Essential Oils for Allergy Relief: Including Hay Fever & Skin Allergies

Powerful Essential Oils for Seasonal, Skin and Minor Food Allergy ReliefIf you’ve ever been told you sound like a sick cat ready to scratch a dog’s eyes out, you might have allergies.

If you’ve ever been told you look like crap, you might have allergies. The good news?

You’re not a feline and it’s not your fault you look less than your best. Voice box and cosmetic surgery won’t help you with your allergy ailments, but essential oils can!

So, what essential oils are good for allergies? We’ll tell you so that you can quit your sneezing, coughing, and scratchy-like rasping for good!

But, there’s also a time and place for essential oils and a time and place for when you need to seek out medical care. Don’t play your allergies down, and make sure you know everything these is to know before donning on your allergen-killing superhero cape!

2 Top Essential Oils for Seasonal Allergies (Hay Fever)

Peppermint Essential Oil

peppermintAs an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, relaxant, and antisposmadic, Peppermint is one of the best essential oils for seasonal allergies such as hay fever. It’s really a jack-of-all trades, but it also provides relief for those with other allergy-triggering sicknesses such as coughs and colds, asthma, sinusitis, and bronchitis. With Peppermint on your side, it’s time to get better!

How to Use:

Using essential oils for relief from allergies is ingenious because there are almost no limitations on use. So, here are application methods for all acceptable ways to use it.

  • Internally – Reduce inflammation with 1-2 drops neat, in a cup of tea, or smoothie.
  • Topically – Dilute with carrier oil and massage lightly behind ears, temples, and back and base of neck.
  • Aromatically – Add 5 drops to a diffuser to unblock sinuses, clear airways, and calm a scratchy and irritated throat.

Basil Essential Oil

basilWhile we all know the allergic reactions to our seasonal allergies is just our body’s way of saying that it’s protecting us, we don’t need everyone to see the ooey, gooey evidence that comes out of our noses, mouths, and eyes. Basil will prevent your body from going into overdrive by telling the adrenal system to calm down while killing off the viruses and bacteria that threaten to compromise your respiratory system. Basil is an allergen captain you want in the front line of defense!

What You’ll Need:

  • 2-3 drops of Basil
  • 1 oz carrier oil

How to Use:

Apply and massage lightly to temples, back and base of neck, and chest for respiratory support.

You can also add one drop of Basil to your beverage or food for anti-inflammatory benefits and to help regulate immune system overreactions.

2 Oil Blends for Hay Fever & Seasonal Allergies

doTERRA TriEase Soft Gels Seasonal Blend

doterra trieasedoTERRA combined single essential oil forces for a powerful allergen-fighting troop. Whether it’s seasonal allergies you’re up against, a therapeutic day in the garden, or a wind-blasting hour or two in the woods, you’ll be armed and equipped to squash allergens in their wake.

How to Use:

Take 1-2 soft gels per day as needed.

If you need immediate relief and you don’t have the TriEase just yet, make your own solution by using 2 drops each of Peppermint, Lemon, and Lavender in a 4 ounce glass of water. Drink 15 minutes before heading out the door and again when you return to prevent allergic reactions.

R.C. Essential Oil Blend

R.C blendYoung Living’s allergy fighting blend consists of Spruce, Cyprus, three types of Eucalyptus oils to clear out the nasal passage and keep your lungs young and fit!

How to Use:

Since it’s best to get maximum inhalation when added to steaming water, treat yourself to a hot morning shower and let the RC blend work its magic.

Upon returning home at the end of the day, dilute and lightly massage over the sinus area, neck, chest, and back or use as a hot compress.

Essential Oil for Minor Food Allergies

Disclaimer: Food allergies are serious business. The type of allergies we are talking about here are the minor discomforts that come from eating foods that don’t quite agree with you (eg. bloating). If you have a serious reaction to any food, do not delay seeking medical attention. You will find more information about symptoms that warrant immediate medical care in the “When to See a Doctor” section further down this page.

Lemon Essential Oil

lemonOops, did you eat something you weren’t supposed to? This all-purpose oil is one of the best for allergies, even for minor food allergies! It boosts the immune system, increases white cell production, regulates lymphatic drainage, and kills of bacteria both in the air and in the body!

How to Use:

Add a few drops to your glass of water and drink for immune boosting, urine-promoting, and toxin eliminating benefits. It will also help to purge, detoxify, and relieve the symptoms of a food intolerance.

You can also add 5 drops to your diffuser to kill off airborne allergens. If you want to get all DIY trigger-happy, add a few drops to a spritz bottle of water and witch hazel solution and spray your furniture and bedding.

Oil Blend for Minor Food Allergies

Allergy-Relieving Blend

Food allergies are a dangerous game to play, so it’s a no-gamer here. But, when you’re dealing with a minor outbreak, there are oils that can help to relieve the symptoms after you’ve sought out immediate medical care or are waiting to be seen.

What You’ll Need:

  • 5 drops of Lavender
  • 5 drops of Lavender (in a capsule)
  • 5 drops of Peppermint
  • 5 drops of Melaleuca (Tea Tree)

How to Use:

Take the Lavender capsule with water. Apply the Lavender, Peppermint, and Melaleuca in layers on affected areas or on the palms of hands, soles of feet, stomach, neck, and chest. Reapply every 5 minutes if symptoms don’t recede.

Essential Oil for Skin Allergies

Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Essential Oil

tea treeMelaleuca is a go-to oil when treating cuts, insect bites, and skin infections. But, Tea Tree is also known to relieve the symptoms of skin rashes and hives. Without turning to medicated creams, use Nature’s cost-effective remedy!

What You’ll Need:

  • 2-3 drops of Melaleuca
  • Cotton ball
  • Carrier oil (optional)

How to Use:

Add the drops to the cotton ball and apply to the rash or hives. If you have sensitive skin, opt to use the carrier oil with the oils and rub in. If you also suffer from acne, you might want to use other acne fighting essential oils in the mix.

You can also apply directly to the liver area and lightly massage in to promote liver support to flush out toxins.

Oil Blend for Skin Allergies

Chamomile Oatmeal Scrub Essential Oil Blend

roman chamomileSometimes a good scrub is an effective way to calm the symptoms of your allergic reaction. From an itchy rash to a full broken-out, hive-ridden body, this Chamomile Oatmeal Scrub might just save your skin – literally! There’s a reason why Chamomile baths were so popular for treating poison ivy exposure.

What You’ll Need:

  • 6 drops of Roman Chamomile
  • 4 drops of German Chamomile
  • 10 drops of Lavender
  • 5 drops of Orange
  • 10 drops of Frankincense
  • 1/2 cup of Oatmeal
  • 1/4 cup of Jojoba
  • 1/4 cup of Sesame

How to Use:

In a food processor, lightly pulse the oatmeal to resemble steel cut oats. If you’re using steel cut oats – it’s prefect! Mix all the ingredients together. Apply one tablespoon at a time to the damp, infected area and lightly massage. Rinse away the solids for the oil residue to remain and rub in until dry.

Potential Side Effects of Essential Oil Use for Allergies

Using the best essential oils for allergies is an effective and safe alternative to popping an antihistamine everyday. Essential oils support three of the most important functions in the human body when it comes to allergies – the immune system, adrenal system, and the gut. Along with that support, the respiratory system, liver, and the nervous system are protected from overreactions and damage without consequence. Essential oils are safe to use as long as you use them appropriately. Just remember to:

  • Use only as directed
  • Don’t use internally unless indications deem safe to consume.
  • Look for specific oils you may be sensitive or allergic to.
  • Test patch for skin sensitivity first.
  • Always dilute oils to reduce skin sensitivity.
  • Food allergies must be treated with medical care.

woman in field sneezing

When to See a Doctor

Allergies can be very scary things, especially when dealing with food allergies, uncontrollable physical reactions, and on-going and unrelenting symptoms. You should see a doctor immediately if you experience any, a combination of, or all of the following:

  • Wheezing or shortness of breath
  • Difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • Swollen tongue, face, ears, and throat
  • Light headedness, mental confusion, dizziness
  • Rapid pulse, irregular heartbeat, chest discomfort
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain

Anaphylaxis can happen immediately or evolve slowly after exposure to the allergen, and it can also vary depending on the person and the severity of the allergic response. If you suffer from a severe allergy, you should take epinephrine before the onset of serious symptoms can occur and not as a last resort.

While essential oils can help and countless users have sworn by their life-saving and life-changing benefits, you should always consult with your allergist or physician of any changes to your lifestyle that you wish to undertake with essential oils.

Essential Oils for Other Allergy Symptoms

It’s not just the runny rose or the itchy throat that may have you deemed a rhinitis sufferer, there are other symptoms of allergies that you may not be aware of. Did you know that the following symptoms are also attributed to allergies?

geraniumWhile some of these symptoms may just sound like the annoying plagues of aging, these are also symptoms of allergies. It may not only occur during the Spring either. Allergies can flare up during the Summer and Fall as well. Some essential oils to help with that are:

Chamomile, Melissa, Lavender, Bergamot, Peppermint, Helichrysum, Lemon, Basil, and Eucalyptus.

You can also seek out the specific benefits of other oils that help with these odd allergy symptoms such as Rosemary and Geranium for low blood pressure, Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang for mood swings, and Sandalwood and Cedarwood for enhanced concentration. You never know, they might just help ease your “allergies” too.

Tips to Using Essential Oils for Allergies

  • Add 2-3 drops to a cotton ball and place in the vents of your car.
  • Spritz an essential oil solution on furniture and bedding.
  • Use as a house disinfectant cleaner.
  • Use aromatherapy for continuous antibacterial and antiviral airborne-killing benefits.
  • Add baking soda and essential oils to a bath for a 30 min skin-relieving soak.
  • Use essential oil hot compresses and/or steam inhalation methods.
  • Make your own vapor rubs with coconut oil, olive oil, and beeswax as a base with your favorite allergy blend of essentials.

Take Control!

People with allergies get told all the time to avoid triggers. That’s almost impossible since you can’t control the seasons, what’s in your fast food, or the sneeze-triggering cologne that the guy at work insists on bathing in – it’s a losing battle.

Instead, use essential oils to boost your immune system, support your respiratory system, chemically overcome hypersensitivity, and support your overall well-being and health. Now, that’s something you can control!