Make Your Own Essential Oils First Aid Kit
Essential oils are natural antiseptics, healing and soothing agents and are perfect for creating your own first aid kit. Our top choices include lavender, tea tree, helichrysum, peppermint, eucalyptus, geranium and thyme essential oils. Some other supplies you might want to include are: aloe gel, arnica oil, jojoba oil, lotion base, and commercially made calamine lotion. You can add some bandages, clean wash cloths, some clean bandanas, cotton balls and swabs as needed. This kit can fit in a small plastic container (like Tupperware or Rubbermaid) or an insulated lunch bag. If you travel a lot, make sure it is portable. Note that it should not be stored in a car for long periods, especially in warm weather.
There are a number of ways you can use these ingredients by themselves or together. Here are a few simple ideas:
Essential Oils for Basic First Aid
For minor cuts and scrapes tea tree oil is an excellent choice. Mix with aloe, lotion or jojoba to make a quick salve. Make sure the wound is clean before applying. Lavender is also good for a minor cut or scrape, but make sure not to use lavender on a puncture wound, since lavender will quickly heal the surface before healing the inside of the wound completely. Germ Buster blend is also good for minor cuts and scrapes when well-diluted with a carrier.
Use one or two drops of helichrysum mixed with arnica or jojoba oil to soothe minor bruises and bumps.
Include tea tree, lavender and peppermint for insect bites and stings. These oils are all helpful in soothing itchy rashes. The same oils can be used for helping to calm poison ivy and oak rashes. A couple of drops of peppermint oil, especially, in regular calamine lotion is a very simple, soothing remedy for the effects of poison ivy.
Keeping Bugs Away
Eucalyptus, geranium, and lavender essential oils are all good oils for helping to keep bugs away. You can mix a few drops per tablespoon in lotion base or oil for a natural bug repellent. If you don’t have time to make your own repellent, try ours -- Skatter and Skatter for Kids.
Sunburn
Mix 3 drops of lavender oil per tablespoon of aloe vera gel for a wonderful treatment for sunburn. This takes the sting out right away. It smells wonderful and is a great insect repellent to boot!
Motion Sickness and Headaches
Place a few drops of thyme, lavender or peppermint essential oil on a bandana and inhale the scent if you suffer from motion sickness. Car diffusers or portable inhalers are good for this purpose, as well. Lavender and peppermint blended together or by themselves, used in the same manner, will help with headaches after too much sun.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only, and not intended to treat, prescribe, cure, or diagnose any disease or condition. This information is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care provider. Dreaming Earth Botanicals is not responsible for any adverse effects resulting from the use of any of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed. All matters pertaining to your physical health should be supervised by a health care professional. Keep all aromatherapy products out of reach of children.