This DIY bug bite stick and boo boo stick is perfect for warm summer months. It soothes and protects skin and is great for little ones and grownups alike.
My kids are mosquito magnets. It seems like the get a new bug bite every day! At night they are constantly itching, so figuring something out is a must.
I love to make my own bug repellents and they generally work very well. However, lately, we’ve had an incredible amount of mosquitoes flying around. My littlest one has pretty big reactions to mosquito bites and generally ends up very red and itchy for days!
Essential Oils for The Bug Bite Stick
Since he’s been struggling, I wanted to make a cream that would help soothe his bug bites and keep him from constantly scratching. One of my favorite resources is Jennifer Peace Rhind’s Aromatherapeutic Blending: Essential Oils in Synergy. I was able to get a little more information on essential oils that might help with inflammation and histamine production. From that text, I chose three essential oils that I knew would work well in this boo boo stick: lavender, German chamomile, and tea tree.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil was my first choice because it is very soothing to irritated skin. It is also gentle and very versatile. Rhind (2016) also lists that lavender is, “anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, wound-healing” based on current studies. This makes it my number one choice for itchy bug bites!
German Chamomile Essential Oil
German chamomile essential oil is another great choice for skincare. Both anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory, this oil may be expensive but is definitely worth it. I love to add German chamomile in creams for babies, sensitive skin, and other skin issues.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Lastly, I chose tea tree essential oil for this bug bite and boo-boo stick to provide relief and support healing. Tea tree essential oil is anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, as well as antimicrobial. It has been proven effective against numerous bacteria and viruses including MRSA, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis among others.[1]
Carrier Oils for The Boo Boo Stick
I combined these essential oils with some nourishing carrier oils of sweet almond and hazelnut. They help to dilute the essential oils and soothe the skin. Additionally, I chose beeswax as the base for this formula because it provides a nice barrier and is antimicrobial.
Dilution Rate
Just a little note, this blend is at a 5% dilution rate. That means that 5% of the overall product is essential oils. I generally keep most blends at 2%, but because this bug bite and boo boo stick is for more acute issues, I chose a higher dilution for more relief. This stick is intended for use on one area, a few times a day for a short period of time. As with all new products, if you find this irritates your skin, discontinue use.
Bug Bite and Boo Boo Stick Recipe
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Active Time
- 15 minutes
- Cooling Time
- 30 minutes
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Servings
- 2 2 ounce sticks
- Estimated Cost
- $4
Ingredients
- 2 ounces sweet almond oil
- 1 ounce hazelnut oil
- 1.5 ounce beeswax
- 50 drops lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 30 drops tea tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
- 25 drops German chamomile essential oil (Matricaria recutita)
Instructions
-
Begin making your boo boo stick by melting beeswax over a double boiler (I used a glass pyrex measuring cup in a saucepan of boiling water)
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Add in sweet almond oil and hazelnut oil and return to liquid
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Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
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While still liquid, measure in essential oils and stir well
-
Pour carefully into 2 ounce paperboard containers, or a 4 ounce jar
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Allow mixture to cool at room temperature, then cap and store in a cool, dry, and dark location.
Notes
To Use
Rub a small amount on bug bites or scrapes several times daily for relief. You can also use this boo boo stick on irritated/itchy or even dry skin for relief. If any irritation occurs, stop using.
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I love to make smaller tins of this to take with us camping or to put in my purse for on the go. It is very handy to have around!
Don’t buy a boo boo stick when making one is so simple and effective!
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Sources
- Edwards-Jones V. The effect of essential oils on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using a dressing model. PubMed. Dec 2004.
Marina Mazziotto says
Hello, I was wondering if the recipe’s ingredients were being measured in weight or volume?
Katie Vance says
Hi Marina, good question! I used a digital kitchen scale to measure the ingredients, so they are measured by weight.
Marina Mazziotto says
Hi, I was wondering if this recipe’s ingredients were measured in weight or volume?
Georgiana Weber says
Hi, Gigi Weber here. I am allergic to tree nuts. Any alternatives to the Sweet almond and hazelnut oils? Thank you.
Katie Vance says
Hi Gigi, I would suggest jojoba oil to replace those oils. Avocado would also be a good substitute.
Rebecca Barnes says
Hi, my name is Beckye and I have a problem. My patio has flies (house flies, large flies, green bottle flies, etc.). They’re not to the point where they’re epidemic but they are just annoying. I’m planning a backyard event in a few days and I’d like a natural product to kill/repel them . I’ve used a backyard fogger like Cutter in the past and it worked well but I’d prefer to use something natural, if possible.
Thanks
Katie Vance says
Hi there! We have lots of DIY bug repellents on this site that really work well on a personal level. For an area so large, it would be hard to get rid of that many insects, naturally. You could try having a fire, the smoke usually helps keep them away.