Having a cold and the congestion that comes with it is a miserable, stuffy, and frustrating feeling. If you are looking for fast, natural, and effective relief now, here are 11 essential oils for colds.
How to Use Essential Oils for Colds Safely
It’s immensely important to build our immune systems and protect our health because the cold season is approaching. We all know the feeling when congestion hits and suddenly we’re frantically looking for how to clear our sinuses. Essential oils are a safe and easy way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the common cold, if you educate yourself and use them responsibly.
Firstly, it is important to mention the potency and potential irritation essential oils may cause if used incorrectly, at too high of a dosage, or if certain essential oils are not diluted enough. So, it is best to dilute your essential oil with a carrier oil close to the oils your skin produces, or something very safe for your skin like coconut oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil.
Undoubtably, you can receive the benefits that these magical plants have to offer if you use them with intention and thoughtfulness.
The essential oils for colds we recommend have been clinically proven to be antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal and thus improve people’s immunity response. Plus, the powerful aromas of some of these oils easily clear congestion.
Don’t underestimate the power of nature.
One study done by MicrobiologyOpen that essential oils “could be very useful in clinical practice to combat common infections including those caused by microorganisms resistant to antimicrobial drugs”.
Targeting Symptoms
Another way to use essential oils for colds is to enhance and aid your body’s immune system response.
How to do this is to target inflammation. Inflammation is what causes common cold symptoms like headache, ear pain, and body aches. Anti-inflammatory agents could help relieve a cough or sore throat symptoms as well, as reducing the swelling of the throat and lungs could reduce pain, redness, and sensitivity.
Certain essential oils can help target inflammation, which would make your body’s immune system’s response to the cold virus, or any virus, much more effective and speedy.
What essential oils are good for colds?
The world of essential oils is not a small one. There are hundreds on the market today, so choosing what essential oils are the best for colds can be difficult.
When I first began my journey into the world of aromatherapy, I felt the difficulty when trying to decide which ones to buy. So, I made this process a little easier for everyone else by dedicating myself to hundreds of hours of research into essential oils and all of their amazing benefits.
Without further ado, here are the best essential oils for colds that I came across in my studies.
The 11 Best Essential Oils for Colds
1. Cinnamon leaf essential oil
Cinnamon leaf essential oil protects your body against colds and the flu because it gives your immune system powerful boost. It also eases congestion when used in an ultrasonic cold air diffuser.
Lastly, cinnamon leaf oil also has amazing anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Carrot seed essential oil for colds
Carrot seed essential oil has many amazing properties that fight off the cold.
These include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-fungal. It is also used in many skincare products.
3. Breathe Easy Blend
Essential oil blends are a smart option for those who do not want to worry about the hassle or cost of buying multiple essential oils. The Breathe Easy Blend was designed with essential oils that work harmoniously together to clear congestion, support immune health, and lift your mood! In one bottle, you receive three varieties of eucalyptus combined with peppermint for a refreshing and energizing aroma that effectively clears congestion.
4. Eucalyptus globulus essential oil
Eucalyptus globulus essential oils is used worldwide to relieve congestion because it reacts with mucus membranes by breaking and loosening them up and reducing the amount of mucus buildup. It also helps respiratory infections and stimulates the immune system.
5. Rosemary essential oil for colds
Rosemary essential oil can be used for colds due to its richness in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. It boosts the immune system and improves blood circulation.
6. Clove bud oil essential oil
Researchers have been studying the truly amazing health benefits of clove bud essential oil. Studies have shown that it is has anti-microbial properties and kills bacteria. It is also a well-known pain reliever and relieves respiratory infections and provides relief from cold symptoms.
Studies have also shown that clove bud essential oil is anti-cancer. In certain doses, it is toxic to cancer cells and has also stopped the growth of a number of cancer cell lines.
Really… how much more amazing can clove bud essential oil get?
7. Thyme oil essential oil for colds
Thyme has a lot of carvacrol, a compound rich in antioxidant properties. It is also an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal.
For relieving cough symptoms, some people recommend blending thyme oil with eucalyptus oil and putting the mix into a carrier oil, like almond, coconut, or jojoba oil, then rubbing the blend onto your chest.
8. Ginger essential oil for colds
Ginger is known to improve the immune system, stimulate circulation, ease digest tract discomfort, and ease nausea. It is great to have around when you’re sick in general (speaking from personal experience).
This essential oil is an analgesic, which means that it is a known pain reliever. It also has anti-spasmodic properties, meaning that it suppresses muscles spasms and may relax the cough reflux.
I recommend ginger tea with honey, this does good with sore throats and nausea, and always soothes my body and helps me sleep. Ginger is very highly recommended as one of the best essential oils for colds.
9. Fennel essential oil for colds
Fennel has been known to clear mucus, detoxify the body, regulate blood sugar and digestion. It is a natural pain reliever because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Fennel essential oil is best paired with ginger, peppermint, anise, or chamomile. Conclusively, fennel is a great essential oil thanks to the overall beneficial properties for our bodies.
10. Roman chamomile essential oil
Roman chamomile oil is one of the best essential oils for reducing inflammation and irritation. Specifically, roman chamomile oil is good for upper respiratory infections, muscle aches, and digestive issues.
It has sedative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antispasmodic properties.
This is a highly recommended essential oil for colds.
11. Tea Tree essential oil
Tea tree essential oil is a great one to carry with you if you have a stuffy nose or a productive cough. It can instantly clear congestion and kill the germs living in your lungs.
It is an antiseptic, a sedative, and an antispasmodic.
Tea tree also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that are very strong. I recommend directly inhaling this one as needed. Tea tree oil can be a very helpful essential oil for colds.
Our Essential Oils
We are dedicated to providing essential oils that are 100% authentic and free of pesticides, synthetics, stretching or adulteration of any kind. We are able to be considered therapeutic-quality because independent lab tests each of our essential oils to ensure purity. (Certificate of Analysis and SDS sheets are available upon request.)