Essential oil of peppermint is the fastest (and most aromatic) way to stop the itching of a bug bite. Just put a drop on any mosquito, chigger, or flea bite and within a few seconds, the itching will stop. I’ve even put it on nasty fire ant bites (the kind that hurt) with great results.
Another wonderful use for peppermint oil: put one drop in your mouth and be instantly refreshed. It’s better than any breath mint or mouthwash you can imagine. With peppermint, less really is better, so only use one drop in your mouth or you will be sorry! In other words, a little goes a long way. I like to apply it on to a Q-tip and then swab the inside of my mouth.
A few words of caution: Never get peppermint oil in or around your eyes. It will burn like nothing you’ve known before! That goes for all essential oils but especially peppermint. This is one reason I like to use a Q-tip when applying this particular oil. Then I won’t accidentally get the peppermint on my fingers and inadvertently rub my eyes at some point afterwards.
If you don’t want to mess with the drama of peppermint, essential oil of lavender is another pain reliever that can also help take out the sting, itch, and inflammation of bug bites. Lavender, like peppermint, is easy to find at your local health food store. I recommend staying away from lavender blends—you want straight (sometimes but not always French) lavender. Where the lavender was harvested isn’t as important as getting the pure, unadulterated essential oil. Again, look for it in your health food store.
I saw a friend at the dog park recently who had just gotten stung by a wasp. I asked if she had any essential oils at home. “No.” I first recommended purchasing peppermint oil, the best one for the job. But truly lavender is infinitely easier (because it isn’t as aromatically powerful as peppermint) and yet does an excellent job of helping take the sting and inflammation out of bites—mosquito, chigger, flee, and bee alike. Here is her email to me:
THANK YOU for letting me know about the lavender essential oil for the wasp sting. It got worse instead of better, but I found some of the oil in my house this morning. The redness immediately lessened as did the itching. It’s still hard to bend my finger, but wow—what a difference that lavender made!!! You are a life saver! [It’s the lavender, not me, but you’re welcome!]
For more information about why you want to have a bottle of lavender essential oil in your home, read:
A few words of caution: Never get peppermint oil in or around your eyes. It will burn like nothing you’ve known before! That goes for all essential oils but especially peppermint. This is one reason I like to use a Q-tip when applying this particular oil. Then I won’t accidentally get the peppermint on my fingers and inadvertently rub my eyes at some point afterwards.
I saw a friend at the dog park recently who had just gotten stung by a wasp. I asked if she had any essential oils at home. “No.” I first recommended purchasing peppermint oil, the best one for the job. But truly lavender is infinitely easier (because it isn’t as aromatically powerful as peppermint) and yet does an excellent job of helping take the sting and inflammation out of bites—mosquito, chigger, flee, and bee alike. Here is her email to me:
THANK YOU for letting me know about the lavender essential oil for the wasp sting. It got worse instead of better, but I found some of the oil in my house this morning. The redness immediately lessened as did the itching. It’s still hard to bend my finger, but wow—what a difference that lavender made!!! You are a life saver! [It’s the lavender, not me, but you’re welcome!]
For more information about why you want to have a bottle of lavender essential oil in your home, read:
- Lavender: A Medicine Cabinet Must!—updated
- The healing power of essential oils—lavender to the rescue!
- Canker Sores—ouch!...another great use for peppermint
