A-to-Z List Essential Oils for Colds:

The following essential oils may be helpful in fighting or alleviating cold or flu symtoms:

The best way to relieve cold symptoms with essential oils is through inhalation such as steam inhalation, direct inhalation (from the bottle, a handkerchief, or cotton ball), a diffuser, an aromatherapy bath, or massage.

  • Allspice (Pimento Berry) Oil

    Allspice (Pimento Berry) Oil

    (Pimenta dioica)

    Aroma Description: Allspice Essential Oil smells sharp yet is sweet with a spicy, cinnamon and clove-like aroma.

  • Balsam, Peru

    Balsam, Peru

    (Myroxylon balsamum)

    Aroma Description: Sweet, fresh, earthy, balsamic.

  • Bay Laurel

    Bay Laurel

    (Laurus nobilis)

    Aroma Description: Bay Laurel Essential Oil smells herbaceous, fruity, fresh, camphorous, and slightly sweet.

  • Benzoin

    Benzoin

    (Styrax benzoin)

    Aroma Description: Earthy, Exotic, Resinous, Rich, Sensual, Slightly sweet, Warm

  • Black Spruce

    Black Spruce

    (Picea mariana)

    Aroma Description: Black Spruce Essential Oil smells fresh, crisp, woody and earthy.

  • Blood Orange

    Blood Orange

    (Citrus × aurantium)

    Aroma Description: Blood Orange Essential Oil smells similar to Sweet Orange Essential Oil, however Blood Orange Oil is slightly tarter and has a more complex aroma.

  • Camphor

    Camphor

    (Cinnamomum camphora)

    Aroma Description: Strong, penetrating, fragrant, fresh, woody, somewhat eucalyptus-like aroma due to its high cineole content

  • Cape Snowbush

    Cape Snowbush

    (Eriocephalus racemosus)

    Aroma Description: Astringent, Cool, Fresh, Green, Herbaceous, Slightly camphoraceous, Slightly spicy

  • Cinnamon

    Cinnamon

    (Cinnamomum verum)

    Aroma Description: Peppery, earthy, warm, strong, spicy, bright yet slightly woodsy.

  • Cinnamon (burmannii)

    Cinnamon (burmannii)

    (Cinnamomum burmannii)

    Aroma Description: Warm, spicy and particularly sweet aroma

  • Cistus

    Cistus

    (Cistus × cyprius)

    Aroma Description: Strongly herbaceous and balsam/resinous with sweet, honey-like undertones

  • Copaiba Balsam

    Copaiba Balsam

    (Copaifera officinalis)

    Aroma Description: Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil smells sweet, woody, resinous and earthy.

  • Cornmint

    Cornmint

    (Mentha arvensis)

    Aroma Description: Cornmint Essential Oil smells very minty and menthol-like in aroma. Depending on the source and level of dementholization, it can have a much more potent aroma than Peppermint Oil.

  • Douglas Fir

    Douglas Fir

    (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

    Aroma Description: Coniferous, piny, and woody with floral and citrus notes

  • Eucalyptus

    Eucalyptus

    (Eucalyptus globulus)

    Aroma Description: Fresh, medicinal, woody and earthy.

  • Eucalyptus, Radiata

    Eucalyptus, Radiata

    (Eucalyptus radiata)

    Aroma Description: Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil smells slightly camphorous, sweet and fruity.

  • Fragonia

    Fragonia

    (Taxandria fragrans)

    Aroma Description: Possesses a beautiful, underlying citrus, floral and slightly woody character similar to eucalyptus oil

  • Frankincense

    Frankincense

    (Boswellia sacra)

    Aroma Description: Balsamic, Earthy, Resinous, Slightly sweet, Warm

  • Helichrysum

    Helichrysum

    (Helichrysum italicum)

    Aroma Description: Helichrysum italicum is also called curry plant because its leaves has a strong curry-like smell.

  • Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle

    (Lonicera caprifolium)

    Aroma Description: Floral, Honey-sweet, rich, reminiscent of spring time

  • Hyssop

    Hyssop

    (Hyssopus officinalis subsp. officinalis)

    Aroma Description: Hyssop Essential Oil smells fresh, earthy, fruity, woody, slightly sweet and camphorous.

  • Inula

    Inula

    (Dittrichia graveolens)

    Aroma Description: Camphoraceous, Earthy, Fresh, Medicinal, Rich, Slightly floral, Slightly sweet

  • Lemon

    Lemon

    (Citrus × limon)

    Aroma Description: Lemon Essential Oil smells similar to fresh lemon rinds except that it is more concentrated.

  • Myrrh

    Myrrh

    (Commiphora myrrha)

    Aroma Description: Warm, earthy, woody and balsamic

  • Orange, Bitter (Petitgrain)

    Orange, Bitter (Petitgrain)

    (Citrus × junos)

    Aroma Description: As the name implies, Bitter Orange Essential Oil smells like a cross between the sweetness of sweet orange oil and the slight bitterness of grapefruit oil.

  • Peru Balsam

    Peru Balsam

    (Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae)

    Aroma Description: Ssweet, fresh, earthy and balsamic.

  • Pine

    Pine

    (Pinus sylvestris)

    Aroma Description: Crisp, fresh, woody, earthy, balsamic, sweet, woody, forest like aroma

  • Siberian Fir

    Siberian Fir

    (Abies sibirica)

    Aroma Description: Balsamic, fresh, piney, soft, woody, coniferous, earthy, sweet

  • Star Anise

    Star Anise

    (Illicium verum)

    Aroma Description: Sharp, anise and licorice-like aroma.

  • Sweet Orange

    Sweet Orange

    (Citrus Sinensis)

    Aroma Description: Citrusy and sweet. Its aroma is similar to that of orange peels but is more concentrated.

  • Thyme

    Thyme

    (Thymus vulgaris)

    Aroma Description: Cool, fresh, lemony, slightly citrus, slightly floral, soft, herbaceous and slightly medicinal

  • White Camphor

    White Camphor

    (Cinnamomum camphora)

    Aroma Description: Fresh, intense, woody. Its aroma is somewhat eucalyptus-like due to its high cineole content.

  • Yuzu

    Yuzu

    (Citrus × junos)

    Aroma Description: Bright, complex, citrusy aroma that is somewhat similar to a combination of mandarin and grapefruit.