Fine Smelling and Safe Mosquito Repellents
Now that summer has officially arrived, nature is calling us outside. Whether our summer plans include baseball games and patio parties or strenuous hikes and rugged camping trips, we will certainly come into contact with one of the season’s more annoying features: insects. While our flying buddies certainly have their places in our ecosystems, mosquitoes, flies and ticks can be a real nuisance when it comes to lapping up the sunshine and warm breezes of summer. Luckily, we have an aromatherapy arsenal to ward off the most common bugs of the season.
For years the only insect repellent that was easy to come by was DEET, a powerful chemical that has been known to cause problems in children and pregnant women. Because DEET is so effective, and side-effects on adults are low or unknown, it is found in almost all mainstream insect repellents. Many consumers are wary of slathering this noxious-smelling chemical on their skin, however, knowing it will enter the blood stream and must be processed by the liver and other internal organs. If dealing with DEET doesn’t sound appealing this summer, get ready to learn about how essential oils can do the same job with none of the scary side effects.
To begin with, let’s consider a handful of the most powerful essential oils for warding off bugs. What’s the first one that comes to mind? Citronella, of course! This oil’s reputation truly precedes it. We’ve smelled it in patio candles and tiki torches, but the oil of this tropical grass can be mixed with other oils and applied to the skin as well. Its lemony smell rekindles memories of past summers, and insects detest it.
Citronella is not actually the best oil to use alone, however. Its power is magnified when it is combined with other essential oils, such as lemongrass, which it is related to, cedar wood, peppermint or geranium. Cedar wood, long-known for its ability to keep moths away from your wool sweaters, has a warm, pleasant scent that balances citronella’s astringent qualities. If you like the scent of peppermint, this affordable oil will also work beautifully with citronella and leave your environment smelling crisp and clean.
If you ask a gardener the number one plant to put in the garden to ward off flying insects, especially mosquitoes, the winner will most likely be the geranium. The geranium is tough, pretty and it smells great, but insects happen to dislike it. If you like the floral note of geranium, mix that with citronella. They are such perfect companions that a special species of plant, the citronella geranium, exists. Put that in your garden, and you can smell it from feet away!
Essential oils can be applied as a bug-control mechanism in one of two ways: atmospherically or topically. A diffuser or nebulizer is the most effective way to get these oils circulating in the air, ensuring insects don’t come near. One or more of the oils listed above can be atomized, providing you and your family the uplifting benefits of aromatherapy while simultaneously protecting you in a no-fly zone. Additionally, if you do not have a diffuser, simply take twenty drops of essential oil in a small bottle, fill the rest with water, and manually mist the area.
Occasionally, especially if you’re traipsing around outdoors, a topical application of essential oils becomes important. This recipe, which combines the best oils listed above, can be mixed and then put in a sunscreen, mister or a lotion: 0.5 milliliters of both geranium and lemongrass, 0.75 milliliters of cedar, 1 milliliter of peppermint and 3 milliliters of citronella. If you want to use this blend on pre-teens, divide the concentration in half before placing in a carrier. Cut this blend in half once more and leave out the peppermint if you are using it on toddlers. For infants, use a 1% concentration of lemongrass and/or citronella alone. As with all essential oils, the skin should be tested prior to extensive use on the body. If your body responds well, enjoy! Also, adding witch hazel, a naturally-occurring preservative, adds a cooling quality to your misting blend.
Studies in pest management with essential oils are yielding a lot of exciting and surprising new information. While we may already be familiar with the more common insect-controlling oils, such as citronella and lemongrass, other oils are being investigated for their efficacy as well. A study conducted at Seoul National University suggested fennel essential oil might also be useful in deterring mosquitoes. This pleasant oil is not as harsh smelling as citronella or lemongrass and is easy to find. Another oil that does not readily come to mind as a mosquito repellent, but definitely shows promise, is clove. A group of researchers at Mahidol University in Thailand found that clove oil, when rubbed full-strength on the skin, provided 100% effectiveness against mosquito bites over a 2-4 hour time span. This same study found patchouli oil was a great repellent as well, giving two hours of protection when used undiluted.
One oil that comes out way ahead of the pack in terms of effectiveness in fighting insects is catnip. A recent study by the DuPont Company found that this plant, also known as catmint, is the best essential oil defense out there in the struggle with insects. If used in a 15% concentration in a carrier, catnip can fight insects for 4 to 8 hours. Research has even demonstrated that catnip beats DEET in its ability to ward off bugs. The punch line, though, is this: catnip oil is pricey. If you want to see it at work, try it in small doses and confirm that your insect neighbors hate it and that your calico doesn’t lick your arm off.
Most likely, summer will not pass without a single bite, no matter how hard you try to prevent them. When you discover you’ve got a bite the size of a dime on your foot, don’t be discouraged. Both blue tansy and lavender oils are famous for their anti-itch qualities. Lavender oil is gentle enough to put right on the skin, immediately reducing the urge to scratch. Blue tansy can be mixed in a 2% concentration in carrier oils or creams and rubbed into the offending bite. Unlike the salmon-colored calamine lotion of days past, lavender and blue tansy smell wonderful to most people.
Your days of smelling like citronella, or DEET for that matter, are numbered. There are many complementary oils that work well when combined with the tried-and-true citronellas and lemongrasses, so don’t be afraid to blend. Scent certainly both arouses and deters almost every person, animal or bug on the planet, but research in pest management shows that aromatherapy has the tools to help us attract the things we love and repel those we don’t. With the number of applications available, such as diffusers, misters and carrier oils, we are better equipped to deal with summer’s woes. Why not try a different approach this year? And let your nose thank you.
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