By contributor Cheyenne Bell

I don’t know about you guys, but this weather is killing me. Here in Texas we are experiencing the pleasure of going from near-freezing temps to 80 degrees in a matter of days. And it keeps going back and forth like that. Needless to say, mine and my kids’ allergies are KILLING US.

Thanks to our super-awesome drunk weather, one or all of us have been battling hacking coughs and stuffy noses for nearly two weeks now. A few nights ago, I’d had enough and decided to make some all-natural decongestant foot balm to try to help us all sleep a little better at night.

Mamas – did you know that the best way to use a decongestant balm is to slather it on your (or your child’s) feet and put socks over it? I learned that neat trick my first year as a mom and it is a game-changer. Seriously, try it. You’ll thank me.

Anyway, here’s how I made this easy decongestant foot balm (it can also be used to soothe dry, cracked skin on the feet…sexy, I know):

Decongestant Foot Balm

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup almond oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 tablespoons beeswax pastilles (where to buy)
1 tablespoon shea butter (where to buy)
Contents of 3 vitamin E capsules (where to buy)
25 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops rosemary essential oil*
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil*

Note: Rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils are not recommended for small children according to some sources. A company that I have recently come to admire, Plant Therapy, has a line of Kid-Safe oil blends, one of which is the Sniffle-Stopper Blend. If you plan to use this balm on children, I recommend replacing the three oils in the recipe with the Plant Therapy blend, or the individual oils in it, if you already own them in a brand of high quality. 

See the Plant Therapy starter set here, and the Kid-Safe starter set here.

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients (except the essential oils) into a double boiler (or you can use a glass jar or cup placed in a pot of water, like I did) and melt the ingredients over low-medium heat. It may take a while for the beeswax pastilles to melt. Be patient and stir occasionally.

Once it’s all melted together, give it a good stir and take it off the heat. I let my mixture cool for just a bit before adding the essential oils.

Once the essential oils are added, give it one more stir and then pour your mixture into a clean jar or tin (this will make about a cup of balm, so you could make several smaller tins to keep in different rooms of the house for easier access).

I stuck mine in the fridge for a few hours to aid in the mixture hardening. Once the mixture has turned solid, you’re good to go! To use it, rub a dime size amount on the bottom of your feet, cover with socks and get some sleep!

I hope this helps you and your little ones breathe better at night! Hopefully, this confused weather will figure itself out and we can all start feeling normal again, right? Here’s to hoping!

You may also be interested in: How to Stop a Cold Virus in its Tracks (My 24-Hour Protocol)