Description
Keep mosquitoes at bay this fall! This Homemade Mosquito Repellent is made with clean, nourishing ingredients and pure essential oils—no harmful chemicals—just gentle, effective protection. It soothes as it shields, leaving your skin soft, nourished, and bite-free.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons jojoba oil (or use a combination with olive oil, coconut oil, or a small amount of castor oil)
- 3 tablespoons tallow (shea butter or cocoa butter)
- 3 tablespoons (19 grams) beeswax (or carnauba wax) *see notes
- 20 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil (see notes for description)
- 10 drops each: lavender oil, rosemary, and cedarwood essential oils
- 5 drops each of lemongrass and citronella essential oils
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil (optional but nice)
Instructions
- Grate your beeswax if using a block.
- Melt the base: Combine jojoba oil, tallow, and beeswax in a heat-safe glass jar or bowl. Set it over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method). Stir occasionally until fully melted.
- Remove from heat once it is just melted and smooth.
- Let cool briefly for a few minutes- not too long. (If it does start to solidify, just stick back on the pot of water.) Stir in the essential oils mixing thoroughly to evenly distribute throughout.
- Immediately pour the liquid balm into tins or jars. Allow to cool at room tempurature until firm.
- To use: press in with your finger allow your finger to warm the balm and apply a thin layer to all exposed skin.
Notes
Lemon Eucalyptus is a specific plant species. Do not combine eucalyptus oil and lemon oil- it is not the same thing. Lemon eucalyptus essential oil contains para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), which effectively masks the human scents that attract mosquitoes, making it significantly more challenging for them to locate us.
Lemon eucalyptus essential oil is equivalent to lemon eucalyptus oil (OLE) in terms of repelling mosquitoes. Both terms refer to the same oil derived from the leaves of the lemon eucalyptus tree, which contains the active compound PMD that provides effective mosquito-repelling properties. The lemon eucalyptus refined oil (citriodiol or OLE) will last up to 6 hours. Whereas the natural essential oil should be reapplied every hour.
Traditionally, citronella and lemongrass are important in repellents but can irritate the skin, especially in large amounts. We use a low dose, but you can increase it for stronger protection if you’re okay with it. Always mix with a carrier oil; never apply these oils directly.
Other essential oils that are use for repellent: cinnamon oil, tea tree oil, geranium oil
Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Beeswax: block versus granules. I prefer to grate my own from a block – the scent is heavenly, as it is usually unrefined. Beeswax granules or pastilles are refined, have less of a scent, they are easier to measure and melt quickly.
You can also make lotion bars. Simply pour the ingredients into molds and let them harden. Store the bars in tins or containers of choice.