10 Best Essential Oils for Itching / Pruritis (Plus 5 Recipes & Recommendations)

Drug reactions, poison ivy, poison oak, grass, medications, kidney/liver disorders, insect bites, hives, skin disorders, skin infections, fungal infections, irritating fabrics, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, lupus rash, hemorrhoids, viral rashes… The list goes on. There are a lot of reasons why we may suffer itchy skin.

While this post won’t (and can’t really) cover every cause of itching, at least we can address some of the main culprits. And most importantly – provide you with some oils and recipes that will give you some relief right now.

10 Essential oils for Itching / Pruritis

Below you’ll find some of the top-rated essential oils for itchiness / Pruritis. Stick around for some recipes that put these oils to use!

Myrrh

Containing powerful healing properties, myrrh oil soothes itchy, chapped and cracked skin. It also eases eczema, and psoriasis symptoms alleviate rashes and reduce stress marks. Myrrh is also useful for fungal infections like ringworm, athlete’s foot, and thrush.

Lavender

Lavender provides excellent anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities for the treatment of itchy skin. It reduces swelling, redness and hydrates skin – reducing dry skin conditions, rashes, and sunburns. In addition to soothing irritation, it also speeds up the healing process.

Also, if bug bites are the cause of your itchiness then make sure to keep your lavender on hand as it’s an excellent insect repellent!

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil contains potent antiseptic qualities which protect against infection. It should be used primarily in instances of infection, whether it be viral, bacterial or other.

Peppermint

Peppermint is a versatile oil that’s known to help with itching.

Some ways to use it:

• A simple way to use peppermint oil for itching is to mix 4 drops of peppermint oil with 2 teaspoons of carrier oil and massage into the affected area.
• Add several drops of peppermint oil to a bathtub filled with lukewarm water. Soak in this water for half an hour. Pat dry and then apply a moisturizing lotion. Do this once daily.
• Add three or four drops of peppermint oil to one tablespoon of carrier oil like coconut, olive or almond oil. Apply the diluted peppermint oil to the affected skin area. Massage gently, so the oil penetrates deep into the skin. Follow this remedy once or twice daily.

Frankincense

Frankincense is a great overall skin tonic. It is useful for mature and oily skin and helps to improve skin tone, smooth and soften wrinkles and balance sebum levels. It ensures maintenance of skin elasticity and cleanses and tightens open pores.

Tea Tree

Tea tree contains a variety of anti-viral, anti-fungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits making it a potent skin healer. It’s great for itching, cold sores, athlete’s foot, warts, acne, insect bites, blisters, boils, thrush, cystitis, and burns.

Sandalwood

Sandalwood is a powerful anti-ager and skin-supportive oil. It helps skin retain moisture, calms dilated capillaries and provides relief from inflammation and tension. In addition to treating and reducing itching sandalwood also supports acne, rosacea, dry skin, insect bites and scar tissue.

Palmarosa

Palmarosa has excellent skin care properties. It is useful for treating eczema, dermatitis, scar tissue, stretch marks, and wrinkles. Palmarosa has a balancing and hydrating effects on the skin and helps to balance sebum production in both oily and dry skin. Palmarosa is especially effective for dry skin that’s causing itchiness.

Patchouli

Patchouli’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic qualities make an excellent choice for skin conditions that cause itchiness. It helps clear congested skin, prevent infection and ease inflammation around blemishes. It’s also a good oil for healing cracked skin as it stimulates the regeneration of skin cells.

Niaouli

Niaouli is yet another well known effective skin healing oil. Its skin tonic qualities make it a great oil for itchy skin and essentially any other skin and joint complaint!

5 Essential Oil Blends for Itching / Pruritis

Kill the itch spray bottle blend

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces witch hazel
• 5 drops lavender
• 2 drops of frankincense

Directions:

1. Fill a 2-ounce glass spray bottle with witch hazel
2. Add you’re essential oils to the full bottle
3. Shake it up
4. Apply wherever and whenever needed for itching

Lavender Vinegar Bath

Ingredients:

(Makes enough for about 8 baths)

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 50 drops lavender EO

Directions:

1. Combine vinegar and lavender in an 8 oz glass bottle
2. Shake to combine
3. Shake well before each use

Treatment:

1. Fill a tub with warm water
2. Once filled add 6 tsp of your lavender vinegar to the tub
3. Agitate water to disperse the oil
4. Soak for 30 minutes or longer if desired
5. Massage any floating droplets of oil into your skin

Heat Rash (Prickly Heat)

Heat rash anti-itch spray

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp witch hazel hydrosol or filtered water
• 1 tsp vodka
• 40 drops lavender EO
• 35 drops eucalyptus EO

Directions:

1. In a 4 oz glass spray bottle combine your ingredients
2. Fill rest of bottle with water and shake to combine
3. Shake again before each use
4. Spray affected areas and air dry
5. Simple Bath Treatment for Heat Rash

Application:

1. Fill your tub with warm water
2. While the tub is filling combine 8 drops of lavender essential oil and 1 cup baking soda in a non-reactive bowl.
3. Add mixture to the tub and agitate to disperse the oil
4. Soak for 30 minutes or more
5. Keep the rash underwater if possible and massage any floating oil droplets into your rash
6. After bathing pat the skin dry (don’t rub)

Essential Oil / Rose Water Heat Rash Blend

Ingredients:

• 6 drops of (combined) rose (or tea tree), chamomile and lavender
• 5 tsp rose water

Directions:

1. Add ingredients to a small glass spray bottle
2. Shake well
3. Spray the mixture onto a cotton pad or cotton ball and gently dab the affected areas

Pruritis

Anti Itch Wash Blend

• 1 cup witch hazel hydrosol or filtered water
• 1 tsp liquid castile soap or unpasteurized liquid honey
• 40 drops lavender EO
• 35 drops niaouli EO

Directions:

1. In an 8 oz glass bottle combine your ingredients
2. Shake to blend
3. Before use, shake well again
4. Apply to a cotton ball and use on the affected area
5. Anti Itch Oil Blend

Anti-itch Oil Blend

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp grapeseed oil or aloe vera gel
• 3 drops lavender EO
• 2 drops chamomile or bergamot eo
• 1 drop bay laurel or niaouli eo

Directions:

1. In a 1/3 oz (10 mL) glass bottle combine your ingredients
2. Mix thoroughly
3. Stir well before using
4. After bathing, showering or washing use a cotton ball to apply the anti-itch blend to affected areas

Additional (Non-Essential Oil) Recommendations & Remedies for Itching

 

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is an incredibly moisturizing, anti-inflammatory plant. It’s also antibacterial, antifungal and contains a solid dose of vitamin E. Aloe takes the crown as one of the most effective skin soothers in the plant world. Applying the gel on your skin will instantly help reduce any and all skin irritation – including mild to severe itching.

It’s best if you have fresh aloe. If you do, just break a leaf from the plant, cut the side (lengthwise) with a sharp knife then scoop out all the gel with a spoon. Apply directly to your skin, leave it on for 15 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. If you don’t have access to an aloe plant, you can order some 100% pure aloe gel online.

Another way to apply aloe vera for itching is to make a paste with it using bentonite clay. Simply mix one tablespoon of aloe vera with two tablespoons of green clay. Apply it to any itchy area. Let it dry and rinse off with lukewarm water when finished.

AVC Infused Bentonite Clay

Since I just mentioned using clay with aloe vera, let’s go over another synergistic clay application that works great for remedying itchiness.

AVC (apple cider vinegar) is also a great source of itch relief. You can use it on its own, or you can mix it with bentonite clay and combine the itch fighting powers of both.

How to use:

Mix up some bentonite clay in a bowl with a bit of AVC until it has a creamy consistency then dab it on your itchy spots and rub it in. Let it dry, then when you’re ready to wash it off.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is one of the magic medicines that can work wonders when applied both internally and externally.

No matter what’s causing your itch, coconut oil can help you.

The best way to use coconut oil for itchiness is to rub a small amount of oil directly onto the affected area(s). I recommend fractionated coconut oil if you’re in a cold climate, or regular cold pressed coconut oil if you’re in a warmer climate.

If your whole body is itchy do a bath soak, pat yourself dry and then rub your coconut oil all over after.

Baking soda

Baking soda has long been used as a home remedy for rashes and itchy skin. It has a soothing effect due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It also neutralizes acids which also aid in itch relief.

For this method simply apply a paste of baking soda (1 part water to 3 parts baking soda) to itchy areas of your skin. Leave it on for about 10 minutes.

You can also add baking soda to a bath. Simply add one cup of baking soda to a bath of cool or warmed water. Stir it well to distribute evenly and soak for about half an hour. Pat dry instead of rubbing with a towel.

NOTE: The baking soda method should only be applied when your skin is unbroken.

Colloidal oatmeal

Oatmeal baths are another longtime home remedy for the skin.

Colloidal oatmeal is oats that are ground into an extremely fine powder. This enhances the soothing and anti-inflammatory properties of oatmeal.

Similarly to the other remedies above, you can make a paste or make an oatmeal bath.

To make a paste to apply to your skin simply add a small amount of water to one cup of colloidal oatmeal and leave it until it thickens into a paste. Apply this paste to your skin, covering it with a cloth and leaving on for a half hour.

For a bath simply add two cups of colloidal oatmeal to your bathtub which is filled with lukewarm water. Soak for 30 minutes. Do this daily, up to 3 times a day if you want.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve found this post helpful, and you get some relief from your itch!

If you have any questions, comments or recommendations of your own, please let us know in the comment section below!