This $8 'magic' bottle of green oil has been my family's secret to pain relief for generations
My family swears by this top-rated pain relieving oil on Amazon—and they’re not alone.
Growing up, anytime I got hurt, whether it was a bruise or a stomachache, my mom would pull out her tiny green “magic” bottle of oil. It smelled of potent mint and took away the pain. She would dab a tiny bit of the oil on my skin where it hurt and it always did the trick. As I grew older, I found out that the tiny green bottle in her purse and in our medicine cabinet was Eagle Brand Medicated Oil. She rubbed it around her temples anytime she had a headache, around her joints and wrists for aches and soreness and bug bites too. She’s in her 60s now and still swears by it.
It turns out, this green oil was the go-to pain reliever for my entire family while they lived in Vietnam, where it’s considered a staple. It was easily accessible and sold in all the shops. Now, since my family has long since immigrated to California, they buy it there, in SoCal, where it’s readily available in Vietnamese grocery stores and boutiques. It’s continued to be an intergenerational staple among my family and other Vietnamese households.
As I dug deeper, I found out this medicated oil was created by German chemist, Wilhelm Hauffmann, in 1935, for a Chinese merchant named Tan Jim Lay. Its ingredients include menthol, methyl salicylate and eucalyptus oil. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s that it was first introduced to Vietnam, and it’s grown in popularity since then. According to Eagle Brand, there was an investment plan to “start a manufacturing facility to produce the ‘Green Oil’ in Vietnam in the 1970’s [but] was aborted due to the outbreak of the Vietnam War in 1975.” Even so, demand continued to persist in areas where Vietnamese immigrants settled — in North America, Europe and Australia. Today, over 6 million Eagle Brand Medicated Oil bottles are produced annually.
This green oil has stayed in my family’s home for years, and little did I know others swear by it, too. A quick scroll through the oil’s Amazon page shows that it’s top-rated, with over 200 reviews for an average of 4.2 stars.
“This is one of my very favorite oils. It contains high levels of menthol and methyl salicylate and is very good for sore muscles. I also found it to be very helpful for migraines. Putting a couple of drops on a tissue and inhaling it is a pleasant and effective way to decongest your nose or relieve a headache. I also find it very relaxing to put it next to my pillow as a sleep aid, but that may be because I love the beautiful scent,” wrote one 5-star-reviewer.
Loyal fans have proven to stick by it, too. “Have been using this oil for probably 25 years due to a friend’s recommendation. First it was for preventing a migraine. Then found it was good for aches and for breathing at night if there were allergies. Also, for bug bites, joint pain.”
One customer summed up the bottom line brilliantly: “Literally the magical healing potion for anything skin or muscle pain related.”
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Eagle Brand Medicated Oil 0.8 oz – 24 ml Bottle
Shop it: $8, amazon.com
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