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6 Essential Oils That Can Soothe Bug Bites & How To Use Them

Emma Loewe
Author:
October 12, 2024
Emma Loewe
By Emma Loewe
mbg Contributor
Emma Loewe is the former Sustainability and Health Director at mindbodygreen. She is the author of "Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us" and the co-author of "The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide To Ancient Self Care." Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,500 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes.
Portrait Of A Young Woman With Essential Oil
Image by Federica Giacomazzi / Stocksy
October 12, 2024

An unfortunate side effect of spending time outdoors, bug bites can be a real drag. Though scratching provides in-the-moment relief, it only makes bites more painful in the long run and could potentially cause infection.

Here's how to skip the scratch and use essential oils to soothe inflamed skin the next time you meet a hungry mosquito.

The best essential oils for itchy bug bites

The following six essential oils get the expert seal of approval when it comes to bug bite relief. Though there hasn't been much peer-reviewed research on their efficacy for bug bites, in particular, they all have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that make them soothing to the skin.

When properly diluted (more on that later), these oils can be applied to bites multiple times a day. "Apply one drop to bug bites as needed, avoiding the eye area, and washing your hands after application," natural skin care expert and founder of Osmia Skincare Sarah Villafranco, M.D., tells mbg. "You'll want to apply them right away for best results."

1.

Lavender

Just like lavender oil can help calm the minds before bedtime, it can be relaxing and rejuvenating for the skin too. Villafranco points to research on its ability to minimize swelling1 and optimize healing2, while integrative medicine doctor Taz Bhatia, M.D., has likened its active compound, linalool, to a natural disinfectant.

2.

Tea tree

"Tea tree essential oil is a great choice to support anti-itching and anti-swelling," says Valencia McClure, certified aromatherapist and founder of The Artistry of Essential Oils. Extracted from the Melaleuca alternifolia trees of Australia, this germ-fighting oil can also be helpful during cold and flu season.

3.

Peppermint

The cooling rush of peppermint is a quick salve for hot, itchy bites, and its invigorating scent can also help boost alertness3 and act as a quick pick-me-up.

4.

Chamomile

In her 40 years as a board-certified dermatologist, Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, has seen many patients successfully soothe bites with chamomile. Good for more than a calming cup of tea, the chamomile plant4 has soothing and anti-inflammatory effects on skin.

5.

Eucalyptus

Like peppermint, eucalyptus is cooling, and its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties make it a popular choice for topical application.

6.

Basil

A less obvious pick for bites, basil also has antimicrobial anti-inflammatory properties. "Basil is known in the natural medicine world to be a natural insecticide, so it helps to prevent bug bites and to treat the skin in the event you have been bitten," McClure tells mbg.

Oils to avoid

In contrast to the cooling, calming oils that made the list, warming oils could do more harm than good when applied to bites. Villafranco recommends steering clear of heat-inducing ones like cinnamon, black pepper, oregano, or ginger, as they could increase itching and swelling.

How and why to dilute oils

Many oils will cause irritation when applied directly to skin, so you'll want to dilute them in a carrier oil such as argan, jojoba, or rosehip seed first. These carrier oils are nourishing to the skin but don't contain the same potent properties that essential oils do, making them safe to apply in high amounts.

For tiny clusters of bug bites, Villafranco likes to use a 10% concentration blend, meaning 1 part essential oils to 9 parts carrier oil. Note that this concentration is too high to use on larger patches of skin; if you're looking to incorporate essential oils into your everyday skin care routine, Ciraldo says to keep it below 5%.

A DIY recipe for itchy bug bites

Here, McClure shares her favorite recipe for a bug bite skin soother. It combines some of the oils mentioned into a floral and fresh blend that can be stowed away in a hiking pack or perched on a backyard table. Remember to be diligent about dilution and wash your hands after application to avoid accidentally getting any oils in your eyes or mouth.

Ingredients:

Makes a 2-oz. jar's worth

  • 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
  • 3 tablespoons jojoba oil
  • 5 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 4 drops chamomile essential oil
  • 15 drops lavender essential oil

Process:

Combine ingredients in a 2-oz. glass jar (make sure it's amber-colored so that light can't penetrate) and store at room temperature.

What else you can do to soothe bites

Don't have essential oils on hand? Chamomile tea can also be applied to bug bites for some relief, and honey, aloe, and oatmeal all have anti-itch properties too. Ciraldo also says that applying an ice cube to a new bite as soon as you see it can help prevent redness and irritation down the line. One thing that won't help? A hot shower, so avoid those after a long and bug-filled day outside. If irritating lesions or rashes persist for days or start to spread, she recommends consulting your primary care physician or derm.

The bottom line

Once you've iced a new bug bite, cooling essential oils can help stop it from becoming an itchy pain. Whip them up into an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory blend, being sure to dilute them in neutral carrier oils before applying to the affected patch of skin. Then, go forth and enjoy the outdoors unencumbered by itch—but maybe use more bug spray next time?

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