All Natural Mosquito Repellent

The skin is our largest organ and absorbs whatever we put on it. That is why making an all natural mosquito repellent is very important to me!

I want something on our skin that is going to be beneficial for our bodies to be ingesting. I definitely do not want to be constantly spraying things on us that is just super chemically based.

You may have the same desire or simply have sensitive skin that cannot handle the synthetic repellents.

There is significant research to demonstrate that there is plant matter that naturally deters mosquitoes (and other bugs). Therefore, I have been making this all natural mosquito spray for the past two summers, and I got to say it works exceptionally well. This is how I make it.

Recipe for All Natural Mosquito Repellent

#1 Jojoba as the Base Oil

I find a bottle that had some other things in it before. Empty the bottle and wash it. 

Add in the base oil.

This can be any oil, but some are better than others. My first year, I only had olive oil so I used that and it worked just fine. 

This year I used Jojoba oil as my base oil. This is a great oil if you’re going to be putting it on your skin, because it soaks into the skin much quicker than for example olive oil that I was using before. It is also very good for your skin!

I’m pouring the Jojoba oil around 3/4 of the way into my bottle and then I add in essential oils the rest of the way.  

#2 Essential Oils that Repel Mosquitoes

Citronella

The number one essential oil for all kind of mosquito bug repellent things is Citronella. I actually love the smell of citronella, so I add in a bunch of drops. For a little bottle like this,  I start with 10 drops but it is totally customizable to whatever you think. You can make it how strong and potent you want. If this is your first time making such a mixture, I would start with 10 drops just as a base, and work out from there.

Eucalyptus Oil

Next, I am adding a similar amount of drops of eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil is another great essential oil that bugs do not like because it is quite strong to them. There’s lots of benefits to Eucalyptus, which is also a welcome addition to my skin and I would be happy to digest through my skin. 

Peppermint

Then I add some peppermint, which bugs really dislike. If you are a gardener, you know that this plant repels all kinds of pests from the garden very effectively. Therefore we are adding in some peppermint oil to deter them with this scent. 

Finally, put on the cap and give it a good shake. 

#3 Test the Scent

Now the big moment for me, is testing the repellent. I do this by taking off the cap and giving it a whiff. The aim is to have a scent that is really bold and almost a little overpowering for your nose. Then you know it’s really potent and will work really well. 

I did a little quick sample of spraying it onto my skin and then getting a whiff of what that smelled like. It was nice and potent, so this is a good mix.

#4 Apply – Multiple Times

When you are spending time outdoors or camping where there are mosquitoes, just give it a little shake and spray it directly onto your skin. We do this multiple times throughout the day. For our son, I am also spraying it directly onto his clothes to give an extra layer of protection. I have also read about people spraying repellent directly onto the outside of their tents. That is probably a good idea if you have lots of it, we are using our oil sparingly on our bodies and that worked fine for us.

Do Natural Mosquito Repellents Work?

I want to address that I have read in places that some say that “natural repellants do not work”. I wonder if it is because they are not making them strong enough? Whatever the case, we have found this to be very successful.

For our last camp trip and for the past two summers, this all natural mosquito repellent has saved us from mosquito bites. I am not talking about going into a drove of mosquitoes and not getting stung, I just mean regular camping where there are mosquitoes flying around and we don’t want to get stung.

For more information you can also read about other types of oils that deter mosquitoes here.