All the Ways Our Abuelas Taught Us to Use Vicks VapoRub… As in, the Iconic Vivaporú

If you’re Latino, you know that you can find Vicks VapoRub— AKA Vivaporú to us— hasta en la sopa.

Ok, you can’t literally find it in soup, but we wouldn’t put it past our abuelas. It seems like every Latino has a prized blue pot of Vicks in their home that comes out of the medicine cabinet to cure any ailment. Our own Vicks VapoRub, which is probably from 1995, is brought out for pimples, bruises, headaches… and yes, congestion, too. Why do our moms believe in the sacred power of Vicks VapoRub with fervor rivaling their love of La Virgen María? Well… because it’s that good.

And while Latina moms have known about the Vicks magic for generations, it now seems like Real Madrid players use the ointment to up their game performance. Did our abuelas influence professional soccer players? No tenemos pruebas, pero tampoco dudas.

Ahead, find all the ingenious, magical, oftentimes-hilarious ways Latinos use Vicks VapoRub in their daily lives. Do all of these methods work? Probably not. But like with Santa Clo’, you just have to believe.

1. On our chests and nose to relieve congestion

Of course, we had to start with the basics— as in the actual, intended use of Vicks VapoRub. Well, sort of. Contrary to what our abuelas say, Vicks does not recommend you to put the minty ointment inside your nostrils. According to their FAQ page, you should apply a “thick layer” on your chest and neck to relieve cough, which could lead to “easier breathing.”

Still, this won’t stop our tías from telling us to put Vivaporú near our nose for decongestion. And on our chest. And everywhere else.

2. Soothing sore muscles

Interestingly, another intended use of Vicks VapoRub is “temporarily [relieving] minor aches and pains of muscles and joints.” Meaning, your mom isn’t crazy, and you should put Vivaporú on your work-from-home back pain. And yes, your abuela’s trusty trick of singing “Sana, sana colita de rana” and rubbing some Vicks on your “yayai” is backed by science. Should you put Vivaporú on your legs after a tough workout? We’re trying it.

3. On our temples to get rid of a headache

Now, we’re entering the Vicks twilight zone of unintended uses the brand probably never thought Latinos would come up with. First stop: headaches. If you’ve ever suffered from migraines in a Latino household, then at least one relative told you to put Vivaporú on your forehead. Is this method scientifically proven? Probably not. But will it work if you believe it will? Call it our cultural placebo.

4. Getting rid of that pesky pimple

Next stop: Pimpleland. Growing up, our parents were obsessed with telling us to put Vivaporú on our pimples every time we broke out. Whenever school pictures were coming up, a pimple would surely surface— and of course, mom came with her foolproof blue jar to the rescue. Unfortunately, doctors have debunked this method. Dermatologist Dr. Rebecca Vasquez told mitú‘s show “Link in Bio,” “The thing about Vicks is that it has eucalyptus oil and it has camphor in it… [They] have anti-inflammatory, cooling effects. So it can temporarily, probably get rid of some of that inflammation, but it’s only for a while.” She added, “It’s not targeting the problem… It’s not something that I would recommend.” This is our villain origin story.

5. Repelling mosquitoes… and relieving bug bites

Good news! Our Latino families aren’t so crazy after all— at least when it comes to putting Vicks VapoRub on mosquito bites. Dr. Green told Refinery29 that the ointment “can be soothing for the itchiness, and the camphor will also reduce the redness” of closed-skin bites. Over on X, several people report their bug bites “disappearing” after applying Vicks on them.

Interestingly, the ointment does more than just provide relief from itchy mosquito bites. This magic jar may actually repel bugs, too. General practitioner Dr. Pauline Jose told Byrdie that rubbing Vicks on exposed areas like your legs and arms can keep mosquitoes away. Why? The camphor in the salve has been “used for centuries as a spice, component of incense and medicine. It is also an insect repellant and kills fleas.” This means you can use the ointment “to repel mosquitoes and even fleas.” Even the menthol smell might work to keep insects at bay.

However, other experts say that Vicks’ bug-repelling ingredients only make up a small portion of the formula— so you might be better off buying standard, stronger mosquito repellent.

6. Putting it on bruises because… why not?

As we mentioned previously, our parents are obsessed with telling us to put Vivaporú on any golpe— especially if you have a bruise. Does it really work to relieve bruises, though? Surprisingly, it might. Dermatologist Dr. Howard Sobel told Byrdie that the menthol in the formula can lessen pain and bring down inflammation, alleviating “minor bruises to calm the skin.” If you ever fell off your bike as a kid, only to have your parents put Vivaporú on your roughed-up knee, then you know this works.

7. Should Vicks go on that freídora burn, though? Probably not

Many of us Latinos love to fry things— platanitos, chicharrones, empanadas, you name it. And while our tías are superheroes when it comes to la freídora (do they still have nerve endings?), burns can happen every now and then. And you guessed it… that’s where Vicks comes into the picture. However, it seems like doctors don’t recommend this burn relief method. The ointment can irritate skin if you rub it on an open wound, and Vicks’ strong menthol sensation may not be the best idea for a burn.

8. Applying it on feet to cure a cold

Our abuelas have a thing about taking care of your feet when you’re sick. First off, to them, walking barefoot means you will be sick in bed for the next three weeks. And if you get out of the shower with el pelo mojado and walk barefoot around the house? You’re done. Now, if you’re already sick, your abuela will probably tell you to apply Vivaporú to your feet and put socks on to lock it in. As per GoodRx, there’s no evidence that this really works to relieve cold symptoms, and it’s probably ineffective. Maybe just having your abuela give you her cozy, age-old remedy is enough to make you feel better, though.

9. And on your belly to get rid of a stomach ache. IYKYK

And last but not least, we have one of the most random uses of all: applying the ointment on your belly to ease a stomach ache. Interestingly, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Health Center says rubbing eucalyptus oil— found in Vicks— on your belly could ease a basic upset stomach. The ointment can give you a “soothing effect” and reduce inflammation due to the eucalyptus, menthol, and camphor contents. Pro-tip: maybe drink some 7-Up, too.

Now, we’ll leave you with this meme that’s living in our heads rent-free forever: