Let’s Make an Essential Oil Blend for Cough and Cold

Last week gal pal’s household was hit with that seasonal bug. That means back to school season is in full swing! I was on the phone with her offering sympathy, when the conversation turned into a fun-filled, full-blown, emergency essential oil blend making session! As will happen when two aromatherapists are talking. (grin)

With the upper respiratory virus making the rounds at her house, we set out to craft a custom essential oil blend that was equal parts decongesting powerhouse and aromatic joy.

Here’s how a chat turned into a new favorite blend, drop by drop.

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Crafting an Essential Oil Blend Drop by Drop

When I start creating an essential oil blend I begin with the intention. I usually start with one or two core essential oils that will support the intention. In this case, we wanted to support easier breathing and help clear congestion. It also needed to be a blend for daytime use, so no super relaxing essential oils, like Lavender, were allowed!

Next I look at essential oils that enhance or soften the aroma, therapeutics, and/or energetics of the core essential oils. I’ll uncap the bottles, nestle the caps in my hand and smell them together. This gives a pretty good idea of the aroma of the final blend. I usually end up with 2-3 additional oils.

I add each essential oil one drop at time to a small glass dessert cup (I like one with a fluted top and narrow base) or shot glass, smelling as I go and examining it’s effects on my body.

Sometimes I’ll need to make a pivot during blending to create a more appealing aroma. And that’s okay! Flexibility is key when crafting a blend from scratch.

Now let’s see how my friend and I created a beautiful blend for cold and flu season that can be used in a diffuser, an inhaler, a roll-on, a chest rub, and even a shower steam!

Creating the Saro in Sunshine Essential Oil Blend

Step 1: The 1,8-cineole Double-Down

This blend started with my friend’s brilliant suggestion of Saro (Cinnamosma fragrans). Crisp and fresh smelling, Saro is famous for being gentle yet robust when the lungs need help opening up.

As I scanned my collection, my eyes landed on Sugandha Kokila (Cinnamomum glaucescens). Rich and spicy yet sweet, and also breath-opening, it paired with Saro like a dream.

The chemistry: Both Saro and Sugandha Kokila are rich in the chemical constituent 1,8-cineole, also known as eucalyptol. Can you guess what this constituent smells like? If you guessed Eucalyptus, you’re right!

In addition to 1,8-cineole…

• Saro can contain up to 30% d-limonene, which is also very supportive during times of bronchial irritation. It helps by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress response in the tissues.^[1] A touch of linalool, the calming constituent associated with Lavender, softens Saro’s aroma and energy.
• Sugandha Kokila contains up to 14% of methyl cinnamate. This gentle ester has a soft aroma that’s reminiscent of (can you guess?) cinnamon. I had forgotten this when I pulled the bottle from the collection, so this sweet spiciness was a welcome surprise. Methyl cinnamate also helps reduce spasms of the airway to help ease coughing.^[2]

As I smelled this duo, I could feel an immediate opening in my chest and a coolness in my throat. This was a great start of an essential oil blend for an upper respiratory virus with sore throat involvement! But it definitely needed a balancing act.

Step 2: The Herbal Pivot

We wanted to tackle bronchial inflammation head-on, so we looked for an oil high in the constituent terpinen-4-ol.^[3] Tea Tree essential oil was an obvious choice, but not our favorite for this purpose. Plai was another option, and one of my favorites for allergies. In fact, you can watch my Allergy Inhaler video with Plai and Ravintsara to learn why. But Plai wasn’t quite right either.

Enter Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana). Chemically, it was the exact right move. It’s rich in terpinen-4-ol which and can help ease coughing spasms and soothe sore throats.^[3,4] Aromatically? It immediately veered into “medicinal herb garden” territory. We needed to lift the blend out of the pharmacy with a bit of sunshine.

Step 3: The Sweet & Bright

Conifer or citrus? At first I thought Douglas Fir which is breath-opening and sweet with a touch of citrus. But we both voted for a burst of d-limonene rich citrus to cut through the medicinal notes.

We now know that 1,8-cineole (aka eucalyptol) smells of Eucalyptus, and methyl cinnamate smells like sweet cinnamon. Can you guess what d-limonene smells like? Yes! Citrus! Think of the best-smelling citrusade made of of oranges, lemons, and limes. That’s d-limonene. Mmmmmm. Now, which citrus to choose?

• Choice A: Bergamot. Although rich in d-limonene, it also has significant linalool and linalyl acetate (again, think Lavender). So, no. Bergamot was too calming for this intention. We want to make it through the day, not take a nap.
• Choice B: Lime. Surprisingly, Lime only amplified the medicinal note of the Sweet Marjoram. So, although a favorite energizing citrus essential oil, it wasn’t the right choice aromatically for this blend.
• Choice C: Pink Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi). As my friend often says, “GMTA” (great minds think alike). Just as I went to grab Grapefruit from my collection, she mentioned the same essential oil! But the initial 3 drops still left the blend smelling a bit too medicinal.

The Clincher: “How about one more drop of Grapefruit?” she suggested. That final drop of Grapefruit was pure magic. It rounded off every sharp edge. It softened the medicinal aroma of Sweet Marjoram, tamed the freshness of Saro, and enhanced the sweetness of Sugandha Kokila.

I popped the finished mixture into the diffuser while we were still chatting. The room filled with an aroma that was fresh, sweet, crisp, and completely uplifting. And without a trace of harsh, clinical smell. It was a winner!

⭐️Saro in Sunshine Essential Oil Blend

We both immediately agreed: this isn’t just a one-time diffuser blend. We’re both mixing up master stock bottles of this one to keep on hand for the rest of the season!

NOTE: Eleven drops is a higher drop count than I typically use in my diffuser, preferring 5-10 drops. How many drops I use depends on the essential oils in the blend and the room size. If I’m diffusing in my living room I might go with 9-10 drops, in my workroom or bedroom usually 4-5. This is where a stock bottle comes in handy!

Making a Saro in Sunshine Stock Bottle

Here are the drop counts for a 5ml essential oil bottle. This will hold about 100-120 drops of essential oil (depending on the viscosity of the oil and the size of the reducer orifice). I generally aim for 100 as I’d rather go under than over!

Add your drops directly to the essential oil bottle. Then insert the reducer and cap tightly. Rock the bottle several times. And, lastly roll the bottle between the palms of your hands for at least 30 seconds. This allows the oils to fully blend with each other and it imparts a bit of your energy to the blend.

And remember: Affix a label right away!

• 27 drops Saro (Cinnamosma fragrans)
• 18 drops Sugandha Kokila (Cinnamomum glaucescens)
• 18 drops Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
• 36 drops Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi)

🌺See my Recommended Suppliers below

5 Ways to Use this Essential Oil Blend

🔶️CHILD SAFETY NOTE:

Due to the 1,8-cineole content of this blend, it’s not intended for close use (inhalation) with children under 5 years of age.

If you’d like to diffuse, add just 3-4 drops to your diffuser and diffuse intermittently. For a daytime chest rub for young children over 5 years, add 2-3 drops of the blend to fragrance-free cream and massage a small amount into back and chest.

If you have a little one with a cold and congestion, check out this kid-friendly blend for shower steaming.

• Diffuser: Add the blend as is, or 6-9 drops to your diffuser. Diffuse intermittently through the day.

• Inhaler: Saturate the inhaler wick with 15-18 drops of Saro in Sunshine essential oil blend. Use as needed through the day to help open the breath and ease sinus and chest congestion. (I like these disposable inhalers and these reusable inhalers.)

• Roll-on: Add 5-7 drops of Saro in Sunshine blend to a 10ml roller bottle and top with Jojoba or other neutral lipid carrier oil. Roll over pulse points periodically. Roll over palms, rub hands together, and cup over nose. Inhale slowly and as deeply as possible to help ease coughing and congestion. (These are my favorite roller bottles.)

• Chest Rub: In a 1-ounce jar or bottle, combine 10-12 drops of essential oil blend with 1 ounce fragrance-free cream, Jojoba, or other favorite carrier, such as an herbal-infused oil like Balm of Gilead oil. Mix well and apply a small amount to chest, shoulders, neck, and back. Cover with a warm cloth, if desired. (If applying a bedtime, consider using Lavender herbal oil as the base carrier.)

• Shower Steam: Add a few drops of Saro in Sunshine to a damp washcloth. Hang over the downspout or handle, out of direct reach of the water. Stand in the aromatic steam for several minutes. Apply a small amount of soap to the washcloth and rub over chest and shoulders before a final rinse.

What started as a chaotic rescue mission for a friend’s sick household, will no doubt prove to be one of my favorite blending memories. It’s amazing how a simple phone call, a little essential oil chemistry, and a bit of trial and error can yield something so special.

If you enjoy learning about the chemistry behind what makes these essential oils effective, sign up for The Diffusion newsletter below!

Shopping for Saro in Sunshine Essential Oil Blend

• Saro (Cinnamosma fragrans):
  • Aromatics International, wildcrafted (Direct and Amazon)
  • Edens Garden, sustainable (Amazon)

• Sugandha Kokila (Cinnamomum glaucescens):
  • Aromatics International, wildcrafted (Direct and Amazon)

• Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana):
  • Aromatics International, organic (Direct and Amazon)
  • Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)

• Pink/Rose Grapefruit essential oil (Citrus x paradisi):
  • Nature Packaged, organically farmed, Pink (Direct and Amazon)
    • Use code MOMAROMAS10 to save on every direct order and let them know I sent you!
  • Plant Therapy, organic, Pink (Direct and Amazon)
  • Aromatics International, organic, Rose (Direct and Amazon)

• Jojoba oil/wax (Simmondsia chinensis):
  • HobaCare, organic (Direct and Amazon)
    • Use code MOMAROMAS to save on your first direct order
  • Aromatics International, organic (Direct and Amazon)
  • Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)

• 10ml Roller Bottles:
  • Viviplex glass bottles with steel balls in Amber, Blue, & Green (on Amazon)
  • Kessel frosted glass bottles with steel balls in Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Turquoise, Purple, & Black (on Amazon)
  • Aromatics International, glass bottles with glass balls in Amber & Blue

• Aromatherapy Inhalers:
  • Disposable plastic (Amazon)
  • Reusable aluminum case with glass tube (Amazon)
  • Plant Therapy, Reusable (Direct and Amazon)
  • Aromatics International, Disposable & Reusable options (Direct and Amazon)

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is for educational purposes only.
All recipes provided are for personal use and are not designed for re-sale or large-scale manufacturing.
Please consult your doctor, naturopath, herbal practitioner, or other qualified health professional for medical advice and before starting any herbal regimen, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, have any existing medical conditions, or are taking any medications.