Naturalistas are Putting Vicks VapoRub, Where?!

My natural hair journey is in the early stages. I’m constantly scouring the internet, trying to find the next big discovery in hair growth. You can only imagine my surprise when my research came across Vick’s VapoRub as the remedy.

YouTube resulted in over 16,000 results of testimonies PRAISING Vicks VapoRub as a cure-all. My attention focused on those who swore the growth of their edges (the MOST stubborn area for growth and repair) to the rub. But I can't imagine how anyone would be comfortable with putting this topical ointment in their hair.

Vicks VapoRub is one of the oldest and best selling cold remedies on the market. First sold in the 1890s as a croup and pneumonia remedy, VapoRub contains three active ingredients--camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol.

Over time, this household product has become a solution to more ailments than cold relief. It’s being used as a toenail fungus killer, and a dry scalp and dandruff treatment. If it can be used as a dry scalp treatment, one stands to believe that application to the scalp is not dangerous for your hair. But the fact that it doubles as a toenail fungus treatment still leaves me on the fence about how my sensitive skin would react to the chemicals that make up the ointment. The answers lie in the ingredients list.

Vick’s Ingredients – Active and Inactive[i]

• Camphor (5.26%) – Camphor aids hair in many of the most beneficial ways:
• Strengthens hair
• Fights hair loss and balding
• Promotes faster hair growth
• Helps soften and encourages manageable hair
• Stops itchy scalp
• Gets rid of dandruff
• Kills headlice
• Delays grey hair
• Menthol (2.82%) – Menthol is an active ingredient that is known for its cooling and scalp-stimulating effects. It increases blood flow to the scalp skin to help encourage:
• Healthier hair growth
• Scalp conditioning
• Hair oil regulation
• Eucalyptus (1.33%) – Eucalyptus is a great way to stimulate hair follicles. This is likely because eucalyptus can bring down inflammation in the scalp which helps create an ideal environment for hair growth. It can also:
• Improve elasticity and shine of hair
• Kills head lice
• Controls oily and dry scalp
• Relief from itchy scalp
• Enhances thickness
• Cedarleaf oil (inactive) – Cedarleaf oil is a proven oil for stimulating hair growth, preventing hair loss, and fighting dandruff and itchy scalp issues.
• Nutmeg oil (inactive) – Nutmeg oil can help hair become stronger and shinier, it can prevent hair loss and encourage growth, and it can even add extra volume.
• Petrolatum (inactive) – Petrolatum is actually a highly effective sealant. If your hair is properly moisturized using a petrolatum-based product on top will stop any moisture coming in or going out.
• Thymol (inactive) – Thymol is the medicinal component of thyme. It is a germ-killing antiseptic. Application to the scalp will improve circulation and stimulate hair follicles.
• Turpentine oil (inactive) – Turpentine oil supports blood flow in the capillary vessels of the scalp to encourage hair growth.

All the ingredients seem legit. Although they can be used in suppressing cold and flu symptoms, they double for hair growth. Who knew?

But I want to be on the safe side… I figure I could purchase all of these oils and make my own vapor rub (It’s really just for my peace of mind). I’m going to try and update my results... And hopefully, my mixture’s smell won’t be similar to Vicks; to have my miracle antidote remind me of head colds would be a terrible thing.

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[i] Inactive ingredients are agents that can combine with active ingredients in order to facilitate drug transport in the body.