What's the bug situation like where you live this year? Due to our very mild winter here this past year, the bugs are so bad already. We really do not like using the store bought brands of insect repellent. I never knew how simple it is to make your own but it is very easy. The absolute best part too, it has a very nice, fresh fragrance. I really hate those nose burning sensations that come after using aerosol insect repellent. You just know, those can't be good for us to put onto our skin.
I did a bit of searching around on the internet and decided to make my own concoction using essential oils. I love using essential oils but was skeptical about how well homemade repellent may work . I decided to give it a go and just see. Here’s what I used.
Using the ½ pt. jar, I filled it almost to the top with Witch Hazel. Then I just added 15 to 20 drops of Citronella and Lemongrass. You could stop there and that would work just fine at repelling the insects but you can take it a step further, by adding 10 drops Lavender or Peppermint e/o. I really love peppermint because it has a nice cooling effect on your skin. It is great for cooling off and keeping the bugs away at the same time. I also added 10 drops of Tea Tree and Geranium oils, to help repel ticks. The ticks have been really bad around here too.
Papaw and I both were pleasantly surprised by the spray. He really hates insect spray of any type and heavy citronella fragrance makes him a bit nauseous. He liked this spray. We both misted ourselves good and even a bit on our clothes, before going out to work in the garden yesterday evening. We were really pleased by how well it worked.
I felt very good about repelling the insects this way. The spray has a light and refreshing fragrance and no heavy chemicals being absorbed into your skin. I have sensitive skin and those store bought repellents seemed to leave my skin with a burning sensation.
After adding the drops of essential oil, I just placed the lid on the jar and gave it a good shake. It will look cloudy after shaking. Then using a funnel, just add to a mister bottle. Make sure to label the bottle. I tried using a sharpie but the ink came right off the bottle so, I had to make a label for it. Oh, one other thing, the oils will settle to the top so, shake well before each use.
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