Product Review: Vick's VapoRub

Nighttime decongestants often leave me feeling groggy the next morning. No matter which one I try, the results are usually the same. I can sleep through the night, but I feel terrible when I wake up. I needed something to unclog my nose that everyone in the house could use. If one person in the house gets a cold, everybody gets a cold. I don't know about you, but I wanted to be prepared to get rid of my cold germs fast.

So, I did what any grown woman would do-I called my mother. She suggested Vick's VapoRub. I couldn't believe that they still made the stuff. My mom said that she still used it. When I searched the store, there it was. I bought a bottle and took it home.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the bottle was the smell. It was loaded with camphor and menthol. The instructions on the Vick's VapoRub bottle said to rub a thick layer of it on the chest and neck. I scooped up two fingers worth and rubbed it on my chest. My mother reminded me to be sure to pull the covers up to my neck if I wanted the full effect of the vapors.

I lay in bed, covered up to my neck. After about fifteen minutes, my chest started to heat up. I began to sweat but still I kept the covers pulled up. The vapors from the rub seeped into my nose and opened my nasal passages so that I didn't have to breathe with my mouth open. The mucus in my lungs loosened up and my coughs became more productive. I had a pasty taste in my mouth the next morning, but that paled in comparison to being able to breathe again. Best of all, there was no grogginess.

The worst part of the whole process is the smell. The vapors are very strong. It felt like my nose hairs were being singed. Next time, I won't use such a thick layer of the ointment. The bottle says that it is safe for children ages two and up to adult. For children, you may not want to use it directly on their noses because of the strength of the vapors. Rubbing Vick's VapoRub on their chests and neck should be sufficient. My stepfather remembers being given spoonfuls of the ointment to swallow as a child to stop a cold. The label prohibits swallowing any amount of Vick's VapoRub so I wouldn't recommend that old wives' remedy. All in all, it works well and is a safe product for the entire family.