How to make your own all natural insect repellent with essential oils

It’s that time of year again and the mosquitos and gnats are out in force!

We have created this easy natural recipe for you to make your own all natural insect repellent with essential oils, perfect for keeping those bugs at bay, without the usual harsh chemicals and ‘that’ smell!

There are many essential oils that you can use, not just citronella (people either love or hate citronella!). For example, lemon, eucalyptus, lemongrass, peppermint, basil, clove, geranium and lavender. In our recipe below we use citronella, tea tree and lemongrass essential oils.

How to make your own all natural insect repellent 

• Using a 100ml (travel size) clean spray bottle, fill it with 50ml of boiled or spring water.
• Add 25ml of witch hazel or vodka then about 50 to 75 drops of therapeutic-grade essential oils, any combination of the above oils will work, but we recommend the recipe below.

You should have a little room in the bottle left to be able to shake the solution.

Each time you use, just give it a little shake again and spritz all over your skin and clothing, avoiding eyes.

Reapply every few hours.

Store in a dark bottle, away from heat or sunlight.

*This is preservative-free so will only last a few weeks. Keeping it in the fridge will keep it freshest, but please discard any leftovers after 4-6 weeks.

**As with all essential oils and aromatherapy, use with caution if pregnant. There are certain oils to avoid in pregnancy. 

All natural insect repellent with essential oils recipe

Makes 100mls:

• 50ml boiled or spring water
• 25ml witch hazel or vodka
• 30 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 25 drops citronella essential oil
• 15 drops tea tree essential oil

If you have a go at making your own natural insect repellent, we’d love to hear your outcomes and thoughts.

Don’t have time? Our Focus Room Spray containing peppermint essential oil makes a great non-toxic insect repellent! These are perfectly safe for the skin and environment. Or you may want to go for a pre-made essential oil blend and just add the other ingredients. Look for our eucalyptus-rich Restore essential oil blend or Lemongrass-rich Revive essential oil blend. These smell beautiful but keep the bugs away too! More on these blends here