It’s not a lot a fun being bitten alive by mosquitos or pesky sand fleas! When traveling to paradise, bugs are just apart of the package, unfortunately. Despite how much I hate bugs, I am not willing to put just anything on my skin such as OFF which contains a chemical called DEET. Chemical bug repellents have toxic chemicals that eventually get absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. Not only is it toxic to us, but it can have negative effects on the environment. For children, DEET can be especially harmful.
Quick facts about DEET.
- DEET is absorbed through the skin and passes into the blood.
- Deet can cause nerve damage, severe skin irritation, blistering and burning.
- Can cause nausea, dizziness, and difficulties with concentration.
Are there healthier solutions?
Today I want to share how to make chemical free bug repellent that you can make in less than 5 minutes using essential oils. Natural repellent recipes can vary, but it’s ingredients are very simple. The ingredients consist of essential oils that are combined with carrier oils or liquids to help dilute the potency of essential oils.
It is really easy and inexpensive to make! You can also modify the recipes to your liking.
What essential oils will you need?
The recipe below will use Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Cedar Wood Oil. Different kinds of bugs are repelled by different kinds of essential oils so you can alter the recipe based on what bugs you want to repel.
So whether it is ants, mosquitos, sand fleas, ticks, or spiders, you can find oils that will work for your needs. I created a list of which essential oils you can use on each type of bug you want to repel. To get the list emailed to you, simply fill out the form below. It’s completely free.
Recipes – Natural Bug Repellent
These two recipes will focus on mosquitos and sand fleas. Sand Fleas are prevalent in hot, humid areas. I first learned about Sand Fleas when traveling to Roatan Honduras and I heard they could eat you alive lol. So, I came prepared and this recipe worked like a charm. Potent stuff!
Important notes before we begin.
- Do spot tests of the essential oils on your skin before you use them. Some people may have sensitivities to any specific oil. Especially for children, make sure to spot test before using the bug repellent.
- Quality matters. Use good quality essential oils because they will be healthier for you and more effective.
Recipe 1 – Bug Repellent Butter Cream/Oil (my favorite)
I prefer using a creamy bug repellent because I found that it longer on my skin on hot days. On any tropical vacation, I put the repellent on first thing in the morning before I go out for the day. It is also super moisturizing for your skin which is a bonus!
Ingredients: What you will need
1 . Choose a carrier oil or butter.
Options are
Coconut Oil – Oily consistency in heat or solid at room temperature. Coconut Oil melts on hot days at 76F. It becomes solid at cooler temperatures. Keep this in mind when choosing an oil/better
Shea Butter – Creamy consistency in heat. It will not melt until 115 degreesF.
Mixture of Shea Butter and Coconut – Shea butter has a creamy and oily consistency in heat. It also helped the essential oils stay on the skin longer meaning longer bug protection! Would you also believe Shea butter can protect your skin from the sun with SPF 6, moisturizes and even helps heal sunburn.
2. Essential Oils:
- Tea Tree
- Eucalyptus
- Lavender
- Cedarwood
3. A 6 oz Jar
Where to get the essential oils? You can buy them at most health food stores or just buy them on amazon. I use the “NOW” brand of essentials. I have listed them below and they ship within 2-3 days from Amazon if you have prime.
*Note that the below links are affiliate links from amazon where if purchased, I may receive a small commission which all goes towards keeping this blog running. I only recommend items I use and approve of.
Instructions
Step 1) Melt the Shea Butter or Coconut oil by putting a cup of it in a bowl and setting it in another bowl of hot water. Softening the oils is needed because it is will mix better with the essential oils and have a smooth consistency when combined.
Step 2) Add essential oils to shea butter/ coconut oil.
- 20 drops Lavender Oil
- 20 drops Tea Tree
- 20 drops Eucalyptus
- 20 drops Cedar Wood Oil
Step 3) Mix all ingredients together.
Step 4) Do a patch test on your skin and on anyone else who you plan on “bug proofing.” Make sure that there are no reactions to any of the ingredients.
Step 5) Feel free to add more oils if you would like to make it stronger. This is a “light” version of the recipe because I wanted to keep in mind those with sensitive skin. Some people can tolerate more essential oils than others. I personally double up on the oils because I want to keep the bugs as far away as possible!
Step 6) Modify to your liking.
Feel free to test out how many drops of each oil you like in the mixture. This recipe does not need to be followed to perfection. There are other oils to choose from if you either hate a smell of any of the oils or have a skin reaction to them.
For instance, some say tea tree smells like Raid and if you hate it enough, swap it out for another. Essentially, it is the smell of the essential oils that repel the bugs.
Recipe 2 – Bug Repellent Spray
Ingredients:
- Witch Hazel 3 oz
- Essential Oils
- Water 3oz
- 6oz Spray Bottle
Instructions
Step 1) Combine Witch hazel, water and essential oils in the bottle.
Step 2) Shake it all up.
Step 3) Test it on your skin.
Note: Feel free to add more drops of essential oil if you would like to make it stronger.
Think this is too much work?? Try these natural bug sprays that you can buy from Amazon.
I really hope that this recipe has been helpful in learning about healthier and natural solutions to all your bug problems! I have heard great things about using other oils in this recipe such as citronella and lemongrass eucalyptus. If in doubt, do research and read more about essential oils. This post was meant to share what has worked for me, but there is always more than one solution.
You may get a free list emailed to you with different essential oils you can use in the recipe. Sign up below you receive the list.
Please come back and share how this recipe works for you or recommendations on essential oils that you have enjoyed using to keep the bugs away. Thanks and I hope you will visit the blog again soon!
Tea tree and eucalyptus in particular do the trick. Lovely solutions here. Both are biting, aggressive oils that turn off all sentient beings I have been around in the tropics. No skeeter or jigger or sand fly can tolerate tea tree; too strong to handle.
Glad to hear tea tree and eucalyptus oils have worked well for you also. I agree, the tea tree is potent stuff! I use extra on my skin when needed. Thanks for sharing and commenting on what has worked for you also.
I agree with the comment about tea tree oil. It seems to work wonders for me when it comes to repelling pests, but I hate the smell. I cut mine with plenty of lavender oil and add a little patchouli oil even. It’s not the typical recipe, but it makes it so I actually WANT to wear it. ????
Ah nice combo! The great thing about essentials is they can be combined to our liking with other smells we like. I will have to try the combo you suggested to see of it helps with the tea tree. Thanks for the suggestion!
do they wash off when swimming..do you need to reapply
Hi Linda, yes I suggest to reapply when you get out the water.
what about the witch hazel? can you use the ones with aloe or other scented witch hazel? I notice on amazon so many choices of witch hazel. Thank you
Hi Linda, I like Thayers Witch Hazel. They have a lavender scent if you would like to get scented and lavender is one of the scents that help repel bugs too.
Is sunscreen affected by these products? I need both bug and sun protection.
Hi Jeanine, you can wear your sunscreen with this. Use natural sunscreen to keep the oceans safe and its less toxic 🙂