Unexplainable Mi Vickicito
Mar 30, 2026
Grandma, Julia’s Cuban-born grandmother who lived through shortages and the revolution, fondly recalls Vicks VapoRub as a multipurpose remedy. She shares childhood memories, inventive uses born of scarcity, and how the scent ties to home. Short, warm stories reveal habit, history, and comfort.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Grandma's Viquicito Obsession From Childhood
- Julia Longoria grew up with a grandmother who called Vicks "Viquicito" and kept multiple jars everywhere in her room and vanity.
- The smell followed her visits and showers, signaling a deep, habitual use that puzzled Julia as a child and adult.
Scarcity Turned Vicks Into A Multipurpose Remedy
- The grandmother's broad uses of Vicks grew from scarcity during Cuba's revolution when many products disappeared from shelves.
- Julia connects the product's availability after the Bay of Pigs and later shipments to Cuba with expanded home remedies.
How Vicks Replaced Soap And Cream In Cuba
- Julia's grandmother recounts that after the revolution soaps and creams vanished and Vicks filled many needs from skin to nail care.
- She learned to use Vicks as hand cream, nail strengthener, and foot treatment during those hard years.