There are so many colds going around this time of year it’s impossible to avoid them. If you are unlucky enough to have caught a cold, then I am sure you are desperate to relieve the symptoms as much as possible.
As someone who has worked with essential oils for a few years now (and gets a cold all the time), I want to share my favourite decongestant remedy and how you can use it!
Contents
Why Make Your Own Decongestant?
If you look at the ingredients of inhalation decongestants, you’ll see they are simply made up of essential oils. That’s it.
So why spend money on branded decongestants, when it is so easy to make yourself? All you have to do is mix some oil together and you're done!
Natural Decongestant Recipe
Ingredients
- Eucalyptus oil 5g
- Tea tree oil 2g
- Peppermint oil 3g
Method
1. Weigh the Ingredients and Mix
- Weigh the eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil and peppermint oil in a bowl.
- Mix the oils together until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture into a bottle and it is now ready to use!
How To Use It
This decongestant is for inhalation only. There are a few different ways to inhale the decongestant, so you can find the best method for you.
Direct Inhalation
The simplest way to inhale the essential oils is directly from the bottle. Simply hold the bottle about 10cm away from the nostrils, and slowly inhale.
This can provide short and instant relief, but we do not recommend doing this for a long period of time. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so this form of inhalation may cause irritation or make your symptoms worse if it is done too frequently.
Steam Inhalation
This is one of the most popular ways to inhale a decongestant and for a good reason!
Fill a bowl with steaming hot water and add 2 - 3 drops of your essential oil mix. Hold your face over the bowl and inhale the steam and essential oils. We recommend doing this for around 10 to 15 minutes.
This method is so popular because it is not just the essential oils that are reducing congestion, the steam is also helping!
Add a Few Drops Under a Pillow
At night, congestion can feel worse and make it hard to sleep. Our favourite way to decongest at night is by putting two to three drops of our essential oils onto a tissue, placing it underneath the pillow and voila! The essential oils will slowly decongest your airways while you sleep.
But don’t add too many drops, the scent can be overpowering if too much is used and may make you feel worse!
Diffuser
This is very similar to steam inhalation, but it is less direct. With a diffuser you can fill a room with steam and your natural decongestant.
Simply add a few drops to your diffuser and let the diffuser do the rest!
Continue Reading
Now you know to make your own decongestant to relieve those cold symptoms, why not continue reading?
- Interested using essential oils to relax? Try our simple calm balm recipe!
- Love making cold process soap? Try this unique dandelion soap recipe!
- Want to learn more about essential oils? Find out which essential oils are best for sleep!
Let us know how your natural decongestant turned out in the comments!
