in a double boiler and add to the coconut oil. Stir in essential oils and allow to cool completely.

5. Store in an airtight jar – Amber or cobalt are best but a clear jar is fine if kept out of direct sunlight (which promotes oxidation).

Storage and Shelf Life

I recommend storing this rub in the fridge to preserve shelf-life, which should be around 6-12 months.