How to DIY Your Own Suppositories

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor, nor am I a trained herbalist! I'm simply passionate about caring for myself and my body naturally and using easy methods that I can do myself. Everyone's body may react differently to essential oils. These are just some of my recipes that I hope people will try if they need them. Also, none of the oils mentioned in this post have any known harmful side effects when used vaginally or rectally. 

Alright, now let's get into the fun stuff!


Suppositories are small, torpedo shaped compounds of a base (like glycerin or a fatty oil) and a medicine or herb. They're super cool because they can be used for all kinds of DIY health & self care practices, and they can provide results faster than a medicine or herb taken orally. There are lots of different kinds, from rectal ones meant for constipation, to vaginal ones meant to help dryness, pain, itchiness or even cramps. They've gone out of style, largely because they're awkward and weird to use, but let's not be too quick to toss them to the side! They can have really great benefits, believe it or  not.

To make your own, you will need:

• A fatty oil, I recommend coconut oil but you could also use shea or cocoa butter or even beeswax.
• Your infusion of choice. This can vary from person to person depending on your needs, but I'm going to be mainly focusing on ones meant for vaginal insertion, which help with cramps, dryness, pain and itchiness and are great for sufferers of interstitial cystitis, painful bladder syndrome, chronic dryness, yeast infections,  vulvodynia, vaginismus, endometriosis and PCOS! You can choose from so many different kinds of infusions. They all have different benefits. Here are some of my favorites:
• Tea tree oil: great for inflammation, swelling and yeast infections. (Caution: if you have very sensitive skin, these can burn!)
• CBD oil! This is great for EVERYTHING (especially inflammation and pain), and it's expensive but it'll last you forever. Yes, it's made from cannabis (marijuana) and no, it won't get you high. CBD doesn't have any psychoactive effects. It's safe to use while on other medications. (Again, NOT A DOCTOR, so check with your PCP if you're suspicious!!)
• Lavender essential oil and fir needle essential oil.  These are great for relaxing the muscles of the vagina and uterus, helping with muscle spasms and cramps, and they mellow you out. Great if you get genitourinary pain flare-ups right at bedtime.
• Lavender, bergamot, lemongrass, and eucalyptus oils are great for candida (yeast infections.)
• Witch hazel, an anti-inflammatory.
• A mold to form the torpedo/bullet-like shape of the suppository. You can use an ice cube tray like this one, or make your own mold out of tinfoil like this one.

Here's how you do it!

1. Melt down the base oil either using a microwave or a stovetop. I like to use about a tablespoon of base oil.
2. Using the cup you melted it in, stir in your oil or powder of choice. I usually use about 10 drops of whatever oil I need.
3. Pour the warm oily mixture into your mold.
4. Pop it in the fridge if you plan on using it later that day, or in the freezer if you need it done ASAP. 
5. Voila! You're done. Grab your chilled suppository from the fridge or freezer, lay on your side and pop it in there. Stay laying down while it absorbs. It's good to do this before bedtime, and I would recommend wearing a pantyliner with your pajamas to avoid accidental 'oil spills' on your sheets. 
6. Reap the benefits! You should be able to fall asleep without pain, inflammation, or whatever symptoms are bothering you! I like to curl up in the fetal position because it helps me keep things contained, so to speak, and it also helps with cramps.