Minty essential oil
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus globulus
Eucalyptus globulus, the Tasmanian blue gum, gives the familiar sharp, camphor-like oil found in so many winter blends. It is distilled from the leaves, mainly in China, Spain and Portugal, and is rich in 1,8-cineole, the compound behind its cool, open feel. People traditionally reach for it in the colder months, in a diffuser or a short steam inhalation, and it also suits cleaning sprays and muscle rubs. That same cineole is the reason for its strongest caution: keep it away from the faces of young children, and use it sparingly around pets. Lemon-scented eucalyptus is a different species with different uses.
Safety at a glance
- Pregnancy Use with caution
- Children From age 10
- Dogs Avoid
- Cats Avoid
- Sunlight Not phototoxic
- On skin Up to 20%
Reference
| Botanical name | Eucalyptus globulus |
|---|---|
| Plant family | Myrtaceae |
| Plant part | Leaves |
| Extraction | steam distillation |
| Main origins | China, Spain and Portugal |
| Aroma family | Minty |
| Note | Top note |
| Aroma | Clean, camphor-like and cooling |
| Main constituents | 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, limonene, p-cymene and globulol |
| Common uses | seasonal comfort, fresh air, cleaning and muscle rub |
| Suggested maximum on skin | 20% of the blend |
| Phototoxic | No |
| Shelf life once opened | 1 to 2 years |
| Pregnancy | Use with caution |
| Children | From age 10 |
| Dogs | Avoid |
| Cats | Avoid |
| Safety notes | Its main compound, 1,8-cineole, can cause breathing problems in young children, so keep it off and away from the faces of children under 10. Pet Poison Helpline lists eucalyptus as toxic to both dogs and cats. The pregnancy list we follow names only a milder species, Eucalyptus smithii, so we mark blue gum as a caution. |
Blends well with
Used in: Essential Oil Blends for a Fresh Home, Essential Oil Blends for Seasonal Comfort
Sources
- Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals, 2nd edition (Tisserand & Young), Churchill Livingstone / Elsevier
- Appropriate use of essential oils and their components in the management of upper respiratory tract symptoms in patients with COVID-19 (J Herb Med, 2021), safety table for Eucalyptus and Mentha x piperita, PubMed Central (NIH)
- Aromatherapy and pregnancy guidelines, International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (hosted by NAHA)
- Updates on essential oils, Pet Poison Helpline