Eucalyptus essential oil is one of the best treats you can give your lungs. Especially if you’re fighting off a respiratory bug.

So we’ve got a natural Eucalyptus Vapor Rub recipe for you.

How does this Eucalyptus Vapor Rub recipe work? Eucalyptus is chock full of the natural chemical component “eucalyptol,” (aka 1,8 cineole) which is known to stimulate respiratory immunity and promote lung health. It also dries up mucus like magic. It opens the sinuses, decongests, fights fungal infections, fights microbes (we’re looking at you, flu bug!), reduces inflammation, can calm spastic coughing, and soothes pain.

Wow, right?

Eucalyptus is so good for your respiratory system, that it’s one of the primary ingredients in our Breathe Easy blend. You can find it at work naturally in the Blue Mountains of Australia, where forests of eucalyptus trees fill the air with aromatic, vaporized oil, which is said to give the mists on the mountains a beautiful blue tint. The area has become a popular location for resorts and spas, which attract patrons by talking up the amazing health benefits of the air.

It also reduces mosquitoes (bugs don’t like eucalyptus!). So while the people living in the region benefit from the healthy air, it also chases away pests that could carry illness. In some marshy regions, eucalyptus groves have been planted to dry up moisture and reduce mosquito populations.

There are several different species of eucalyptus.

Each of them will work in our Eucalyptus Vapor Rub recipe, but we recommend Eucalyptus radiata, since it smells a little sweeter and is gentler on the skin than others. (The other species should not irritate your skin though, so if you have E. globulus or E. dives in your collection, feel free to use it.)

* Safety note: If you suffer from a chronic condition like asthma, or sometimes have trouble breathing, be sure to check your tolerance for eucalyptus before using it extensively. Just take the lid of the essential oil bottle, and inhale from the lid deeply. If your inhalation gets cut off, or your chest feels tight or constricted, we recommend using a different oil. Try clary sage (Salvia sclerea) instead.

DIY Eucalyptus Vapor Rub

You’ll need:

• ½ oz beeswax pellets
• 2 oz avocado oil
• 45 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Directions

1. First, melt your beeswax in a double boiler.
2. Add your avocado oil and stir gently.
3. Remove the melted oil and wax from the heat.
4. Add the eucalyptus essential oil.
5. Pour your blend carefully into a glass jar that holds at least 3 oz. You can also use little salve tins, if you have those on hand.
6. Set the lid on top of the jar while the blend solidifies. This is to prevent the essential oil from evaporating. Eucalyptus oil loves to be in the air!

To use it, just rub a little on your chest. We love it best while we’re lying down, and can breathe the aroma in while we relax. You may feel a cooling effect on your skin, and that’s perfectly normal.

Just pay attention to make sure your skin isn’t responding with irritation. In that case, rub avocado oil into your chest, and wipe it off gently with a soft towel. This is a better way to dilute and remove the oils than soap and water.

If you don’t have avocado oil, you can swap it out for jojoba. We love the natural green tint that avocado oil brings to this blend, though!

For children, be sure to use as little as possible. We don’t recommend it for very little kids who are younger than five.