Growing up, I used to play in my Grandmother’s flower garden all summer long. It was the type of place that exuded organized chaos, bursting with all manner of flora and fauna, color, and of course multitudes of honey bees whom I affectionately called “fairies”. It was the Secret Garden of my youth, filled with all its wonders and adventures, stubbed toes and bug bites and, on occasion, a bee sting.
Thankfully, despite the awful pain and incessant itching caused by bee stings, I was never deterred from playing in the garden. I learned to give the bees their space and leave them undisturbed. However, sometimes simple childhood play can anger or threaten bees, leaving us with a painful sting in return.
It’s for times like these where a bee sting remedy can really come in handy to help lessen pain, swelling, and the inevitable itching that comes along with it.
How to Make a Bee Sting Roll-On
As a child, I was taught to carefully remove the stinger and apply wet mud to a bee sting. Nowadays, I know there are other remedies that are, shall we say, a bit more clean and effective.
I like to make a small roll-on to keep in my herbal first aid kit for the rare occasion I actually do get a bee sting. But let me tell ya, it’s really nice to have it when you need it!
Here’s what you need to make my bee sting roll-on:
- One 5ml roll-on bottle
- Jojoba oil (this is the longest lasting carrier oil)
- 2 drops lavender essential oil – soothes the skin and reduces pain and inflammation
- 1 drop helichrysum essential oil – reduces pain and inflammation
- 1 drop German chamomile essential oil – relieves pain and reduces redness and inflammation
- 1 drop birch essential oil – an incredibly potent pain reliever
Loving Preparation – Bee Sting Roll-On Recipe
- Add the essential oils to the empty roll-on bottle.
- Next, add the jojoba oil.
- Cap closed and roll between your palms to mix thoroughly.
To Use
Carefully remove the stinger as quickly as possible by using something with a hard edge like a credit card, nail file, a coin, the back of a knife, your fingernail, etc.
Once the stinger has been extracted, apply a few swipes of the bee sting roll-on over the sting site 1-3 times daily until swelling and discomfort disappear. You can cleanse the area beforehand with witch hazel to help neutralize the venom if you have it.
The essential oils in this blend are known to be powerful anti-inflammatories and pain relievers. If you do not have these oils on hand, a single drop of lavender oil applied neat can be used on the sting site up to three times daily.
What have been your favorite bee sting remedies?
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Kate says
This sounds quite good. I might recommend for even greater benefit and relief to infuse the jojoba oil first with plantain leaf. It's great for healing the wound and skin, has some anti-inflammatory properties, and works to draw the poison out from sting site as well.
Tash says
Great tip Kate! I'll keep that in mind for my next batch 🙂