Have you ever tried making your own insect repellent?
If insect repellent is something you can’t go without (for fear of being eaten alive by the various flying pests which come out to play during the warm summer months), but at the same time you don’t like the idea of spraying chemicals on your skin day-in day-out, then this could be a solution.
How to make your own natural insect repellent:
- Reuse or obtain a small, travel-size spray bottle (chemists and supermarkets will almost always have these) and fill it with 50ml of boiled (once it’s cooled) or spring water.
- Add 25ml of witch hazel or vodka to the water.
- Drop in between 50 and 75 drops of essential oils (see below for our recommended oils).
- Shake the mixture and then spray it over your skin and clothes every few hours to keep the insects away.
- Store it away from direct sunlight and heat and, since it’s preservative-free, keep it in the fridge when possible. Any unused repellent should be discarded after four weeks.
The essential oils
Insects aren’t fans of citrusy smells, so we recommend lemon or lime based scents. If you don’t like those smells very much either, then peppermint is another scent which biting insects avoid. If mosquitos are going to be a problem as you’ll be going abroad this summer, try a vanilla scent, as it interferes with their ability to hone onto food sources and so they steer well clear!
A good combination of oils to use for an everyday repellent is: 30 drops of lemongrass oil, 25 drops of citronella oil, and 15 drops of tea tree oil.
