CBD and Eucalyptus: Do You Love or Loathe The Scent?

Main image courtesy of Healthline.

You might be familiar with eucalyptus as not only the favorite food of koalas, but also for its unmistakable fragrance. Many people recall the cooling relief of cough drops and Vicks rub from times when they were sick with the smell and taste of eucalyptus. This association with sickness is what causes a lot of people to be turned off by the aroma of eucalyptus. But it really shouldn’t! There’s a good reason eucalyptus is included in medicinal products, apart from the love it or loathe smell. 

Eucalyptus has also found its way into a variety of CBD products. In this post, we’re going to discover why that is and find the answers to:

• What is eucalyptus oil?
• Why combine CBD and eucalyptus?
• How do CBD and eucalyptus work together?
• What kind of CBD products contain eucalyptus?

What is Eucalyptus Oil and What Does it Do?

What’s behind the fragrance of the eucalyptus plant?

Eucalyptus is a tree native to Australia, although now it is cultivated all over the world. It has been used as a folk remedy for hundreds of years, and today you might recognize it in its essential oil form or as an ingredient in cough drops, cough syrup, and other medicinal products. The smell of eucalyptus can bring you back to a time you had a bad cold and relied on cough drops and Vicks rub to get you through it. The aroma is strongly associated with medicine products, so much so that many people do not like the aroma at all! 

But there is a reason why eucalyptus is included in these kinds of products--the essential oil is shown to bring relief to the symptoms of the cold or flu such as coughs and respiratory issues. It is a natural decongestant and cough suppressant, helping to open up your airways so you can breathe better while you fight your cold. But eucalyptus isn’t limited to only helping you get over an illness, eucalyptus may also:

• Reduce pain. Not only can eucalyptus oil help fight the symptoms of your cold, it can also work as an anti-inflammatory on sore muscles or joints by increasing circulation. Like menthol and wintergreen, eucalyptus is considered a counterritant, meaning when you apply it to your sore area, it causes the skin to feel hot or cold, bringing you some relief.
• Clean cuts. Eucalyptus is also antimicrobial, and can be used as a disinfectant in small cuts or scrapes. 
• Freshen your breath. The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of eucalyptus oil may also be able to help with issues such as bad breath, gingivitis, and cavities caused by bacteria. 

So whether you love the smell (or hate it) of eucalyptus, it makes sense to include it in products that work as an anti-inflammatory, cough suppressants, and decongestants. 

Why Do CBD Topicals Contain Eucalyptus Oil?

Using both CBD and eucalyptus to help with pain and inflammation

So now we know why eucalyptus is commonly found in cough and cold medicine, but why include it in a CBD product? As we mentioned earlier, eucalyptus has anti-inflammatory properties, is a soothing counterritant, and has a cooling aroma. This makes it the perfect ingredient to include alongside a CBD cream, lotion, or balm. CBD is also known to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, so pairing it with eucalyptus oil is a great combination. When CBD is infused into a topical, it can be applied directly to where you need it most. When paired with eucalyptus, it will bring a cooling sensation to the muscle or joint that needs some extra care. 

While you may not love the smell of a CBD topical that contains eucalyptus oil, it is designed that way to help bring you relief. Drawing on both the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD and eucalyptus, you might find that topicals that contain both work best for your pain. 

How Do Eucalyptus Oil and CBD Work Together?

How CBD and eucalyptus can help deliver relief

CBD works with your body’s endocannabinoid system to get you relief when you need it. If you’ve gone above and beyond in your fitness routine, chances are you’re going to feel those achy muscles for the next two days. Instead of just dealing with that pain as your muscles recover, you could add a CBD and eucalyptus product to your regimen to get relief from pain and inflammation. Applying CBD as a topical to the site of the pain allows it to target the area that needs help. When your muscles are in pain, your body recognizes that and reacts with inflammation. Applying a CBD and eucalyptus topical could help decrease the inflammation, and reduce the amount of pain. Because both ingredients work to bring down the inflammation and your level of pain, you’ll be back to your active lifestyle in no time.

CBD and eucalyptus can also help with pain that isn’t the result of overexertion, but just come with everyday life. If you have sore joints that need a little help, consider trying a CBD and eucalyptus topical. You’re using twice the anti-inflammatories to help bring relief to your sore spot. One application not enough? Not to worry, you can simply reapply until you find the relief you need to get back to your day.

What Kind of Products Include CBD and Eucalyptus Oil?

CBD and eucalyptus are found together in topicals

Although you can get CBD in the form of edibles, drops, capsules, and vapes, you’ll typically find both CBD and eucalyptus together as a cream, lotion, balm, or salve that you can apply to your skin. A cream like Seventh Sense’s Hyper Strength Deep Relief Cream contains 1,500mg of hemp-derived CBD as well as menthol and arnica to help soothe sore muscles and joints. It also has a eucalyptus spearmint fragrance that is sure to enhance the cooling sensation your muscle or joints receive. Simply apply a layer where you need it, and allow it to absorb into the skin. Then you just need to sit back and let the CBD and other ingredients get to work. If you notice that you’re not getting the relief you need, CBD creams are safe to reapply as needed. 

You can also find CBD and eucalyptus oil together in bath products, such as bath bombs or salts. The bath bomb or salts will be infused with CBD and eucalyptus, and once they are added to bath water, you can soak in the tub as your muscles and joints find some soothing relief.

If you're searching for a CBD and eucalyptus product, you won’t have a hard time finding one. There are a lot of options available for you! If you prefer not to have the eucalyptus in your CBD product, that’s okay too, and you’ll be able to find plenty of topicals that are either fragrance-free, or have another scent that you prefer.