Natural repellants - what will protect you from annoying insects?
Light, heat, humidity, and body odor. These are things that insects find hard to resist. Some of us are even like magnets for mosquitoes. If you're tired of itching, bites, and swelling, let’s take a look at natural ingredients that can be very useful in your summer care routine.
Pros and Cons of DEET Repellents
Certain types of insects are attracted by sweat and bacteria, others by carbon dioxide or a specific skin scent. DEET, found in many common repellents, reliably repels insects. However, it is important to know that it may not be the ideal choice for everyday use and is not environmentally friendly.
If you're traveling to areas where insects transmit serious diseases, then a classic repellent with DEET is appropriate. But if you’re staying home, hiking, working in the garden, or spending your summer by the water, it's worth trying natural alternatives.
Pros and Cons of Natural Repellents
Natural insect repellents are often a suitable choice for those who want a gentler approach. They are often used by people with sensitive skin, parents making preparations for children, or those who do not want to use classic repellents daily.
However, it is important to remember that natural repellents generally do not last as long as regular drugstore repellents. Therefore, it's important to reapply them, especially when sweating, swimming, or being in direct sunlight. Heat and sun speed up the evaporation of aromatic substances.
Most natural repellent ingredients are essential oils or strongly aromatic plant oils. These always need to be diluted. Undiluted essential oils can irritate the skin.
Natural Repellents in Practice: How and What to Dilute With?
Natural Repellent Spray
If you want a spray repellent, you can combine essential oils with floral water, a hydrosol, or plain water. Witch hazel water is a good choice as it has a mild astringent and pure character on its own.
However, oil and water do not mix on their own. It’s useful to use a substance that helps disperse the essential oils evenly in water. This ensures that a concentrated drop of oil does not end up on the skin, but a gently dispersed blend.
Solubol is a natural, alcohol-free solubilizer with a very gentle scent. It is great for water-based sprays as it helps disperse essential oils in the water phase. A proven ratio is 1 part essential oil to 4 parts Solubol. First mix the essential oil with Solubol, then add the blend to water or hydrosol.
Oil-Based Repellent
If you prefer an oil or butter consistency, blend your chosen essential oils in a carrier plant oil or plant butter. Sunflower, coconut, almond, or jojoba oil work well. Such a repellent can be gently massaged into the skin and will stay on longer than a light water spray.
Lemon eucalyptus essential oil is one of the best-known natural repellent ingredients. It has a fresh citrus aroma with an herbal note and contains compounds that mosquitoes and other insects dislike.
What to Do With It?
Mix 5 ml lemon eucalyptus essential oil with 100 ml sunflower oil. If you want a spray version, use Solubol to disperse the mixture in water or witch hazel hydrosol. Reapply regularly, ideally at least every two hours. Do not use for children under 3 years old.
Lavender is a staple in home cosmetics. Its flowers and essential oil have a delicate herbal-floral scent beloved by people, but not by mosquitoes. It’s also useful after a bite when the skin needs to be soothed.
What to Do With It?
You can grow lavender in a pot on your windowsill, by the terrace, or in a bed near your seating area. Gently rub fresh flowers and apply them to spots mosquitoes often target – ankles, neck, or wrists. You can add lavender essential oil to oil-based repellents, balms, or sprays.
Thyme has a strong herbal scent and is very potent in natural blends. It is an ingredient to be used sparingly and with respect. It adds an intense herbal note to repellent recipes.
What to Do With It?
Sitting by a fire, you can throw a sprig of thyme into the firepit. The aroma will disperse and make for a more pleasant evening outdoors.
For homemade thyme repellent, mix 4 drops of thyme essential oil with a teaspoon of carrier oil, such as olive or jojoba. For a spray, mix 6 drops of thyme oil with 24 drops of Solubol and add to 60 ml hydrosol or water.
Citronella is a classic of summer evenings. We know it from candles, garden lamps, and natural repellent blends. It has a fresh citrus-herbal scent, great for sprays, candles, and diffusers.
However, it’s important to note that citronella evaporates rather quickly. If used in a repellent, you should reapply it, ideally about once an hour.
What to Do With It?
Make citronella candles for your terrace or balcony. You can add citronella to aroma lamps, diffusers, room sprays, or your own homemade repellent blend.
Tea tree oil has a potent herbal, clean, and slightly camphor aroma. It’s commonly used in home cosmetics as it smells fresh and fits perfectly into summer care, cleanliness, and refreshing blends.
What to Do With It?
Add tea tree to repellent sprays, cleansing blends, or oil-based products. It mixes well with lavender, lemon eucalyptus, citronella, and geranium. Always use it diluted.
Geranium (pelargonium) has a floral, slightly rosy, and green fragrance. It contains aromatic compounds often used in repellent blends. It also softens sharper tones of tea tree, thyme, or citronella in recipes.
What to Do With It?
Decorate your windows with pelargoniums and use geranium essential oil in lamps, diffusers, or homemade repellent blends. Mix it in almond oil and apply it to the skin, always properly diluted. If making a natural repellent, geranium is one ingredient worth adding.
Clove has a strong, spicy, and notably warm scent. It suits repellent blends, but should be used sparingly. Clove oil is very concentrated and should only be applied well diluted on the skin.
What to Do With It?
You can use clove oil in an aroma lamp, candles, or repellent blends. If you want to apply it to the skin, always thoroughly dilute it in a carrier oil or disperse it in a water base using a solubilizer. Very little is needed in recipes.
Cinnamon is not just for apple pie. Its oil has a distinct, warm, and spicy aroma best suited for room blends, candles, and sprays for fabrics. Use it very carefully and at a low dilution on the skin.
What to Do With It?
Cinnamon oil is potent and can irritate the skin when concentrated. For a spray, mix about 25 drops of cinnamon oil with a teaspoon of Solubol, then dilute in 120 ml floral or distilled water. Use the spray more for clothing, textiles, upholstered furniture, or as a room spray.
Neem oil is a powerful ingredient with a typical, unmistakable aroma. Not everyone likes its scent, but precisely this strong aroma is why it so often features in natural insect blends. It is a staple in oil-based repellents.
What to Do With It?
Add neem oil to any oil-based repellent or to a skin care balm. If its aroma is too strong for you, blend it with essential oils like lavender, geranium, citronella, or lemon eucalyptus.
What to Watch Out For
Never use essential oils undiluted on your skin unless you are certain of their safe use. Always dilute them in a carrier oil, butter, or appropriate solubilizer. As a guideline, stick to low concentrations, e.g., 3 to 5 drops of essential oil per 30 ml carrier oil.
Natural repellents are not a suitable replacement when traveling to areas where insects carry serious diseases. In such cases, it is safer to use a proven repellent intended for those conditions.
Essential oils can cause allergic reactions. Always test any new product on a small patch of skin first, and wait at least one to two hours. If there is burning, itching, or redness, do not use the product.
Takeaways
Natural repellents are a pleasant way to return to simple ingredients and better understand what you're putting on your skin. They're not all-powerful and require reapplication, but for everyday outdoor summer use, they can be a valuable aid.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations. For a fresh spray, reach for lemon eucalyptus, citronella, and mint or witch hazel water. For a gentler oil blend, try lavender, geranium, and a bit of neem oil. The act of creating is as important as the result – gradually you'll learn what you like and what keeps mosquitoes away from your body.
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