Are You An Insect Magnet? Natural Insect Repellent

I'm on holiday at the moment – and with holidays in the sun, the insects seem to come out. I hate using an artificial insect repellent and covering myself in chemicals. But I also hate being covered in Mosquito bites!

Fortunately, there are some natural alternatives to keep the bugs at bay. Below is a recipe I've experimented with for a chemical free insect repellent, that you can make at home.

This spray on insect repellent works well with vitamin E as the vitamin E is nourishing and protecting, and is good for skin that can become thirsty and dry during the summer heat.

Natural insect repellent recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 – 20 drops of citronella essential oil
• 10 – 20 drops of lemon essential oil
• 10 – 20 drops of lavender essential oil
• 5 mls of carrier oil. Choose from Wheat germ, Vitamin E, avocado, calendula, borage or apricot kernel.
• One small spray bottle or jar for storing the mix.

Add five mls of your chosen carrier oil to the storage jar and then add the oils. The more oils added, the stronger the scent will be. Screw up the lid and shake well to mix. The blend can be massaged onto the skin when needed. If the oil mix is too greasy, then add the oils to a base of distilled witch hazel – you’ll need 3-5 teaspoons.

An alternative way of applying the mix would be too melt 10gs (0.35oz) of Shea butter in a pan and stir in the oils. Once the mix has set and cooled it can be massaged onto the skin in a solid bar form.

The essential oils can also be used individually or alternatively tea tree oil can also be used on its own or in combination with any of the other essential oils listed. However, the scent of tea tree can be rather strong so may not be suited to everyone.

NB: Pregnant women should take medical advice before using essential oils.

Do you have a tip for keep bugs at bay? Do mosquito's seem to choose you over everyone else? Share your tips and stories below!