A Simple Natural Bug Repellent

Photo: unstressyourself.com

THE SAVVY SHOPPER says buy a few essential oils to keep around the house. These plant compounds kill germs, stop inflammation, nurture the skin, or do a job without the side effects of harmful chemicals. When using them to make natural home remedies, you get a lot of bang for the buck.

Here's an easy 2 ingredient formula to repel mosquitoes that's as effective as the drugstore kind. Try it to keep away ticks and chiggers too. 

If you're visiting a country with mosquitoes that carry disease, check with an expert on what to use. Normally, I wouldn't use DEEP, but I would if without it, I could catch malaria, or the West Nile virus.

Natural Bug Repellent

Ingredients: 

Select 1 ounce of a light carrier oil. Measure it into a bottle. Examples of carrier oils include:

Avocado oil
Sweet almond oil
Jojoba oil
Grapeseed oil

A light Carrier oil will absorb into your skin without feeling greasy. Coconut oil and olive oil are also carrier oils, but are heavy and slippery for this purpose -- both easily absorb into the skin right after a shower.

Next add 10 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil. According to the Center for Disease Control, lemon eucalyptus oil is as effective as DEEP, with a caveat: It has to be reapplied every few hours. 

You can also mix lemon eucalyptus with other essential oils like citronella, cedarwood, lemongrass, geranium and peppermint, if you wish. Lemon eucalyptus is the only oil that has the science behind its bug repellent claims, yet adding other essential oils won't hurt it's effectiveness. Never rub essential oils on your skin solo. Without a carrier oil, witch hazel or water, they are too concentrated and can irritate the skin.

Clean smelling essential oils include:

Eucalyptus
Lavender
Lemon
Geranium
Lemon Eucalyptus * tested and proven to work.
Lemongrass
Peppermint
Rose Geranium
Rosemary
Thyme

Directions: 

Close the bottle and shake the carrier oil and essential oil(s) together. Voila` 

If you wish to put your natural bug repellent into a spray bottle, add some witch hazel; water; or vodka to the mixture, so it sprays out easily. It's best to make fresh batches of natural bug repellent as needed. There's no reason to store more than you need, since it can be made in minutes.

Enjoy the great outdoors without pesky bug bites!

You may also enjoy:
Homemade Antiseptic Cream
DIY: Rich Soothing Hand Cream    
Best Oils For Skin, Hair And Nails
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