Foot care is extremely important but often ignored. Other than bearing your body weight through the day, your feet have to go through several hardships such as uncomfortable footwear, blisters, calluses, and corns. They certainly deserve some love and a lot of care.
Ever came home from a long busy day or a night out in uncomfortable shoes and felt the (desperate) need for some magic trick to revive your tired feet? If yes, then a relaxing foot massage with an ache-relieving foot balm is the answer you’re looking for.
Store-bought foot rubs may serve the purpose, but why slather your already damaged feet with harsh ingredients and chemicals when you can make your very own rub at home.
This peppermint rub for feet consists of pain-relieving and healing ingredients such as peppermint essential oil, (1) (2) coconut oil, almond oil, and shea butter. It takes just a few minutes to prepare this rub, which can be stored for several months. From aching muscles to cracked and dry feet, this remedy will take care of all your foot care needs.
Contents
Homemade Foot Rub for Pain Relief
Here is how you can make your very own foot rub for pain relief using natural ingredients.
Things you’ll need:
- Shea butter – 1/4 cup
- Extra virgin coconut oil – 1/8 cup
- Sweet almond oil – 1/8 cup
- Peppermint essential oil – 50 drops
Step 1. Combine the ingredients in a glass bowl or cup
- In a glass bowl or cup, put in 1/4 cup of shea butter.
- Add 1/8 cup of sweet almond oil.
- Add 1/8 cup of extra virgin coconut oil to the mix.
- Finally, put in 50 drops of peppermint essential oil in the cup.
Step 2. Mix the ingredients well and transfer it to a container
- Thoroughly mix the ingredients with the help of a whisk.
- Continue whipping until you get a smooth, lump-free texture.
- Pour in the mixture into a container. It will stay good for use for a few months.
- Your foot rub is now ready to be used.
Using the Peppermint Rub for Pain Relief
Take a sufficient amount of this soothing homemade rub and gently massage it over your feet for 15 to 20 minutes.
Benefits of the Ingredients Used
Peppermint essential oil: Peppermint is widely used as a flavoring agent and for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. It is available in the form of teas, leaves, oils, pills, and extract. This herb has an amazing minty and refreshing aroma and offers strong cooling and calming effects, largely owing to its high menthol content.
Packed with several nutrients along with antibacterial, antispasmodic, antioxidant, antifungal, carminative, and antiviral properties, peppermint essential oil is a popular ingredient for natural and homemade remedies. This versatile oil can be used topically and aromatically. It can effectively help in relieving stomach ache (peppermint leaves), headaches, digestive issues, promoting oral health, relieving stress, treating respiratory issues, boosting energy levels, and improving hair and skin health.
Peppermint essential oil aids in easing joint or muscle soreness by improving blood circulation and offering anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefits. Its menthol content helps soothe the inflamed muscle tissues.
When applied topically, peppermint oil gives a cool, tingling sensation that helps relax nerves and muscles. Another way to use peppermint essential oil to reduce fatigue after a long tiring day is by taking a few drops of the oil on a handkerchief and inhaling it.
Shea butter: Loaded with vitamins (especially E and A), fatty acids, and several other nutrients, shea butter is one of the most popular base ingredients used in lotions, moisturizers, creams, etc. It offers tremendous healing and moisturizing benefits. It also has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant properties. From soft and supple skin to shiny and thick locks, shea butter can be used for various beauty purposes.
This ingredient helps keep the skin moisturized, prevents stretch marks, heals itchy or peeling skin, reduces scars, and more. Shea butter enhances the relaxing effect of your foot rub, soothes the skin, and keeps it hydrated and healthy.
Extra virgin coconut oil: The multipurpose extra virgin coconut oil can be called a “superfood,” owing to the various benefits it offers. It is commonly used for culinary purposes, hair care, skin care, and more. The main reason coconut oil is considered good for your health and skin is its antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties as well as the presence of several beneficial nutrients in it.
Like shea butter, this ingredient also offers moisturizing and healing benefits. It also boasts skin-cleansing benefits.
Topical application of coconut oil soothes dry and hard skin. This ingredient is also useful in fighting signs of aging, protecting the skin from sun damage, treating skin infections, healing damaged skin, and reducing the appearance of scars and blemishes.
Tired of cracked and hardening feet? No problem! A little coconut oil is all you need to make them soft and smooth again. It is popularly used as massage oil. Mix it up with the right ingredients, and you have the perfect rub for pain relief.
Sweet almond oil: This light moisturizing oil suits almost every skin type. It comes with several nutrients and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. Sweet almond can help treat dry and flaky skin, keep away effects of free-radical damage, heal and protect the skin from sun damage, and reduce the appearance of dark circles, scars, and blemishes.
It can also be used for relieving itchiness and inflammation, combating signs of premature aging, cleansing and lightening the skin, strengthening the nails, preventing acne, and boosting hair health. Owing to its analgesic and muscle relaxant properties, it works well for relieving aching and sore muscles.
Tips for making a foot rub with peppermint
- Alternatively, you may melt the shea butter and coconut oil in a double boiler or microwave. Allow it to cool down before adding the other ingredients. Allow the mixture to solidify at room temperature or put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Using excessive peppermint oil may cause side effects such as headaches and irritated skin.
- Avoid using the rub near face, eyes, or genitals.
- You may also use cocoa butter instead of shea butter.
- You can replace the almond oil in this remedy with olive oil.
- Don’t forget to wash your feet after coming home at the end of a long day, before you use this rub. This will help avoid dirt and impurity buildup.
- To treat dry and cracked heels, apply a nourishing moisturizer or foot cream over your feet before bedtime. Put on a pair of socks and allow the lotion or cream to work its magic overnight.
- Treat your tired feet with a pampering session consisting of a foot soak and scrubbing. Finish by applying a nourishing foot cream or this DIY peppermint foot rub.
Resources:
1. Lakhan S, Sheafer H, Tepper D. The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in Reducing Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Advances in Decision Sciences. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/prt/2016/8158693/. Published December 14, 2016.
2. Silveira RDCda, Nóbrega FRD, Brito AEMD, Sousa DPD. Analgesic-Like Activity of Essential Oil Constituents: An Update. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/18/12/2392. Published December 9, 2017.