All Natural Insect repellent:

All Natural Insect repellent:

It is relatively easy to make your own insect repellent at home. You don’t really need those chemical laden cans full of god only knows what to keep the bugs at bay. Even if you don’t want to make your own, there are a lot of all natural alternatives on the market today. For example Burts Bees and Kiss My Face are two name brands that come to mind. Here are a few ideas you can try at home.

Ingredients:

1 cup of grain alcohol, ( vodka, or witch hazel )

30 drops of essential oils ( lavender, citronella, rosemary, rose geranium, lemon, tea tree oil, neem. ) Using one or two from this list will be fine.

Place all ingredients into spray bottle. Shake well. Spray liberally all over your skin just before going outside. Reapply as necessary.

Store your mixture in a dark bottle away from heat and sunlight.

Or

Ingredients:

1 Cup water

About 20-30 drops of Essential oils such as eucalyptus, rosewood, lavender, peppermint, tea tree, cedar, citrus or lemongrass

These can be diluted with water and placed in a container over night and used as a spray the following day.

Here is a list of oils that are found to have repellent properties.

• Catnip Oil–mosquitoes
• Cedarwood Oil–lice, moths
• Cinnamon Oil–ants
• Citronella Oil–mosquitoes
• Clove Oil–mosquitoes
• Eucalyptus Oil–mosquitoes
• Geranium Oil–flies, mosquitoes
• Lavender Oil–mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, fleas, flies
• Lemongrass Oil–mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, fleas, flies
• Litsea Cubeba–mosquitoes
• Patchouli–gnats
• Peppermint Oil–lice, spiders, ants
• Rosemary Oil–fleas, ticks
• Tea Tree Oil–mosquitoes, lice, ants

**Although found in many lists of repellents, avoid pennyroyal because of its potential toxicity.
All essential oils are best used in dilution. Don’t apply them directly to the skin in full strength. Be careful to avoid eyes. Do not use on pets. 

Warm regards and love,

Erin