Essential oils can be used in your everyday life to help repel insects. You really don’t want those pesky mosquitos spoiling your summer evenings! You can use Essential Oils that smell great to repel insects and not worry about what nasties you might be breathing in or spraying on your skin.

Lemon Eucalyptus

The primary chemical constituents of Lemon Eucalyptus Oil are citronellal and citronellol.  It is great for cleaning surfaces and cleaning skin but it is also useful for repelling insects and clearing the air.

I personally think that this is the strongest Essential Oil I have tried and so a little goes a long way!

To use the oil to repel insects, make up a roller ball bottle with Fractionated Coconut oil. Add 20 drops of the Lemon Eucalyptus oil and fill the bottle with the coconut oil. Rub it on your exposed skin. You can also place a drop of the oil on your hand together with your favourite face cream or hand cream and use that to apply the oil up your arms and around your neck etc.

You might also like to make it into a spray. Mix 30 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus oil with 100 ml Vodka and 100 ml Witch Hazel in a spray bottle. Shake before application and then spray on exposed skin and on the furniture around you or on your bag, table cloth etc.

Diffuse the oil – place the diffuser on your BBQ table. I would diffuse around 4 drops of the oil. You can mix with other oils such as Tea Tree and Lavender. These are also useful as insect repellents.

Alternatives: Citronella

Citronella

The primary chemical constituents of Citronella Oil are citronellol and geraniol.  It is great for cleaning surfaces and cleaning skin but it is also useful for repelling insects both inside and outside the home.

To use the oil to repel insects, make up a roller ball bottle with Fractionated Coconut oil. Add 30 drops of the Citronella oil and fill the bottle with the coconut oil. Rub it on your exposed skin.

You might also like to make it into a spray. Mix 30 drops of Citronella with 100 ml Vodka and 100 ml Witch Hazel in a spray bottle. Shake before application, spray on exposed skin and on the furniture around you or on your bag, table cloth etc.

Diffuse the oil – place the diffuser on your BBQ table. I would diffuse around 8 drops of the oil. You can mix with other oils such as Tea Tree and Lavender (4 drops each). These are also useful as insect repellents.

Alternatives: Lemon Eucalyptus

Tea Tree

The primary chemical constituents of Tea Tree Oil are Terpinen-4-ol, γ-terpinene and α-terpinene.

It is great for cleaning the air and soothing the skin but it is also useful for repelling insects both inside and outside the home.

To use the oil to repel insects, make up a roller ball bottle with Fractionated Coconut oil. Add 30 drops of the Tea Tree oil and fill the bottle with the coconut oil. Rub it on your exposed skin.

You might also like to make it into a spray with other oils. Mix 30 drops of Tea Tree and 30 drops of Lemongrass or Citronella with 100 ml Vodka and 100 ml Witch Hazel in a spray bottle. Shake before application, spray on exposed skin and on the furniture around you or on your bag, table cloth etc.

Diffuse the oil – place the diffuser on your BBQ table. I would diffuse around 8 drops of the oil. You can mix with other oils such as Lavender and Lemongrass (4 drops each). These are also useful as insect repellents.

Alternatives: Lavender

Lemongrass

The primary chemical constituents of Lemongrass Oil are geranial, neral and geraniol.

It is great for cleaning the air, it is used as a skin care product and promotes a positive outlook.

To use the oil to repel insects, make up a roller ball bottle with Fractionated Coconut oil. Add 20 drops of the Lemongrass oil and fill the bottle with the coconut oil. Rub it on your exposed skin.

You might also like to make it into a spray. Mix 20 drops of Lemongrass and 20 drops of Tea Tree or Lavender with 100 ml Vodka and 100 ml Witch Hazel in a spray bottle. Shake before application, spray on exposed skin and on the furniture around you or on your bag, table cloth etc.

Diffuse the oil – place the diffuser on your BBQ table. I would diffuse around 4 drops of the oil. You can mix with other oils such as Tea Tree (8 drops).

Alternatives: Tea Tree

Blends

doTERRA also offer a blend for repelling insects. You might like to check it out. Using the blend takes away all the decisions about blending of oils. Although, I tend to use this blend with a mix of Tea Tree and Lavender to make sure I make up a strong deterrent!

What Next?

If you are ready to enter the world of essential oils and you decide to go the doTERRA way, I would love to help you get started and support you if you want some help. Here is how you can do this: go to my doTERRA website to find out about the range of oil and oil based products available for purchase. You can also sign up to become a member on this site. Once signed up you can purchase oils for wholesale prices! But if you would like some more information click on the Contact Me on the doTERRA website and I will respond to your questions.

We hope you will join us at Helpful by Nature by subscribing to our email list. We would love to hear from you, take your questions and provide answers if we are able.

Until next time,

 

 

Gillian (and Andrew)