Brittany L. Morgan
On my most recent hiking adventure to the Mount Beacon fire tower, two things were blatantly obvious.
1. The bugs are back in full-force!
2. I need a reliable DEET-free bug repellent... stat!
When I arrived at the base of Mount Beacon, I saw a bevy of early bird hikers coming down the mountain with full-on beekeeper helmets adorning their heads.
That should have clued me in to the steep influx of bugs, but nevertheless, I continued up the mountain sans bug repellent. Thousands of bug-bites later, I made it back to my home and vowed I’d find a reliable bug repellent that didn’t contain harsh chemicals like DEET.
Since then, I’ve tried several combinations of store-bought natural bug repellents and home-made concoctions. My home-made solution actually won me over because it actually worked! I admit, I was a little skeptical at first. I also liked my home-made bug repellent better because it put me in control of what I put on my body rather than wondering what weird chemicals could be lurking in my spray bottle.
What you’ll need
- Distilled water.
- Witch hazel
- Coconut oil
- 40 drops of essential oil (citronella, cedar, clove, lavender, geraniol, eucalyptus, lemongrass or mint)
Directions:
1. Fill 8 ounce spray bottle 1/2 full with distilled water.
2. Add witch hazel until the bottle is almost full.
3. Add 1/2 tsp of coconut oil.
4. Add 40 drops of essential oils.
5. Shake and spray!
My go-to essential oil solution is 10 drops citronella oil mixed with 10 drops of cedar oil. I love strong scents (frankincense is my absolute favorite essential oil). If you like lighter scents, you can opt for a mix of lemongrass, lavender, eucalyptus, or mint.