Yield:
4 ouncesCombine all the ingredients in a sterilized pump bottle. Shake before each use. This unisex blend
can be used as an aftershave splash as well.
Green Bug Repellants
Organic living means avoiding pesticides in your food. So why would you want to spray them on
your skin? Millions of people do just that in an attempt to keep mosquitoes and other bugs at bay.
Ironically, the result of this spraying is that the pests themselves are becoming more resistant, and we
are required to cover ourselves in ever-stronger chemicals to counteract them.
There are dozens of natural mosquito and bug repellant recipes. Some recommend boiling garlic in
mineral oil and diluting it with dishwasher liquid—hardly green and hardly pleasant to use! Some
people prefer to use plain rubbing alcohol or pure lavender oil, but I would not recommend indulging
in lavender due to its potential hormone-disrupting effects. Neem (Azadirachta indica) oil blended
with coconut or jojoba oil in equal proportions makes a traditional Indian insect repellant. Catnip,
thyme, and amyris essential oils have been reported to be more effective in warding off mosquitoes
and other nasties than DEET, the widely used chemical insect repellent (Zhu et al. 2006).
I have found that citronella, also known as lemongrass, naturally keeps the mosquitoes away when
planted in the backyard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers citronella oil a safe
and natural insect repellent, a “biopesticide with a nontoxic mode of action.”What else can you wish
for? You can rub citronella leaves and stalks directly on skin, and the effect lasts for about five hours.
Green Chai Mosquito Guard
2 cups grain alcohol
20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops citronella essential oil
10 drops thyme essential oil
10 drops catnip essential oil
Yield:
4 ouncesThe following recipe repels even the most fanatical bugs.
Blend all the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake well, and spray on exposed skin and clothing
frequently, avoiding the eye area.
If you substitute grain alcohol for 1 ounce of grape seed or any other unscented oil, you can also