Looking for an effective insect repellent?
But are you tired of overly complicated homemade recipes?
Then today is your lucky day!
I'll show you how to make the world's easiest insect repellent.
It is not a spray repellent.
It's actually a repellent oil that works wonderfully.
All you need are 2 simple ingredients. Watch:
As I told you above, you only need 2 very simple ingredients to make this repellent:
- a carrier oil
- essential oils
It is important to choose a carrier oil that is not too greasy and absorbs quickly into the skin.
It prevents you and your children from having a layer of oil on the skin after putting it on.
My 2 favorite oils are jojoba oil and sweet almond oil.
If your children are allergic to nuts or almonds, you can also use coconut oil.
It also works very well although it takes a little longer to absorb into the skin and tends to harden with the cold.
The role of the carrier oil is to dilute the concentrated essential oils, so that they are not too strong.
Essential oils come from resins and plants.
They all have different health benefits.
Be aware that pure essential oils should not be used, as they are too strong and concentrated. They must be diluted in a carrier oil.
Each essential oil also has its own smell.
Some have a light, sweet smell like lemon essential oil, others have a strong earthy smell like patchouli essential oil.
To scare away insects, strong odors are often the most effective. But don't worry, it's not always the smelly ones that work the best against insects!
Many of the most effective scents can be used separately or mixed together to create a blend that smells great to you...but not to the bugs!
For my homemade insect repellent, I use the following mixture:
- 15 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
I want it to be simple and smell good! And who doesn't love the smell of lavender?
In addition, this mixture also has the advantage of soothing insect bites on your children.
If lavender and eucalyptus aren't your thing, here are 3 other essential oil blends that work just as well for repelling bugs:
This insect repellent mix is reminiscent of an evening by a campfire, with that scent of cedar and cinnamon blended together. It reminds of earthy smells.
- 10 drops of rosemary essential oil
- 7 drops of cinnamon essential oil
- 3 drops of cedarwood essential oil
This mixture against insects has a minty and lemony smell, which is very energizing.
- 12 drops of lemongrass essential oil
- 6 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- 3 drops of lemongrass essential oil
It is the easiest mixture of all since it only takes one oil. This results in a very floral scent. This one works very well, even on cats and dogs.
Just put a drop on your pet's collar to keep it safe from fleas.
- 20 drops of rose geranium essential oil
OK, now that you know the different recipes, it's time to mix them up and make your own oil.
1. The first thing to do is choose your carrier oil and put about 2 tablespoons in a glass bottle.
2. Next, choose the essential oil blend you want to add to your carrier oil.
For my insect repellent oil, I chose eucalyptus essential oil and lavender essential oil.
You should put about 20 drops of essential oil to 2 tbsp of carrier oil, so your oil won't be too strong.
3. Gently add your essential oils into the carrier oil.
I used 15 drops of lavender essential oil because the scent is light and 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil which is a bit stronger.
The scent of these two oils goes very well together and helps keep the bugs away, without you or your kids smelling bad.
4. To finish, stir or shake your oils well so that they mix well together and store them in a place protected from light.
To use this homemade insect repellent, nothing could be simpler!
- pour a little oil into the palm of your hand
- rub your hands together
- rub your skin or those of your children before going outside.
And that's it, it's already over :-)
Simple and fast, right?
With only 2 ingredients, it's easy and ready in minutes. Goodbye insects!
Essential oils are very powerful natural active ingredients. Misused, they can be dangerous. It is therefore important to consult a specialist before using essential oils. Discover here the precautions to take with essential oils.
