Eucalyptus has a clear, sharp, fresh and very distinctive smell, is pale yellow in colour and is watery in viscosity.

It has a cooling and deodorizing effect on the body, helping with fevers, migraine and malaria. For the respiratory tract, it helps with coughs, asthma, throat infections, sinusitis and catarrhal conditions. It soothes inflammation and eases mucus, clearing the head from the stuffiness of colds and hay fever.

Eucalyptus oil is useful as a warming oil when used for muscular aches and pains, rheumatoid arthritis, sprains and poor circulation.

In skin care it can be used for burns, blisters, herpes, cuts, wounds, skin infections and insect bites. It can furthermore boost the immune system and is helpful in cases of chicken pox, colds, flu and measles.

Eucalyptus oil should be used with care and people with high blood pressure and epilepsy should avoid it. Excessive use of this oil may cause headaches.