Make Your Own Clear Nose Inhalers

December always seems to be the perfect time to think about keeping sinuses clear. Not only is today’s how-to an easy peasy project, it's also a great idea for a personally-made gift for family and friends, young or old. (although not for young children)

Let’s make our own anti-stuffy-nose essential oil vapor inhalers. (whew - that was a long description, but quite apt)

You'll Need

• Anti-nose stuffing essential oils of choice. (I find eucalyptus, wintergreen, pine, peppermint, and rosemary quite useful, but that’s me- you may have your own faves)

• Menthol crystals

• Vapor inhaler container and absorbent stick (tip: do NOT reuse packaging from another product)

• latex or nitrile gloves

Method

1. Put on gloves

2. Open the inhaler packaging and stand an absorbent stick in the inhaler base. If this seems too fiddly, you can also place it in a small glass bowl

3. Drip (maximum) 20 drops essential oil on the absorbent stick using either method A or B (see description below)

4. Place 3-5 menthol crystals in the inhaler sheath

5. Insert the base with saturated stick and close

6. Cap

7. Make and apply a label

8. Enjoy your inhaler

Method A - For very steady hands

Drip directly from the bottle to the stick, taking great care not to spill (warning - this takes a lot of practice and super steady hands)

Method B - For those who prefer spill-free perfection

Lay the stick in a small glass bowl and drip onto the stick, letting it sit for a minute or two to absorb everything

The Importance of Notes

The absorbent sticks I am using here carry a max of 20 drops, so I composed my essential oil blends on paper before making the inhaler.

For this inhaler, I used

• 10 drops eucalyptus

• 3 drops peppermint

• 6 drops pine

• 1 drop rosemary

• (as well as the menthol crystals)

TIP: Always keep notes so you can recreate your perfect blend when you have found your favorite combo.

A very essential part of being able to make these is having the right containers. I got mine at Aroma Zone in France, but I’m betting these are available from other suppliers as well.

Do Tell

Have you ever made your own inhalers?