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I have very pale, very Irish, and apparently very tasty skin. I surmise this from the 20 or so mosquito welts (welts not bites) that I have already received from perhaps two days of being outside. I get bit so often that my friends joke that they don’t need repellent when I’m around. I am pretty sure that if God forbid, a mosquito-borne communicative illness ever broke out in the United States, even if it started all the way across the country from where I live, eventually it would find and contaminate me. So goes the sob story of the lucky favored mosquito victims.
I hate all commercial mosquito repellants due to their smell and massive chemical properties (DEET anyone?) and it doesn’t help that most don’t work at all on me and those that do, only work somewhat and somehow smell the worst. That being said, I found this really good natural recipe for mosquito repellent that I can’t WAIT to try.
The recipe calls for citronella & lemongrass essential oils (but I am going to look into lavender, and maybe throw in some vanilla as well), witch hazel (you can find 14 oz. bottles in most groceries or pharmacies near the rubbing alcohol & peroxide), a spray bottle to house your finished concoction, a jar to mix it before you put it in the bottle, and a funnel.
First, pour all of the witch hazel (14 oz.) into the mixing jar and add about fifteen drops of both essential oils (citronella & lemongrass), and about ten to twelve drops of whatever other oil or ingredient you desire to accent the smell.
With the lid secured on the top of the jar, shake robustly to mix well. The finished result should look pretty cloudy. Pour your mixture into the spray bottle with the funnel to shuttle it in without a mess. Label your bottle clearly with a permanent marker or a label of some sort. To use, spray on exposed body parts and rub in vigorously. Don’t put it on your face and always test the areas of skin you want to apply to first in case of allergic reaction.
I would love to hear back from folks who try this, as I have not been able to find the time to do it myself yet. The essential oils can be a little pricey ($20 and up) but they last absolutely forever. Now if I could figure out how not to scratch, I’d be gravy!
What mosquito repellent do you use?
Adapted from Pinterest
I plan to try this repellent. I’m more focused on using natural products rather than chemicals and preservatives. Thanks for sharing it.