Your Essential Guide to Eucalyptus Oil: Matching Product Purpose to Oil Properties
Eucalyptus is available in Blue Gum, Blue Mallee, Radiata, and Lemon varieties. This guide will help you discover which will best meet the needs of your consumers.
Blue Gum (Eucalyptus Globulus)
This most common form of Eucalyptus contains between 60-85 percent cineol. It offers the classically bold, rich, penetrating aroma of Eucalyptus with extensive therapeutic uses including as a decongestant, expectorant, and anti-inflammatory. This makes Blue Gum Eucalyptus the perfect natural ingredient in products geared toward fighting bacteria, clearing the mind, alleviating respiratory discomfort, and soothing tired muscles. Used in many different formulations like mouthwash, topical muscle rubs, and bath salts. However, due to its high cineol content, Blue Gum Eucalyptus is not recommended for use in products that will be utilised for children under the age of six.
Blue Mallee (Eucalyptus polybractea)
Blue Mallee oil is the strongest Eucalyptus essential oil with extremely high eucalyptol content. This makes the oil powerfully therapeutic but also most in need of dilution before use. Blue Mallee Eucalyptus offers incredible antiseptic prowess and the ability to clear respiratory issues, so it is preferred in pharmaceutical preparations geared toward combating upper respiratory infections, stimulating the immune system, and relieving pain, particularly when blended with complementary oils like Lemon, Peppermint, and Rosemary. Given its strength, Blue Mallee isn’t recommended for children or pregnant or nursing women.
This much gentler and mild version of Eucalyptus is therapeutically versatile and the best choice to use for children and people with sensitive health conditions. It offers a cooling, refreshing, and citrusy aroma. Eucalyptus Radiata is often the preferred oil for products geared toward boosting the immune system, encouraging clear breathing, and energising a tired mind and body.
Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora)
This unique Eucalyptus offers a sweet and rosy lemon-citronella aroma with all of the highly demanded therapeutic benefits of Eucalyptus. It can fight fungus and bacteria, relieve respiratory conditions, and purify the air to kill bacteria. Lemon Eucalyptus also functions as a highly effective and safe insect deterrent. This is an excellent oil to use in room mists, skin care oils, lotions, and bug sprays.