Natural Cough Relief Roll On with Essential Oils

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Last Updated on May 5, 2025 by Kiersten James, BS, RN

Soothe annoying coughs naturally with this easy essential oil roll on blend. Calms cough spasms and is safe for the whole family.

When a cough lingers (doesn’t matter if it’s dry, hacking, or just plain exhausting) it can feel like your body is stuck in an endless loop of hating you…especially at night. In addition to flaxseed cough syrup, and herbal teas, I use high quality essential oils to support the body’s ability to heal and self soothe.

A natural cough relief roll on with essential oils is easy to make, gentle on the body, and an additional source of comfort in those times when it’s hard to catch a break.

In our house, this little roller lives in my nightstand drawer and gets passed from one family member to the next when someone’s down with a bug. I’ve used this specific blend to deal with winter viruses, postnasal faucet-like drips from spring allergies, and those strange summer colds that sneak in when I least expect it.

This essential oil blend blend contains lavender, frankincense, eucalyptus (or rosalina for kids), and cedarwood. It calms the cough reflex, supports the lungs, and helps soothe irritated airways without loading the body up with commerical drugs or fake menthol.

Essential Oils for Cough Relief

Essential oils don’t just smell nice. They are volatile (unlike the fatty kind that you cook with) and contain powerful plant compounds that help ease inflammation, open the airways, and calm that tickle in the throat that triggers coughing fits.

It is important to realize that essential oils do not cure a cough and this expectation should never exist. What they can do are:

• Calm the spasmodic reflex that keeps you coughing
• Open up airways and promote easier breathing
• Soothe inflammation in the bronchial tubes
• Ease nighttime coughing by grounding the nervous system

This is especially true when applied to the chest, throat, back, and soles of the feet.

What This Blend Uses

Lavender: One of my favorite oils for calming a dry, persistent cough. Lavender essential oil has both antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties which helps ease the coughing reflex itself. This is helpful when the cough is triggered by stressful situations or is worse at night. Lavender is also gentle enough for children and very calming to the nervous system.

Frankincense: Amazing for the lungs and helps reduce inflammation to support deeper, more relaxed breathing. For whatever reason, I’ve noticed that it’s often not considered for cough remedies.

I choose to include it because it really helps when there is tightness in the chest or that feeling like you just can’t breathe deeply enough. It also enhances the effects of the other oils in the blend when they’re used together – called a “synergistic effect”.

Rosalina for kids or Eucalyptus radiata for adults: Rosalina is a much milder cousin to eucalyptus and better suited for children under 10. Rosalina supports the respiratory tract, calms inflammation, and has mild antibacterial properties without the intensity of eucalyptus.

For my husband and I, I use Eucalyptus radiata, which is again milder than Eucalyptus globulus but still extremely effective for opening airways and easing congestion.

Cedarwood: This is only for nighttime coughs and usually when we’re dealing with postnasal drips or 1am coughing fits. For this, I make a second roller blend and add 2 drops of cedarwood essential oil. It’s grounding, deeply calming to the nervous system, and pairs well with lavender to promote rest.

Cedarwood will not directly act on the mechanisms of a cough but when used as part of the blend, it can reduce that anxious feeling that sometimes makes a cough worse – especially with the kids.

Carrier Oil: Carrier oils are absolutely necessary for safely diluting essential oils and delivering them through the skin slowly and gently. I use fractionated coconut, sweet almond, or jojoba oil. They’re safe, not greasy, and absorb well into the skin without clogging pores.

Natural Cough Relief Roll On with Essential Oils

Supplies:

• 10 ml glass roller bottle
• Clean funnel or dropper
• Essential oils
• Carrier oil

Adult Cough Relief Blend:

• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops frankincense
• 2 drops eucalyptus radiata
• 2 drops cedarwood

Kids Cough Relief Blend (ages 2+):

• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops frankincense
• 2 drops rosalina
• 1 drop cedarwood for nighttime

To Make: Add the essential oils to the roller bottle. Fill to the top with your carrier oil then tightly insert the roller ball. Invert the bottle or shake gently to combine. Label it clearly and store in a cool, dark place.

Where to Apply the Cough Relief Roll On Blend:

• To the chest and upper back. Rub in gently.
• Along the sides of the neck. This is helpful at night.
• To the soles of the feet, especially for young children.
• Just under the nose or on the temples if you’re congested and can’t breathe well.

Reapply every 2 to 3 hours as needed, especially during coughing fits or before bed.

Safety Considerations

DO NOT use eucalyptus (even radiata) on children under 3 years old unless you’re very familiar with proper dilution and sourcing. Rosalina is much safer and offers almost identical effects with a much milder profile. Even though I have been using oils for more than a decade, I still don’t use eucalyptus on kids under 10.

Always do a patch test when trying a new essential oil blend, especially with children.

More Natural Cold, Flu & Cough Remedies

Homemade Amish Cough Syrup (safe for the whole family)

Fast Onion & Honey Cough Syrup

Fermented Garlic Honey Immune Support

Best Cough Remedies for Babies and Toddlers

This information is intended for educational purposes only. The content created for www.naturalhomeapothecary.com has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider for personal healthcare decision-making guidance. 

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