When we made the switch to all-natural products, one of the things most frequently requested by my family and readers was a recipe for all-natural bug spray that actually works. I mixed this up a few weeks ago, and then it got cold again, so I didn’t get to try it for a while. Last week, I went out to mow just before dusk. After only a few minutes, I was getting bombarded by mosquitoes, so I applied my bug spray and headed back out. I immediately noticed a difference! The mosquitoes were leaving me alone. I’ve used it a couple times since then, and I still love it.

You’ll need an 8-oz. glass spray bottle, preferably cobalt or amber. Not sure where to get one? See this post.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup filtered water*
• 1/3 cup witch hazel or vodka (improves dispersion when spraying; I always use vodka)
• 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerine
• 6 drops each essential oils: peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, eucalyptus, geranium, cedarwood, melaleuca

To make, simply add all ingredients to your bottle, and shake. Be sure to shake before each use, as it may separate a bit. Do not spray directly on your face. Instead, spray into your hands and rub on face and ears.

*The recipe as-is works great if you’re wearing long sleeves and pants and are spraying the repellent on your clothing. If your skin is exposed, it won’t last long and will thus require frequent reapplication. For skin spray, replace half (or more) of the water in the recipe with fractionated coconut oil.

^Because this spray is all-natural, you may find you need to reapply it more often.