6 Best Essential Oils for Allergies & Skin Irritation (Updated April 2020)

April 15, 2020

Essential oils for allergies can be a fun and all-natural solution to seasonal sniffles and occasional itches. Allergies aren’t fun, with the sneezing, reddish skin, rashes, runny nose, and more. However, with the right essential oils, you'll be able to manage your allergies more effectively than ever.

There are different and easily available medications and remedies for allergy symptoms, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, air filters, and more. Fortunately, you add essential oils to this list of remedies and use them as an all-natural solution to your problem.

Aroma Foundry offers pure and all-natural essential oils for seasonal allergies, each one guaranteed to be free of additives and extenders. Breathe free and clear with Aroma Foundry today.

We did a side-by-side comparison with two of the world's biggest essential oil brands.

The Best Essential Oils for Allergies

Allergies can prevent you from having a normal day.

Essential oils work in different ways, and each offers a different set of advantages. The essential oils covered here have at least one thing in common, however: each of then can help alleviate or manage various allergy symptoms.

Here are six essential oils that can help relieve your allergies the all-natural way.

1. Lemon Essential Oil

In olden times, when lemons were still rare, royalty use them as gifts for other royal families. Photo credit: Organic Facts

Lemon essential oil is one of the most popular oils in the industry because of its antioxidant capabilities. Little did most people know, aside from taking care of your immune system and skin, it can also be used as an antihistamine or anti-allergy remedy.

Diffused citrus essential oils like lemon can help clear your clogged nose and sinuses, while they also get rid of the allergy triggers in the air. Its effect on your body? It can help overcome respiratory conditions. Suffice to say; it enables you to breathe better, and, at the same time, clean the air of the environment you’re in.

Aside from diffusing lemon essential oil, you can also use it for cleaning and disinfecting your home. Just add about 30 drops of lemon essential oil into your liquid-soap cleaner and it will kill bacteria and reduce possible allergens on the surfaces of your home.

Some of the other benefits that you can get from lemon oil also include relieving cough and nausea.

If you’re already having a bad day from all the sneezing and coughing, you can also use this oil for aromatherapy to lighten up your mood. Lemon essential oil can improve the dopamine levels that your brain releases to your body, which will consequently lift up your mood.

Just make sure you’re using 100% natural lemon oil and not the alcohol-based type, so always check the bottle before purchasing. It’s a common mistake for first-timers who have a vague understanding of essential oils.

Which other essential oils blend well with lemon essential oil?

2. Peppermint Essential Oil

As one of the most popular and commonly used essential oil for allergies, peppermint can effectively provide quick relief.

Diffusing all-natural peppermint oil can relieve colds and cough. On top of that, its anti-inflammatory capabilities can help you overcome sinusitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. A study conducted in 2010 found that peppermint essential oil can relax muscles, which can consequently relieve involuntary spasms and contractions that make you cough.

Furthermore, peppermint essential oil can promote the secretion of sputum (a mixture of saliva and phlegm) in your air passages. This secretion helps clear phlegm and trapped pollen, which immediately relieves clogged nose. You can finally breathe again!

Do you have a headache because of your allergies? You can also use this essential oil to relieve headaches. Peppermint essential oil has analgesic, or pain relief, capabilities that can decrease your sensitivity to headaches.

If you want to boost the allergy relief by exercising, you can still count on peppermint oil to help you with that. A few whiffs of this oil will improve your energy and keep you alert, so you can use it during your workout for that little boost you need. Better than caffeine and energy drinks, huh?

Moreover, peppermint oil can also help your digestive system. Researchers have found out that peppermint essential oil can ease irritable bowel syndrome. It also helps lessen stomach gas, bloating, rumbling, and even abdominal pain.

Learn more about peppermint essential oil.

3. Eucalyptus Essential Oil

The eucalyptus tree is also known as "gum tree" because of its sticky sap

Just like peppermint essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil has anti-inflammatory capabilities and can help unclog your air passages. The first thing you’ll notice is its cooling sensation that runs from your nostrils to your neck and chest. The strong aroma can open up your air passages and sinuses, which explains the instant relief that you feel.

Aside from clearing your air passages, it can also help battle respiratory issues caused by your allergies, like asthma. Although, make sure you don’t sniff the entire bottle. Eucalyptus oil has one of the most robust aromas of all the other essential oils, which is why we recommend that you put a few drops in a ball of cotton. Nevertheless, you can always add more if you can handle it.

This essential oil also has analgesic capabilities which can help relieve pain. It also works to help clean your body from toxins, allergens, and other microorganisms that cause allergies. Additionally, studies show that it can effectively treat respiratory infections, sore throat, and cough.

As a bonus attribute, eucalyptus has anti-microbial abilities that some soap companies use to add a disinfectant property to their products. You can also use it to clean the kitchen as a degreaser. Yes, it can clean grease just as much as it can clear your body of mucus! Just add a few drops to your cleaning soap and water, and you can now get rid of mold even in the toughest corners.

Furthermore, it will remove any odor left by the grease and dirt as it sanitizes surfaces. You can also mix it with lavender for an added fragrance.

Which other essential oils blend well with eucalyptus essential oil?

4. Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil was first used in Australia. However, because of the active components found in tea tree oil, it is now available worldwide. Its popularity can be owed to the wondrous results that this essential oil has given to its users.

It is popularly used as a medicinal alternative commonly used as a cure for various infections, especially those of the fungal variety. This oil works as a powerful disinfectant that can also be applied topically since its chemicals – such as terpene hydrocarbons, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes – can kill numerous types bacteria and fungus. This is a great way to help alleviate allergies and irritations.

Some of your favorite household items, like shampoo, laundry detergent, massage oil, etc. contain tea tree oil. Disinfect your house by combining a teaspoon of tea tree oil with a cup of water in a spray bottle. This has become a prevalent practice to prevent the occurrence of mold and mildew.

Tea tree essential oil can also be found in numerous cosmetics products. Since it is free from harmful chemicals, it is considered to be one of the safer essential oils for your skin. However, it is crucial to avoid direct skin contact with tea tree oil. Remember to dilute tea tree oil to carrier oils, especially for people with sensitive skin to prevent skin irritations.

If you have scalp problems, tea tree oil can help save the day. According to Allmer, “The best use of tea tree oil is really about the scalp.” Dandruff can have several causes, one of which is the yeast-like fungus found on the scalp. Without drying your scalp, the oil gets rid of annoying dandruff since it contains antifungal and antibacterial properties.

Learn more about tea tree essential oil.

5. Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender can be used to make tea to help for better sleep

The mint family’s small aromatic evergreen shrub from the Western Mediterranean region. The lavender is the most cultivated plant species famous for culinary, garden, and landscape use.

Mainly, this plant is commercially grown to produce lavender essential oil. Because of its powerful yet calming scent, it has been used for both cosmetic and therapeutic purposes. The word “lavender” was derived from the Latin word “Lavere,” which means “to wash,” due to its relaxing, pleasant aroma.

The use of lavender essential oil comes with several benefits. This includes its ability to eliminate nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp, enhance blood circulation, and treat respiratory problems.

With a chemically complex structure, this oil is rich in esters. Esters are aromatic molecules with antispasmodic properties which suppresses spasms and pain. Only fresh lavender flowers, and not any other part of the plant, are used to produce the highest quality of lavender essential oil.

When used medically, the essential oil has been found to have properties that eliminate harmful bacteria. It can disinfect and soothe inflamed skin as well. Lavender oil can help in speeding up the healing process of irritated and scarred skin when used for a massage, and it can also relieve muscle tension.

Lavender essential oil can give you mental stability since it can help relieve stress and anxiety. One study showed a significant decrease in mental stress and anxiety when lavender essential oil was used. Furthermore, it can be helpful in treating migraines.

Lavender essential oil can help the body speed up the process of naturally eliminating phlegm caused by various respiratory problems. These problems include throat infections, asthma, tonsillitis, flu, cough, and more. This is possible because of the antibacterial qualities that the oil possesses, which can help fight respiratory tract infections.

Learn more about lavender essential oil.

6. Basil Essential Oil

Also known as Saint Joseph’s Wort, basil is an aromatic herb of the mint family, native to tropical Asia. There are 35 different types of basil, but all of its types are considered to be one of the healthiest herbs.

Basil contains disease-fighting antioxidants that give the essential oil its ability to help fight free radical damage while protecting DNA structure and cells.

It can also help in promoting cardiovascular strength which includes muscles that are in charge of controlling blood vessel function to contract and relax. It can promote strength because basil essential oil is both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Basil essential oil has antibacterial properties and may have an antibacterial effect since it contains estragole, linalool, cineole, eugenol, sabinene, myrcene, and limonene. It also restricts the growth of bacteria, which includes listeria, monocytogenes, staphylococcus aureus, and more.

Because of the many uses of the wonderful basil, it is considered to be one of the favorites among herbs. It also contains oils that protect the body from illnesses and infections.

In present time, basil is one of the most important herbs in cultures and cuisines. It can be used in many ways like an ingredient mixed with sauteed vegetables, an herb used to marinate meat and fish, used for herbal teas, and sometimes to flavor liquor to mix drinks.

Precautions

Just like your typical drug or medicine, using essential oils also has its share of precautions that you must follow. Think of it as like that universal rule that you shouldn’t take your meds on an empty stomach.

Anyway, you should know that we don’t recommend putting any essential oil directly to your skin because it may cause another allergic reaction. Essential oils are extremely concentrated, so most of the time, a few drops will do.

In spite of that, if you want to use any of the essential oils in this article as an oil rub, you can. You’ll only have to dilute it with a carrier oil like coconut, jojoba, almond, or olive oil. Diluting the oil will help decrease its concentration. Plus, the carrier oils have a different array of benefits for you.

We also don’t recommend ingesting the oils for treating allergies. It’s best to use them through either aromatherapy or topical methods. You will have to consult your doctor first before you attempt to take essential oils internally for your safety. Usually, people only consume one or two drops for a month with two-week breaks before they start again.

You also have to make sure that you’re using 100% natural oils like what we have here at Aroma Foundry. It’s important because there are some oils with added alcohol content and other synthetic ingredients that may be harmful to your health. It’s imperative to know if you have purely natural essential oils especially if you’re chemical sensitive and allergic to them.

Another thing is never to use essential oils if you have wounds or broken skin. The essential oils may have antibacterial and healing properties, but they are not meant for treating injuries.

Furthermore, you shouldn’t use any essential oil if you’re pregnant. As we mentioned, essential oils have a high concentration of natural chemical compounds and can penetrate your skin with ease. It will enter your bloodstream, and thus reach your baby. At the same time, we don’t recommend that you use them on your children below the age of 7, as it may have different effects on them.

To be safe, if you’re second guessing whether or not you should use a particular essential oil, consult your doctor first.