Summer is here! We are going to find the way to squeeze in some fun time in our ever-busy work schedule! Summer calls us to enjoy the outdoors: with sports, playing or just hanging out with family and friends around a fire or for some BBQ! And hopefully, a little bit of travel relaxation too.

All this fun comes with a price too. Heat, sunburns, bugs bites, poison ivy…

I love essential oils and I have a few staples I cannot do without, above all for the summer!

Let’s start from the sun.

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!!! Did I mention it enough times? Sunscreen! Above all up here, at high altitudes.

But, if despite your attention on protecting your skin with a good full spectrum sunscreen, clothes and a hat, you got sunburned…well, Aloe Vera does the trick. I like to mix a few drops of essential oil in cool, refrigerated aloe vera gel. Apply the gel to the sunburned area several times per day. The oils that work best for soothing, pain relief, reduce swelling and prevent scarring are: lavender, calendula, roman chamomile and helichrysum.

Bugs

Bug bites and summer are a preventable combination. While most bites are an itchy nuisance, some like bee or wasp stings are painful. And if you add rare but potential issues like West Nile Virus from mosquito bites or Lyme Disease from ticks, the first line of action against bug bites is to avoid them altogether by using a good bug repellent.

Many essential oils also act as natural insect repellents. These oils include Citronella, Catnip, Lavender, Thyme and Clove, Lemongrass and Eucalyptus. I like to carry a small glass pray bottle, fill it with a carrier oil like olive oil and add a few drops of one or more of the mentioned essential oils.

For bug bites including bee and wasp stings, apply your choice of these oils diluted in a carrier oil to soothe itching, reduce pain and swelling and speed up the healing process: lavender, frankincense, tea tree, calendula, roman chamomile.

Poison Ivy, oak or sumac.

Lavender, tea tree and roman chamomile are good to soothe the hot and itchy rash that comes from contact with poison ivy, oak or sumac. I like to dip a small washcloth in water with a few drops of essential oil, then put it in the refrigerator to cool. Apply to interested area for instant relief!

Traveling on airplanes or overcrowded public spaces.

I love to travel. I love the feeling of excitement every time I am boarding a plane or taking off for a long road trip! Unfortunately, sometimes the trip is not as comfortable and exciting as I wished…you know, those times that the guy sitting near you can’t stop coughing or sneezing…Such a bad way to begin a vacation! One blend of germ-fighting essential oils I really like to have with me when traveling, or during the flu season, is Thieves by Young Living. It has wonderful antibacterial properties.

Beware, certain essential oils require caution on summer day. Citrus-based essential oils absorb higher amounts of the sun’s energy, creating sun sensitivities. Avoid applying these oils when planning to spend time outside.

All being said...enjoy the Summer!!!