What Is Kunzea Essential Oil?

The origins of Australian kunzea essential oil

Kunzea, latin name Kunzea ambigua, is a relatively new essential oil sometimes referred to as white tea tree. Kunzea is a genus of plants in the family Myrtaceae and typically grows as a small shrub or tree with small, aromatic leaves and brightly colored flowers. Endemic to Australia, this plant is typically used as a decorative shrub in home gardens, which makes its use in aromatherapy relatively new.

Produced by steam distillation of the leaves and branches, kunzea essential oil has a fresh, woody and slightly spicy aroma as a finished product, which is very uplifting and can be mood boosting.

What is kunzea essential oil used for?

In her book “The Blossoming Heart”, author Robbi Zeck says that on all levels, both emotionally and physically, this essential oil is indicated for pain. As many aromatherapists and other practitioners believe, physical pain in the body can usually be linked to an emotional pain as well, and the course of treatment for both of these can be similar. Zeck says that an oil like kunzea can help us move through that pain and discomfort, looking forward to relief on the other side.

According to Zeck and other experts in the industry like Australian aromatherapist and internationally respected educator Mark Webb, kunzea essential oil is indicated for muscular aches and pains as well as for helping to soothe nervous tension and anxious feelings.

Products that contain kunzea essential oil

Here at Saje, we’ve only had the opportunity to blend one product with kunzea essential oil to this point, which is our extra-large, extra strong roll-on for pain called Extra Strength. This is an important product in our pain category that was in development for close to three years as we looked to develop the most powerfully effective formula that we could to address sore muscles, back aches, strains and sprains in the body. Extra Strength is recognized as a Natural Health Product (NHP) with a Natural Product Number (NPN) in Canada, as well as an Over The Counter (OTC) drug product for use as an analgesic pain reliever in the USA.

The formula for Extra Strength contains a number of essential oils that are renowned in aromatherapy for their positive effects on symptoms that cause pain like inflammation and swelling, and for addressing the general aches and pains caused by soreness in the muscles and tissues.

This formula contains an active ingredient called methyl salicylate, which comes to us from the sweet birch essential oil. When used topically to relieve pain, methyl salicylate is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. Sweet birch is warming and penetrative when applied topically, helping provide comfort to the area it's applied.

Another active ingredient in the Extra Strength roll-on is menthol from peppermint. Today, peppermint is promoted for use in relieving muscle aches and joint pains, and also provides the cooling and soothing sensation in the product when applied topically to the skin.

Don’t just take our word for it! Here’s what a few of our Community Members have had to say about adding Extra Strength to their wellness tool kit:

“I put this on my neck and shoulder blades. It really helps my soft tissue pain like nothing else does.” - Margaret, Fort Erie

“The first time I rolled this on & rubbed it into my lower back area I could not believe how good I felt. It was like instant with the pain almost gone. I highly recommend it.” - Lorraine, Ancaster

“My lower back has been aching. When I roll this product on it cools and relaxes the muscle tension. I love how it works!” - Susan, Vancouver

Essential oils that are similar to kunzea essential oil

Because kunzea essential oil is so effective at helping to ease and relieve symptoms of pain, we wanted to call attention to a few of the other essential oils you’ll find in the Extra Strength formula that are carefully selected because of their ability to help you feel better, fast:

Marjoram essential oil: according to Jennie Harding, the author of “The Essential Guide to Oils”, marjoram is not only soothing during times of stress and emotional turbulence, but also during times when you experience deeply aching and tired muscles. This warm, woody and slightly spicy essential oil can be found in other products at Saje like our Pain Release, Sleep Well and Tranquility lines of products.

Rosemary essential oil: another essential oil that Harding recommends when it comes to pain relief is the fresh and herbaceous notes of rosemary. Whether you need to overcome sluggishness and bring clarity to the mind or you’re looking to stimulate and warm sore muscles before or after vigorous activity, rosemary is a welcome addition. Look for rosemary in our Pain Release, Energy and Peppermint Halo lines of products.

Clove essential oil: the last oil we want to call attention to for pain is a lesser-used essential oil called clove. Intensely aromatic, warming and spicy clove helps us to feel strengthened, and helps to stimulate circulation and relieve muscular pain.

Essential oils that blend well with kunzea essential oil

Because kunzea essential oil is also indicated for soothing nervous tension and helping to relieve feelings of stress or anxiousness, it blends well with other essential oils that are also thought to be soothing and relieving to the body and mind.

The first and possibly most well-known essential oil in aromatherapy to help the body and mind feel de-stressed and at ease is the floral and herbal notes of lavender. Gentle and well-tolerated by most people, it’s not uncommon for lavender to be added to formulations that are thought to be stress relieving or to promote rest. At Saje, lavender is a staple ingredient in some of our most well-loved wellness blends like Stress Release, Tranquility and Sleep Well.

Another oil that would blend well alongside the fresh and woody notes of kunzea is lemon. Lemon, a well-known citrus, produces a fresh, tart and zesty essential oil from the rind of the fruit that is commonly included in preparations that are indicated for a natural lift in the mood, bringing a fresh and clean energy to the environment as well as for helping to provide cheerfulness. Look for lemon in products like Energy, Deep Breath and Elevate.

Lastly, we like to blend the warmth of kunzea essential oil with another oil known to be soothing, meditative and grounding which is sandalwood. Also being sourced in Australia, sandalwood is prized for its ability to support soothing stress and easing feelings of worry, helping to bring comfort and emotional support in times of overwhelm. Sandalwood is included in formulas at Saje like Goodnight, Present Moment and Peaceful Warrior.

Kunzea essential oil and other lesser-known essential oils

Because kunzea essential oil is still such a relatively unknown oil, we wanted to call attention to a few others that we find beneficial in our wellness tool kit you may also not have heard of:

Fragonia: The Paperbark Co are growers, distillers and suppliers of Australian-grown essential oils, including this extremely rare essential oil which they are currently the only producers of. Fragonia is thought to be able to bring harmony to the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the human psyche; with a soothing, sweet and almost candy-like fragrance, fragonia is versatile and well-balanced.

Labrador Tea: a new essential oil to us here at Saje, we’ve blended this green, fresh and slightly woody oil into our newest diffuser blend called Spa Day. As the name implies, this blend is intended to be soothing and restorative, which is why we chose this Canadian-grown essential oil to be part of the formula. Labrador Tea is indicated in aromatherapy for help in relieving stressful feelings and for helping you to feel balanced and harmonized.

Holy Basil: you might know holy basil from its popular use in everything from teas to tinctures and cuisine, but it is lesser known for its use as an essential oil. Producing a very distinctive aroma, holy basil is sweet, rich, earthy and herbal and is fantastic for providing support to the nervous system. In the same way you might reach for a warm cup of tea to help you feel soothed, we like to sniff 1-3 drops of holy basil from a tissue during our workday or diffuse in the evening to help us unwind and feel settled.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about some new and lesser-known essential oils and their uses to support the mind, body and spirit in achieving optimal wellness.