Vicks VapoRub is a product that you’ll likely already use. It helps to relieve coughs and unpleasant chest symptoms that arise from common colds. But is VapoRub good for eyelashes?
Although there are reports that VapoRub can help with hair growth, it should not be used anywhere near the eyes and is therefore not suitable for use on eyelashes. You risk serious damage to your eyes if you do so.
What Is VapoRub?
Vicks VapoRub is typically used by children over the age of two and adults.
It is rubbed on the chest of those with coughs in order to ease tightness, as this can help the strong vapors to reduce congestion.
Alternatively, it can be added to warm water. An individual can then cover both their head and the bowl, which they lean over, breathing in the steam.
This helps with coughs and other cold symptoms.
Ingredients in VapoRub
Vicks VapoRub contains four main ingredients: lavender, menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus.
It also contains inactive ingredients including thymol, turpentine oil, nutmeg oil, cedar leaf oil, and petrolatum.
The texture of VapoRub is somewhat jelly-like, and its overall scent is of eucalyptus or menthol.
Lavender is known for helping blood circulation, whilst menthol is a cough suppressant and deeply cleansing.
Eucalyptus is soothing and acts as a cough suppressant, and it’s also anti-inflammatory, so can help with dandruff when VapoRub is applied to the hair and scalp.
Camphor is a cough suppressant and also has a cooling effect.
Three Reasons VapoRub Is Bad For Eyelashes
Will cause burning and irritation
Vicks VapoRub contains both menthol and eucalyptus. As such, it will cause serious irritation, stinging, itchiness, and a burning sensation if it should enter your eyes.
May injure the eye cornea
The Mayo Clinic report that VapoRub can injure your eye cornea if it enters your eyes. If you’re putting VapoRub on eyelashes, it’s likely to enter your eyes, which may cause serious damage.
Difficult to wash out
VapoRub is waxy in texture and resistant to water.
If you do get it in your eye, you need to use water to rinse the VapoRub out, but this water resistance can complicate that procedure and may prolong the time that it’s in your eye.
In turn, this can cause extended periods of discomfort and even damage.
Can VapoRub Help Grow Eyelashes?
There are anecdotal reports that VapoRub can help those with natural hair to grow that hair. However, VapoRub is not to be used anywhere near the eyes as it will cause irritation and a burning sensation, and may even damage the cornea.
Alternative Ingredients That Are Good For Eyelashes
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter contains fatty acids, which are essential for the growth of hair.
If you apply a small amount of cocoa butter to your lashes, this can help to hydrate them and may support their growth.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has antioxidant qualities and has been linked to hair growth.
Finding and using a good vitamin E oil on your lashes may therefore help to fortify them and support their growth.
What Are The Benefits of VapoRub?
Easing congestion and coughs
Vicks VapoRub has been a feature of domestic bathroom cabinets for over one hundred years.
It is typically used to address the symptoms of a cold and as a cough suppressant.
The menthol and camphor vapors that come from VapoRub are what produce a cooling sensation in the nasal cavities.
You then begin to feel that you’re breathing more easily, which can help if you’re feeling bunged up from a cold.
The camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol all act as cough suppressants, too.
Simply rub the VapoRub on the chest and neck of the afflicted individual, and allow the vapors to ease congestion.
Be aware that VapoRub may not help for particularly phlegmy coughs.
Treats athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, and cracked feet
If your feet are a little dry or cracked and could benefit from some love and moisture, then VapoRub might help.
Massage it into your feet, pop on some socks, and you’ll wake up the next morning with baby soft feet.
It’s most likely the petrolatum content of VapoRub that helps to heal and soothe dry, cracked skin on heels and feet.
Alternatively, there are studies that suggest that VapoRub can help to treat toenail fungus, and it might also assist individuals suffering from athlete’s foot.
make-up remover
There are reports by beauty bloggers that VapoRub can help to remove eye make-up and lipstick if you find yourself out of any other method.
That said, you need to take care that you don’t get any VapoRub on your eyelashes or in your eyes, as this will cause irritation and sensitivities.
Helping hair growth
Members of the natural hair community have reported that Vicks VapoRub can help to stimulate hair growth when applied to the scalp and massaged.
The eucalyptus and lavender encourage blood flow to the scalp. This then transfers oxygen to the scalp, which can result in greater hair growth.
VapoRub is also anti-bacterial and can therefore help those who suffer from scalp dryness, dandruff, or irritation.
If you do plan to use VapoRub for hair growth, be sure to mix it with essential oils such as coconut oil, castor oil, avocado oil, or shea butter.
That way, you’re adding other nutrients and oils to the hair, which will all help with hair growth.
Be aware that Vicks VapoRub contains petrolatum.
Whilst petrolatum traps moisture into hair strands, it’s also somewhat waxy, and will therefore also prevent moisture from penetrating strands.
It’s for this reason that some individuals don’t like to use VapoRub on their hair, as they worry that it will actually dehydrate strands.