This fantastic little roller has all the punch of Tiger Balm, but without the greasy carrier oils or the smelly, tingling post-application hands. It’s easy to apply at your desk at work (depending on where on your body you need it, I suppose…), and since it has an alcohol base, it dries very quickly on the skin, leaving behind the essential oils to light a fire in your sore muscles and soothe any aches and pains.
I no longer recommend using essential oils at such high concentrations; read this for more information.
I’ve been meaning to make Tiger Balm in a few different forms for at least a year now, but it wasn’t until Abby asked about roller tubes that something clicked. You see, I love the idea of a Tiger Balm massage oil as it wouldn’t require exposing the essential oils to any heat, but I was really worried about the spill potential of it. The roller solves that.
My little 5mL roller bottle. I got mine from Saffire Blue.
After that, the jump to an alcohol base was an easy one. The oil base always takes time to absorb into the skin, meaning you are often left sitting with your pants pulled half down or your shirt hiked up around your ribcage until the oil absorbs enough to re-dress yourself. Since alcohol evaporates off quite quickly, this pocket roller is the perfect solution for on-the-go Tiger Balm application, especially if you don’t want to get oil on your clothes.
The essential oils in the bottle.
Another major bonus of this Tiger Balm roller is that it uses a 5mL bottle, which means you only need 2.5mL of essential oils. In quantities that small, we can measure in drops, making this not only quick to make, but accessible to anyone who is without a scale.
Menthol essential oil is solid, so it needs to sit in a hot water bath before it can be measured out. I’m not sure how measuring out crystals as a replacement would go, but it should work.
My first test case for this roller was myself, of course, but I want to tell you about test case #2. Alex came into work having thrown her back out for the second time in a week, and was sort of hobbling/waddling through the office like a 95 year old. Luckily, I had this little roller in my purse, and Alex agreed to be my guinea pig.
She said the cooling sensation started immediately, and the warmth kicked in after than. Ten minutes later she said her back felt substantially better, and that the relief had made it all the way into the muscle—it wasn’t just warming her skin.
So, if you’re nursing an ache, going on a hike, or are looking for a pain killing addition to your natural first aid kit, make this fantastic roller. You’ll love it!
I no longer recommend using essential oils at such high concentrations; read this for more information.
Red Tiger Balm Pocket Roller
10 drops camphor essential oil
12 drops cajeput essential oil
8 drops menthol essential oil or 1–2 menthol crystals
4 drops cassia essential oil
16 drops peppermint essential oil (USA / Canada)
Perfumery alcohol, to top offPlace the essential oils in the bottom of a 5mL roller bottle. Top off with perfumery alcohol, cap, and shake to combine. Let the essential oils dissolve in the alcohol for at least an hour before using.
To use, roll a liberal amount over the effected area. Keep away from sensitive areas!
If you don’t have perfumery alcohol you can use cheap vodka or a light carrier oil of choice (grapeseed oil or safflower are good choices), though using oil will obviously not have the same quick-dry effect as the alcohol.
Looking for information on essential oil substitutions? Read this.
Wondering about essential oil concentrations? Read this.
I’ve been making my own tiger balm rollers for years. I use arnica oil as the carrier. It has deep effects on muscles. I never considered trying just eth essentials….hmmm.
How funny, an arnica based tiger balm roller has been on my to-do list for ages! Great minds think alike 😉
What can I use in place of the perfumy alcohol? Vodka okay? Can’t wait to try this!
If you don’t have perfumery alcohol you can use cheap vodka or a light carrier oil of choice (grapeseed or safflower are good choices), though using oil will obviously not have the same quick-dry effect as the alcohol.
There is definitely a need for that kind of product in my life!I don’t have cajeput or menthol eos, but I will replace them with ginger eo and try if that works – when my only small roll-on bottle will be empty, I mean… 🙂
If you don’t have menthol EO I’d recommend replacing it with more peppermint since it contains menthol 🙂
AWESOME as usual. I will be making this tonight with vodka. I really need to order perfumery alcohol next time I order EOs. Thank you so much from my sore muscles
Awesome! Enjoy it 🙂
A local essential oil shop recommended that I use pure grain alcohol in place of perfumery alcohol. Vodka is a little less expensive on the pocket. 🙂
Several readers have reported good success with using high proof vodka instead of perfumery alcohol—just make sure it’s high proof! 🙂
I am so excited to make this! I tried the solid bar version but they didn’t quite turn out. This seems foolproof!
It is! Have fun with it 🙂
Rats! More essential oils to buy! I have menthol crystals,. but that’s not much good is it?
The menthol crystals are alcohol soluble, so those should work here. I’d start with a gram or two less than the essential oil and work up from there 🙂
When you say “a gram or two less than the EO” what does that mean since EO’s are measured by drops?
Hmm. Good point. I forgot this recipe was in drops. Since it’s just 8 drops, perhaps a smallish crystal nubbin? Hardly scientific, I know. Start slow, dissolve it into the mixture, and try it. If you think it should be colder, add more I suppose :/ Crystals are not good for trying to use in small amounts!
May I ask where you get your perfumery alcohol? I have checked NDA, Mountain Rose Herbs and a few others but haven’t been able to find any online here in the US.
I got mine from Saffire Blue 🙂
I know it’s 6 years later but you can find perfumers alcohol at Voyageur Soap & Candle. 🙂
I loved the sound of this, so after more supplies arriving I have given it a try today. I had some rubbing alcohol, so I have used this. Tried a small patch, and am the sensation was very warming. It smells very nice too. I will report back when I use it for pain. I have some wintergreen eo too, so am wondering if that would also work with a similar effect.
Awesome! I’m thrilled you’ve DIYed it up and are enjoying it 🙂 I love traveling with this little one—I am a glutton for walking and something is usually sore after a day or two, haha.
AH I found the perfumery alcohol at Saffire Blue. I did a google search on the bitrex in the perfumery alcohol and this is what I found.
http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-bitrex
Great 🙂 There’s also a good thread about sourcing perfumery alcohol in the US on my perfume recipe entry.
Me again…because my joint are aching more badly all the time, I tried my version of this (I didn’t have all the same eos). And I have to say, that this really helps! Of course it won’t fix the reason, but it helps with the pain. And that is a lot!
Hi Signe! I’m sorry to hear your joints are bothering you 🙁 I’m glad to hear this is helping, though—it’s always nice to have natural DIYs for things like this.
Is it possible to sub cinnamon eo in place of the cassia? Same family….do you think it would be ok?
I’ve tried this sub and not found it to be nearly as effective, but it certainly won’t break the recipe. Try it and see what you think 🙂
I just made a little batch! smells INCREDIBLE!! thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! I’m so thrilled you love it 🙂
Marie, I just received a ND order and made two goofs 1) I ordered Camphor power instead of Camphor EO and 2) I ordered 1.5 lbs of the stuff….yikes!!
So my three questions are:
1. can I substitute the Camphor power for the EO’s
2. if yes, how much would I use…
3. How long with the power stay fresh since I ordered so much?
Thanks for all your help…
Yikes! That is A LOT of camphor powder, lol. According to the MSDS for camphor powder it’s water soluble, so that means it’s not going to be a very good swap for the EO in anything that’s 100% oil based. You could use it anywhere there’s some water, though, like in lotions or body mists. I’d try it at about 75% of the amount of EO called for, see what you think, and adjust from there 🙂
Thanks for the reply Marie. Currently I am investigating using it somehow in my beehives to treat for mites. This is a new line of beekeeping thinking for me , but I am curious about how some beekeepers rave about the use of EO’s and other ingredients to help stimulate bee brood production in the spring and drive out mites in the fall. Too soon to give any resulting or evidence as I am still investigating, but it may be a use for some of my dumb purchases. 🙂
Best
Oooh, aromatherapy inspired honey… a new line of fancy products? 😛
Hi Marie
I made this recipe today as I finally had all the EO’s I needed. I used a 15ml roller bottle as this was all I had. I therefore tripled the recipe, and all went well until I added the vodka! The EO’s didn’t dissolve at all, but are sitting on the top half of the bottle:(
Is the vodka supposed to have a minimum alcohol content? Mine is 30%.
Do you think I can still use it by shaking vigorously before applying? I’d hate to waste all of those great oils.
Thanks again for all your recipes, and for being so fantastic about answering all those questions you keep on getting!
Hi Birgit! 30% does sound awfully low, but in my experience you won’t get a full dissolve like you will with perfumery alcohol—what you’ll get is a longer suspension when you shake it up to apply it, which works quite nicely 🙂
I have the same problem as Birgit! It still works, but I have to shake it like crazy right before I use it. Do you think I can add a bit of solubilizer to help it mix up?? What are your thoughts, Marie?
A bit of solubilizer will definitely help the essential oils disperse better, though I’ve never tried combining solubilizer and alcohol, so I’m not entirely sure how that will turn out. I suspect it will work… keep me posted?
Yay!! I added just a bit of the solubilizer to the mixture and it worked like a charm! It does still separate, but it takes much longer before it does. Thank you for the guidance, it’s super helpful. 🙂
Fantastic! Thanks for updating me on the results 🙂 Enjoy that roller!
I’ve been making this recipe religiously ever since you posted it… I use Everclear vodka, and it mixes quite well. Anyway, I just ran out of ingredients, and my husband loves this tiger balm so much that he *asked* me to place an NDA order to restock, even with the minimum order policy! Anyway, just wanted to say thanks 🙂
Wonderful! I’m so thrilled you and your husband love it 🙂
What percentage minimum alcohol content do you recommend? I have 40% on hand but I am worried that might be too low.
I haven’t done extensive testing, but readers have reported that 30% is too low, so I would suspect that 40% is as well. I’d aim to 70+%, or just use the carrier oil alternative.
True testimony~~
Yesterday evening I made this recipe. Now I didn’t have cassia eo, so I substituted a little cinnamon and sweet birch, but that is all. The recipe otherwise stayed true.
Two hours after making it (and running around the house asking my guys if they had any pain) we got a late night emergency call.
A man we know had been suffering bulging discs in his back and was now on the floor unable to move. He’s a retired Marine, he can handle good pain but could not move.
My husband and son rushed off to help move him, but not without my throwing this roller tiger balm at them with explicit instructions…ok threats.. to try it on him. What could it hurt? None thought it could touch his pain though.
My son stayed the night nursing this poor man and reported that it completely numbs his back. Completely.
He’s keeping the bottle and I’m making a few more today 🙂
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing this, Marie.
You’re a Godsend.
Cj
Cristie! I LOVE this story 🙂 It made my day when you first shared it and continues to put a smile on my face. You make me feel like I’m helping people help people, and I LOVE it! Thanks so much for DIYing with me 🙂
You ARE helping people. You deserve all the accolades you get from your readers.
I’ve made and given many of these rollers away and always get a story back.
Two more stand out;
My son works for a large delivery company and suffers constant back and shoulder pain. He’s requested a gallon of this stuff.
A friend suffers neuropathy in his feet due to diabetes. It took his pain away the first time he used it.
So you do help people. And when I get these reports back so positive, I feel like I’m on a cloud, and I didn’t invent the recipe!
Good job good job good job.
Cj
P.S. it’s starting to get expensive hanging around your site 🙂
😀 There goes that great big smile again! Please keep sharing your stories as they come to you, I love ’em!
I made this recipe earlier this morning. I waited the obligatory hour and tried it. Nothing. No cooling, no heat. I added 10 drops capsicum, waited another hour and tried it again. I upped all the essentials oils by 5 drops each. Still nothing. I did use 91% alcohol. I am ready to throw everything out the window! I am so very frustrated, as it should work. Made my hubby try it too, just in case, and….nothing. Help!
Hi Luann! It sounds like something may be off with your measurements. Are you certain your roller is 5mL? And are your EO bottles the type that dish out proper drops, or are they perhaps the mini kind that do sort of “spits” instead of drops? This roller is 50% EOs, so it is very odd that neither of you would notice any sensation. Can you feel a cooling tingle when you use peppermint lip balm? I can, and that’s only about 3% EOs.
Thank you both for the troubleshooting! I rechecked all my measurements, shook the bottle, let everything steep for a few weeks and tried it again. I am sorry to say I got nothing but a slight itch. It’s the weirdest thing, but I will give it another go another time.
Hmm :/ Perhaps your skin is the opposite of sensitive? Have you noticed diminished sensation with other products that are supposed to be cooling or warming?
Luann, This recipe works really well for several people who have tried it here. Sometimes my pain is quite severe and I don’t notice an immediate relief that my neighbor does. My son also has severe lower back pain and it helps after a few applications.
Do you shake it well before use? I have upped the EOs as you did but it gets rather hot/burning. Are your essential oils under a year old? what strength alcohol are you using or is it perfumery alcohol?
Thanks for helping us troubleshoot, Linda!
Linda, I used 91% alcohol. I can only assume there was a problem with the EO’s, although they were newly purchased from a reputable mfg. They do work fine in soaps, so, as I mentioned above, I’ll start fresh a bit later this year.
:/
Marie, can I use isopropyl alcohol 75% instead of perfumery alcohol?
And what could I use instead of cajuput?
(Your book just arrived… it’s amazing! thank you!!)
Yup! I’d probably use camphor in place of the cajeput 🙂 Happy making and thank you for buying my book!
Hi Marie!
I enjoyed your headache eraser roller ball so much and i wanted to give this one a try! is there anything i can substitute menthol crystals for and cassia EO?
Hi Marie, i know, old recipe but i found it just recently and … well … i’m addicted 😀
I want to dubbel check something. You mention the Menthol in your recipe and there are a couple of menthol/mint oils. so i used the links in your recipe to make sure i got the right one, but they both link to mentha piperita, just different brands.
8 drops menthol essential oil or 1–2 menthol crystals
16 drops peppermint essential oil
When i look at the picture in this recipe i think the thick menthol you use is probably Mentha arvensis?! Is that correct?
I’m going to mix it with an oil gellant, super fun stuff. It turns your oil in a balmy gel. I think you tinkered with it, sucragel.
Anyway, thanks for the great recipes, love your site!
I’m newish to Humblebee. I started seriously gathering EOs and experimenting in late 2019, following a couple of blogs and my favorite online seller’s recipes for things like repelling bugs and treating itchy bites, plus aromatherapy. I joined your mailing list this past November.
Anyway, last week I had a spasm flare up in my lower back, and it’s been kicking my butt trying to ease it. Ibuprofen doesn’t touch it, hot showers don’t help and it’s too hot in Texas for the heating pad. We have tiger balm and love it, however, I’ve got all these DIY supplies that I’m not using as fast as I buy them. Today, I received the last of the supplies in the mail to try this recipe.
I have to share, I found these super cute bottles on Amazon, they’re only 3 mL instead of 5, but I felt comfortable estimating the change in the number of drops since you indicated this recipe was less precise than others. If I couldn’t figure 3/5ths, I did either 2/3rd or 3/4ths, plus or minus a drop here or there. Anyway, the design on the bottles appears to be something like polymer clay. I couldn’t resist. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0736JQBCW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_BCNPM2QB142GBQ3CKNZB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
The shipping costs of perfumers alcohol was prohibitive, especially without knowing how much I would ever use, so I now own a 16oz bottle of 190 proof Everclear.
Now my potion is setting up for the recommended hour, and I hope to report back success later in the day. Next batch I will wear disposable gloves, I thought I was careful not to touch anything, I used tweezers for my menthol crystals and everything else went right through the funnel, but I have a mild and suspicious burning/tingling near my eyebrow where I must have had an itch or something. Thank goodness it wasn’t in my eye
Next weekend, I’m making the white tiger balm! Still waiting on a few more supplies for that one, but I’m hoping my husband will appreciate it as he’s almost constantly fighting some pain or another.
I’m calling success! I can feel the soothing, though I would say it’s mild. I’ve applied it across my lower back several times in the last 24-ish hours, and it’s helping, but I think it could be a bit stronger. I plan to mess with the recipe just a bit. I used some of the tiniest menthol crystals in my jar, so I think I need to increase that a bit. I also added 2 drops chili seed oil, just because I got some in hopes of making chili tiger balm later. I’m going to play with increasing ingredients by about a drop, 1 ingredient at a time so I can try to keep it close to 50% dilution.
I think I might have all my ingredients for the balms earlier than anticipated, so I hope to report on those soon.
Okay, I have made batch 2. I added larger menthol crystals, about a drop more of most of the oils, including a 3rd drop of chili seed oil. (Also, I decided using bottles I could see through would probably help the formulating, so my new 5mL bottles are on the way for the next batch) I was still only having low-level benefits the first and second nights, but today, about 36-40 hours in, I just put on some more and I can seriously feel it. And it feels amazing! Hot and cold seeping into my muscles. I was moving around better, but still waking up stiff in my lower back. This will probably banish that spasm until the next one hits. By then I will have the balms ready to go. And now I will try to get my husband to try it. He’ll love that you don’t have to get the smell on your hands to apply it!
Thanks so much!