So this thing is happening, and it aches and fills me with joy and makes me wish for a pause button at the same time. One minute I’m standing in a grocery store aisle nodding my head to a “those were the days” comment – while mentally calculating how much longer I can shop before a toddlerpocalypse, of course – and the next I’m standing behind my daughter as she zooms in to take this photo . . .
. . . for a project she’s working on. And my boys? I’m savoring snuggles with them while trying not to sustain Lego-induced foot trauma. (This is real life after all.)
So yeah, they’re growing up, and with that comes some not so fun territory. I’ve written about natural remedies for growing pains before, but today I wanted to share something that we’ve recently found helpful in addition to those suggestions. It’s a magnesium oil rub with essential oils that support muscle relaxation.
Magnesium – both in supplement form and topically applied – transformed my sleep years ago when I discovered it eliminated my restless leg symptoms. It’s also been very helpful when my littles have achy legs at night.
While there is no agreed upon cause of growing pains, one common theory is that it’s often due to the inability of ligaments and muscles to keep up with rapid bone growth.
As children are growing fairly rapidly, their muscles, tendons, and ligaments are growing as well,” says Jason Homme, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Those body parts “may not be growing at the same pace, which can cause protesting a little bit.” (source)
My children’s pediatrician shares this view, and suggested magnesium as one of the things that may be helpful.This recipe makes a wonderful bedtime rub for achy or restless legs, and it’s incredibly easy to make. Here’s a breakdown of what I used (and why):
Magnesium
There’s a reason magnesium is often called the magic mineral. As I mentioned in this post on science-backed tips for deeper, more restful sleep, it fuels about 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Some of those reactions help to relax achy muscles, mitigate the effects of stress, and calm the mind by supporting the production of the neurotransmitter GABA.
Magnesium deficiency is very common, and unfortunately not all oral magnesium supplements are well-absorbed via the digestive tract. (source 1, source 2) There are some that are, which I’ve covered in this post on magnesium supplements, but another way to improve levels is through dermal (skin) absorption.
One way is through epsom salt or magnesium chloride baths. Another option is magnesium oil– which is not actually an oil but a mixture of magnesium chloride and water that feels oily to the touch. Magnesium oil is well-absorbed and dries without any greasiness. If you do as much laundry as I do, I’m guessing the last thing you want to deal with are oily sheets after the application of an essential oil rub diluted in a carrier oil. (Magnesium oil makes a great deodorant too, but that’s another post.)
A quick note on absorption: Because Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and a little calcium are essential for magnesium absorption, you’ll want to make sure your little one is getting adequate amounts of those as well. According to Kristen Michaelis’ book, Beautiful Babies, magnesium levels show more improvement when Vitamin D is obtained through sun exposure rather than oral supplements.
Essential Oils
Several essential oils are helpful for relaxation, and Plant Therapy (one of the essential oil companies I purchase from) even makes a Growing Pains blend. I’ve already shared with you a list of essential oils that are considered safe for children and general dilution guidelines, however for this recipe Clinical Aromatherapist Lea Harris recommends a higher than normal dilution ratio.
Lea, who is the founder of Using Essential Oils Safely and the Using Essential Oils Safely community on Facebook, suggests a 2% dilution for under 5 (or at least 1%) and then 3-5% for the over age 6 crowd.
In terms of specific essential oils, here are the ones I think are best for this recipe:
- Growing Pains blend
- Lavender (Lavandula augustifolia)
- Sweet marjoram Origanum majorana)
- Black pepper (Piper nigrum)
- Juniper berry (Juniperus communis)
- Copaiba balsam (Copaifera officinalis)
- Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum)
One more thing before we get to the recipe. While growing pains are a normal (though hopefully occasional) part of childhood, there are other possible causes of leg discomfort. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should consult “your child’s doctor if you’re concerned about your child’s leg pain or the pain is:
- Persistent
- Still present in the morning
- Severe enough to interfere with your child’s normal activities
- Located in the joints
- Associated with an injury
- Accompanied by other signs or symptoms, such as swelling, redness, tenderness, fever, limping, rash, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue” (source)
Coconut Oil and Beeswax
For some people, magnesium oil can cause an itchy or uncomfortable sensation when applied in undiluted form. For that reason, I’ve blended it with coconut oil and beeswax to ensure that it doesn’t irritate sensitive skin.
How To Make Magnesium Body Butter
For this recipe, you will need an immersion blender and a pint-sized (16 ounce) mason jar.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup magnesium oil (for this recipe I prefer this form of magnesium oil because some people find other forms to be itchy and/or uncomfortable)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon beeswax pearls
- Optional – Up to 27 drops lavender, sweet marjoram, black pepper, juniper berry, copaiba or helichrysum essential oil, or an essential oil synergy like this Growing Pains blend. (This is a 1% dilution, which is considered appropriate for children age two and up. Click here for my guide to diluting essential oils.)
To Make
Place magnesium oil, coconut oil and beeswax pearls in a pan and melt over low heat. Pour mixture into a mason jar and allow to separate (this should take about 30-45 seconds). Place your immersion blender at the very bottom of the jar, then slowly pull it up after about 30 seconds. Starting at the bottom helps to create an emulsion, which is a way of suspending oil in water so that they mix together. If you’re new to this process and want to see it – it’s the exact same technique demonstrated in my video about making lotion.
Once you’ve blended the body butter, add the essential oils and blend again. Set your timer for 7 minutes and blend one more time before transferring the body butter to a small jar for storage.
To Use
Massage a small amount into skin. I aim for daily application, although it doesn’t always happen due to busy schedules, etc.
Shelf Life
In general when you mix water and oil, you reduce the shelf life of a personal care product. However, in this case the water is mixed with a very high concentration of magnesium, which has natural antimicrobial properties. (source) One well-known example of this is the Dead Sea. (source) I personally try to use mine within 3-4 months, which is pretty easy to do with a batch this size.
Storage
Store in a cool, dark cabinet to prevent premature oxidation of the essential oils.
Zeffie
July 28, 2016 at 12:37 PMOh this looks lovely! We have been on such a Mommypotamus kick this week and this might be a nice thing to make this weekend.
JenC
July 31, 2016 at 2:12 PMCan we do a combination of a couple of the essential oils listed, for a total of 48 drops? Thanks!
Heather
July 31, 2016 at 2:42 PMYes, you definitely can do that 🙂
Melissa
August 1, 2016 at 10:58 AMHi Heather. I am not sure where to post this question at, but I have been battling a bad diaper rash on my son. I have tried all of your remedies for rash, but they have not even touched his issue. It is a raised, red bumpy rash on his genitals. It’s been going on for 2 weeks. Its not getting any worse and but its not getting any better. I make my own baby wipes, which mold after a period of time if not used right away. I sent them to his daycare and it appears that the wipes have black mold on them. The girls at the daycare did not inform me of this. Could this be the cause for the rash? Have you ever heard of this? Do you have any remedies for black mold rash? This is the only thing that I can think of that caused this. Please help.
Thanks!
molly
August 1, 2016 at 3:15 PMHi Melissa — I saw your question and thought about our own diaper rash experience. Try sitting your baby in a baking soda bath. Our daughter had a horrible rash from the diapers we used at one point, but when we gave her a few baths with baking soda included, the rashes disappeared. We had tried everything before and were told to use steroid cream, but never did. Occasionally the rash re-occurred, but one or two baking soda baths later cleared everything up. About 1/2 of a box in the tub of water worked wonders — hope it helps you! WE LOVE BAKING SODA!!!
Pooja
October 7, 2016 at 10:48 AMDear Melissa,
You can also try adding a bit of cornstarch in his diaper as and when you can. It dries the rash completely. My baby had a terrible rash due to his diapers and he was literally bleeding. No diaper rash creams helped and he was in so much pain. Cornstarch application reduced it in a day! We even sprinkled it in his diaper in place of baby powder. Hope it helps anyone dealing with diaper rash problems.
Katie
June 12, 2017 at 7:27 AMI had a friend that their child had a reaction to her own urine. It could be something like that. Or the diapers perhaps? I dont think black mold causes rashes but i could be wrong. I would definitely find a better recipe for your wipes tho. And try the baking soda trick. And there are essential oils that are great for it
I use an oil blend on my son then cover with A&D ointment to protect it and it’s usually cleared up the next day. Good luck.
Marisa
July 31, 2016 at 3:41 PMDoes this tingle or itch at all when applied?
Stefanie
August 1, 2016 at 9:54 PMYes
Michelle
July 31, 2016 at 6:21 PMMagnesium flakes, when exposed to the air, eventually start to melt and stay in a liquid form. Would that be closer to a purer mag oil than diluting with distilled water?
lisa
August 7, 2016 at 7:48 AMI have two questions! Can this oil be used for restless leg syndrome?
And my second question is where on your site can I find the recipe for the picture of the bites Pictured in this article! 🙂
Thank you Love the site!
Heather
August 7, 2016 at 8:23 AMHi Lisa, there are a lot of theories about what causes RLS, and vitamin/mineral deficiency is one of them. Like many symptoms, it seems plausible that there could be several possible causes. I used to such a severe case of RLS that I needed tranquilizers to sleep. This was before my crunchy days, of course! When I transitioned to a real food lifestyle, I discovered I was severely magnesium deficient and took steps to correct that. Since that time I’ve have no issues with RLS except late during pregnancy. Growing a baby requires extra minerals in general, and I found that if I slacked on supplementation during my third trimester I’d feel mild symptoms, but they’d go away if I applied magnesium oil liberally.
As for the bites in the photo, it’s my daughter’s recipe. She working on a secret project and hasn’t made it available yet. I will say, though, that they are ridiculously good. 🙂
Lisa
August 10, 2016 at 1:53 PMThank you Heather! 🙂 Interesting… I will have to take note and log my episodes – I feel off the wagon and wasn’t eating my normal way… It was at this point that started taking meds for RLS – But, I seem to be one of the few individuals that has all the negative symptoms from most meds and had to discontinue – Since I have been back living a better lifestyle – I’ve not had any symptoms… Still may try the oil as a back up plan…
I will keep on reading in the months to come hoping your daughter shares when she is ready to let us inn on her project! Wish her well – Tx again for the wonderful site!
Sara Gordon
August 11, 2016 at 10:43 AMHow to you know it is growing pains and not something more serious like Lyme? Not saying this is the case with your child but just curious. Thanks!
Lynn
August 13, 2016 at 4:49 AMYears ago when my son was 16 he was complaining of pains in legs and hips. After several visits to the doctors, we were informed that he was suffering from ‘growing pains’. I was not at all happy with this and managed to find an excellent Homeopath/Osteopath on the island.(We had recently moved to The Isle of Wight, UK). When my son saw him, he was asked in depth questions and then examined. Result: because he had grown quickly as boys can do at that age, his posture was trying to catch up. Instead of his spine being straight as it should be, his was curved, rather like the soldiers when they stand to attention. This was causing difficulty for the natural flow of his body. I probably haven’t explained that very well but it all made absolute sense. My son had a little manipulation and then shown some exercises to do. To lie on the floor with a couple of books under his head and to push his abdomen down to the floor, hold then relax. He did this and it helped so much that he still will do this exercise if he gets headaches, pains etc. Wonderful. I hope this will help someone else who has a growing teenager. I was told there is no such thing as ‘growing pains’.
Anna
August 15, 2016 at 9:09 PMDo the essential oils help it not be itchy? I have an almost 2 year old who isn’t the best sleeper, and I was hoping that trying a magnesium oil rub might help her, but don’t want to make her upset with itching. Thanks. 🙂
Emily
August 16, 2016 at 7:27 PMYikes! After reading this post I bought the Growing Pains blend for my two and a half year old (Chiro says his pains are due to very early walking, they are definitely getting better with treatment and magnesium) we’ve been using the blend with coconut oil all week and it seems to be helping. The magnesium oil I ordered just came today, I put it on both my 2 and 6 year old (he was curious) and they were screaming in itchy pain tonight! Oops. Back in the bath they went. I think I’ll stick with the EO blend and coconut oil and just use the magnesium oil in their baths, alternate with the Epsom salts.
Marisa
April 4, 2017 at 12:37 AMI found an awesome magnesium oil that is blended with aloe and especially for kids … worked better for my son than any other magnesium oil … but since I started using the eo blend in conjunction I think he’s been getting more relief 🙂
Abby
May 11, 2017 at 6:18 PMI love this idea, especially just knowing there is something I can do when my daughter says she has growing pains. I tried it the other day with a homemade magnesium oil in a roller ball bottle with essential oils. I’m not sure how much of a physical impact it had, but she sure enjoyed the special treatment, getting her legs rubbed, and the wonderful oil smells. Seems like a winner to me! 🙂
Sue
October 29, 2017 at 12:34 PMCan I skip the beeswax?
Heather
October 29, 2017 at 1:04 PMUnfortunately I don’t think the recipe would work well without the beeswax. It’s the emulsifier that helps hold together the water and oil droplets so that they don’t separate.
Lisa
October 29, 2017 at 1:40 PMHi Heather!
Have to say Thank you! Have been using this since last year and love it!!
Has your daughter finished her project yet? Would love to know how she made those yummy looking bites!!
Thx Lisa
Hena
October 29, 2017 at 3:35 PMThis sounds great!
My father has been suffering from RLS for years now and I the last few years.. I just discovered magnesium oil over the summer and it has been life changing..
jessie
October 30, 2017 at 12:23 PMHey Heather,
Where do you get your beeswax pearls from?
Brenda
November 4, 2017 at 11:36 PMI tried making this but the magnesium oil ended up separating from the coconut oil/beeswax emulsion. What did I do wrong?
Julia
November 19, 2017 at 7:16 PMTo make an emulsion it is important that the waters and the oils/waxes are the same temperature. I’ve also had emulsions turn watery if they are over beaten. You may be able to separate them and start over with heating and beating. ?
Nechama
December 6, 2017 at 9:24 PMhi! does plant therapy still make the growing pains blend? i’m searching their website and cannot find. thanks!
Zarni
April 8, 2018 at 11:35 PMYes. It’s in the Kidsafe section and called Grow Ease
https://www.planttherapy.com/grow-ease-kidsafe-essential-oil
Nicole
January 22, 2018 at 11:08 AMHello!
I don’t have an emulsion blender. But I thought I would try this awesome recipe anyways… Turns out i have a thick cream on top and a giant pool of liquid on the bottom. Do I absolutely need an emulsion blender or is there another way for me mix everything? Also, can i reheat the cream I made and try it again? Or does it need to be thrown out?
Thank you!
Heather
January 22, 2018 at 11:34 AMYou need a blender to create the emulsion. The mixture can be reheated and remixed. 🙂
Heather
May 5, 2018 at 12:54 PMCan I substitute another oil for the coconut oil?
Brenda Star
September 14, 2018 at 3:28 AMMy daughter has muscle spasms in her leg. I bet this would help so much for her! Thank you!
Doreen
October 1, 2018 at 11:26 AMCan Shea butter be substituted for the beeswax?
Heather
October 1, 2018 at 11:54 AMUnfortunately I don’t think so. In this recipe the beeswax helps to emulsify the magnesium oil and coconut oil so that they don’t separate.
Michelle
October 22, 2018 at 3:12 PMMy niece is severely allergic to Coconut oil, can we use a mango butter or cocoa butter in place of the Coconut oil? I have been using Mango as a replacement on other things I make for her, but now she is pregnant with her 2nd baby and needs more magnesium. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 😀
Megan
November 8, 2018 at 12:26 PMIs there a good way to do this without the immersion blender? I have a one year old with constipation issues and this sounds like a good way to help get more magnesium into her little body. Thanks!
Kirsten Williams
December 17, 2018 at 11:26 AMHi, I have made this so many times and my children love a foot rub at the end of the day. I was wondering if I could use (beef) tallow in some way in this recipe? Would I substitute the coconut oil for tallow; or the bees wax; or the shea butter?
I’m making it for Christmas stocking stuffers.
Thank you so much.
Heather
December 17, 2018 at 9:02 PMBeef tallow is very hard compared to coconut oil, so I’m not sure how it would work out. It might be fine if whipped really well, but I haven’t tested it so can’t say for sure. Glad you like the recipe!
Amy
January 9, 2019 at 3:10 AMWould like to know if you think this body butter would help with a severe case of eczema ? It’s stress related eczema and hubby loses sleep cause he’s waking up from being so itchy
Kate
February 6, 2019 at 4:08 PMWe have had much improvement with my daughters ezcema using straight jojoba oil. If you buy in bulk from a jojoba farmers coop it is affordable. Your sheets will go greyish but better than poor sleep.
Kate
February 6, 2019 at 4:04 PMThanks so much for this recipe and your video tutorial on making body butters. I’ve had great success on my first attempt yesterday afternoon. I was running out of time before school pickup so sped up the cooling and remixing steps by putting the bowl in a cold water bath. And my 7 yr old daughter with sensitive skin and achy legs has given it the thumbs up. Winner ☺ thx
Heather
February 7, 2019 at 3:29 PMSo glad to hear that. Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Kate!