Managing Allergies Naturally with Herbs and Essential Oils
You are excited for spring—until the sneezing starts. Watery eyes, a stuffy nose, and relentless congestion can take the joy out of the season. If you are looking for a natural way to find relief, you are in the right place!
Why Go Natural for Allergies?
Seasonal allergies kick in when your immune system mistakes pollen, dust, or other airborne particles for threats. This overreaction causes mast cells to release histamine, triggering inflammation, congestion, and itchiness. Over-the-counter drugs can ease these symptoms, but they often leave you drowsy or jittery. Natural remedies, including herbs and essential oils, offer a gentler approach by:
Gently reducing inflammation: Calms the immune response without harsh chemicals
Supporting respiratory health: Keep your airways clear and comfortable
Promoting clear breathing: Easing congestion and sinus pressure
Boosting overall wellness: Providing relief without side effects
Ready to give nature a try?
Herbal Support for Seasonal Allergies
Some herbs act as natural antihistamines or mast cell stabilizers and can help your body respond more gently to allergens. Here are a few to incorporate into your apothecary:
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Nettle, also known as stinging nettle, is a go-to herb for allergy relief. It contains natural antihistamines that help block histamine production, reducing symptoms like sneezing, itching, and congestion. Plus, it is loaded with nutrients like vitamin C and iron, which support overall wellness.
How to Use
2 tsp of dried nettle leaves
1 tsp dried linden (optional, to add moisture)
1 cup of hot water
Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Drink 1-3 cups daily.
Alternatively, try a nettle tincture, 1 dropperful 1-3 times daily
Tips: Start using nettle a few weeks before allergy season to build up its benefits.
Purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) is unrelated to stinging nettle, but can be used similarly (don't let the "dead" in the name scare you; it relates to it not having stinging hairs).
Since nettle can be drying, pair it with linden for a moisturizing balance.
Elder Flowers (Sambucus nigra)
Elderflower is a gentle yet effective herb with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. It is especially great for easing a runny nose, watery eyes, and sinus pressure.
How to Use
2 tsp dried elder flowers
1 tsp dried hibiscus
1 cup of hot water
Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Drink 1-3 cups daily
Alternatively, you can do a steam inhalation with a handful of fresh or dried elderflowers in a bowl of steaming hot water, cover your head with a towel, and breathe the steam for 5-10 minutes.
Tip: Combine elderflower with elderberries in a syrup for added immune and respiratory benefits.
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Goldenrod stabilizes mast cells and dries excess mucus, relieving runny noses, watery eyes, and phlegm. (Don’t blame it for allergies—ragweed is the usual culprit!)
How to Use
2 tsp dried goldenrod flowers and leaves
1 tsp dried peppermint or lemon balm
1 tsp dried elder flowers
1 cup of hot water
Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Drink 1-3 cups daily
Tip: Avoid if you’re allergic to aster family plants.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Mullein loosens mucus for easier breathing, while marshmallow soothes dry, spasmodic coughs.
How to Use
1 tsp dried mullein leaf
1 tsp dried marshmallow leaf
a pinch of dried lemon peel
1 cup hot water
Steep for 10 minutes. Drink as often as desired for respiratory support.
Tip: Strain well using a fine mesh strainer to remove the tiny leaf hairs to avoid irritation to the throat from the hairs.
Marshmallow (Althea officinalis)
Marshmallow leaves are moistening and antispasmodic, soothing dry, spasmodic coughs. How to Use
1 part dried marshmallow leaf
1 part dried mullein leaf
1 part dried nettle
Fill a mason jar halfway with dried herbs, then add vodka to cover them completely, leaving some headspace. Let sit for at least 4 weeks, adding additional vodka as needed. Strain and bottle in amber glass dropper bottles, being sure to label. Use 1-2 dropperfuls up to 3 times a day starting before allergy season and all through allergy season.
Tip: You can substitute other mallows in place of marshmallow leaves: hibiscus, hollyhock, or common mallow.
Essential Oils for Clear Breathing and Sinus Relief
Essential oils can quickly relieve allergy symptoms by opening airways, reducing congestion, and easing inflammation. Try these:
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
Peppermint oil’s menthol content makes it a natural decongestant, helping to clear blocked airways and ease breathing.
How to Use
Add 5-7 drops to a diffuser and run for 30 minutes at a time
Add 1 drop to a pot of steaming hot water for a steam inhalation
Dilute 2 drops with a tablespoon of carrier oil (like almond or jojoba) and rub it on your chest or temples
Tip: For quick relief, inhale peppermint oil from a cotton ball or a personal inhaler for quick, on-the-go relief.
Safety: Always dilute to less than 2% when using topically; do not use with children less than 5 years old
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus or radiata)
Eucalyptus oil is fantastic for sinus relief thanks to its high 1,8 cineole content. Its expectorant properties help loosen mucus, making it easier to expel and breathe freely.
How to Use
Add 5-7 drops to a diffuser and run for 30 minutes at a time
Add 1 drop to a pot of steaming hot water for a steam inhalation
Dilute 2 drops with a tablespoon of carrier oil (like almond or jojoba) and rub it on your chest
Tip: Pair eucalyptus with peppermint for a dynamic duo to tackle congestion head-on.
Safety: Use caution with children under the age of 10, or people with asthma
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender is not just for relaxation—it also has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated airways and ease headaches from allergies, thanks to its linalool and terpinen-4-ol components.
How to Use
Add 5-7 drops to a diffuser in your bedroom and run for 30 minutes before bedtime for a calming, allergy-friendly atmosphere
Add a drop or two into a teaspoon of carrier oil (like almond or jojoba) and add to bath water, along with Epsom salts, for a soothing and respiratory-relieving bath
Make a sinus-supporting salve, adding up to 1% dilution of lavender at the final step
Tip: Use lavender at night to ease symptoms and get a better night’s sleep.
Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Tea tree oil’s terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole components offer antihistamine, expectorant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic properties that provide respiratory support for allergy sufferers.
How to Use
Diffuse 5-7 drops to purify the air, diffusing for 30 minutes at a time
Dilute 2 drops in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil (like almond or jojoba) and apply to the chest or back of the neck
Add 1 drop to a pot of steaming hot water for a steam inhalation
Tip: Include tea tree essential oil in your DIY cleaning sprays for allergy support while cleaning and disinfecting.
Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
Black spruce supports respiratory health, reduces respiratory congestion, eases coughing, and calms allergies.
How to Use
Diffuse 5-7 drops for 30 minutes at a time for general sinus support
Dilute 2-3 drops in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil (like almond or jojoba) and massage into the chest or back
Make a sinus-supporting salve, adding up to 1% dilution of black spruce at the final step
Tip: Combine with eucalyptus to clear a stuffy nose.
Safety: Use caution when with those with asthma
Natural Allergy Relief Recipes
Put herbs and oils to work with these simple recipes:
Sinus Relief Steam
1 drop of one of the above respiratory-supportive essential oils
handful of fresh or dried elder flowers
Bowl of hot water
Towel
Instructions: Add essential oil and elderflower to the bowl of steaming water. Lean over the bowl, cover your head with a towel, and inhale deeply for 10-15 minutes.
Allergy Support Herbal Tea
1 tsp dried nettle leaves
1 tsp dried elder flowers
1 tsp dried peppermint
1 cup hot water
Cover and steep herbs in hot water for 10–15 minutes. For best results, drink 1–3 times daily.
Comforting Throat Spray
2 Tbsp nettle (stinging or purple dead nettle) tincture
2 Tbsp raw honey
1 Tbsp warm water
Variations:
For extra moistening and soothing support, reduce the nettle tincture to 1 Tbsp and add 1 Tbsp of marshmallow leaf tincture
For an antiviral component, reduce the nettle tincture to 1 Tbsp and add 1 Tbsp of lemon balm tincture
To make the tincture, fill a mason jar halfway with dried herbs, then add vodka to cover them completely, leaving some headspace. Let sit for at least 4 weeks, adding additional vodka as needed. Strain and bottle in amber glass dropper bottles, being sure to label. Tinctures can last for several years when stored in amber glass bottles and kept in a cool, dry location, so feel free to make plenty.
To make the throat spray, mix the ingredients in an amber glass spritz bottle, and label it. Store in the refrigerator for up to a few weeks. Spritz into the mouth toward the throat as needed.
Sinus Support Salve
4 oz jojoba oil infused with dried peppermint, lavender, and pine resin (optional)
1 oz beeswax pellets
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops tea tree essential oil
Infuse herbs in the oil by the slow folk method of letting it sit for about 4 weeks, or by the heat method or using a double boiler, and heating the oil and herbs on low, gentle heat for a day or two.
Strain out the herbs.
Using a double boiler, melt the beeswax, and then add in the infused oil.
Once everything is melted, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding the essential oils. Stir well to disperse the essential oils evenly.
Pour into small jars or salve tins, and allow to cool and solidify before putting lids on. Be sure to label.
As needed, rub a small bit of salve on temples, around chapped nose, and on chest for gentle respiratory support.
Allergy Support Personal Inhaler
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops black spruce essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
1 blank personal inhaler
Add the essential oils to the cotton wick of a blank inhaler, place the wick in the inhaler, snap the inhaler together, and label it. Inhale as needed to ease sinus congestion and related headaches. If using for a child under the age of 10, or if you have asthma, swap the eucalyptus for tea tree essential oil.
Sinus Relief Roller
2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops black spruce essential oil
1 drop eucalyptus essential oil (caution if using on kids 10 and younger)
1 drop peppermint essential oil (omit if using on kids 5 and younger)
~ 10ml carrier oil of choice
10 ml roller bottle
Drop the essential oils into the roller bottle. Carefully add carrier oil up to the shoulder; a small funnel is quite useful. Snap the roller bottle top in place, and shake gently. Be sure to label. Roll onto the neck, around the ears, and massage gently into the temples, staying away from the eyes. At 3% dilution, this is intended for as-needed use for a short duration, to reduce to a 2% dilution, which is safe for daily use, reduce to a single drop of each essential oil.
DIY All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray
1 cup distilled water
1 Tbsp liquid Castile soap or 1/2 Tbsp Sal Suds
15-20 drops tea tree essential oil
Blend all together in a glass spray bottle, and shake gently before each use. Useful for counters, sinks, tubs, showers, and more.
Final Thoughts
Spring allergies do not have to take over your season! And managing seasonal allergies does not have to mean relying on OTC medications. With the right combination of herbs and essential oils, you can welcome spring without the sneezing and congestion. Give these natural remedies a try and breathe easier all season long!
Have you tried these remedies? Let me know how they work for you.
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