Natural Insect Repellent and Itchy Bite Relievers That Really Works

Repellent spray and stick on the left; itch relief ointment and stick on the right

Repellent spray and stick on the left; itch relief ointment and stick on the right


I love to be outside. During the long, hot, late Spring/Summer/early Fall months of Texas, the best time to be out is in the early dewy morning and early evening, the same time the mosquitoes are most active. I’ve never fully enjoyed the outdoors during those times as I have been cast as the human mosquito lure most of my life. Funny thing is those standing next to me never seem to get bit. Well that was true until about a decade ago when I stumbled on a citronella based repellent (can’t remember which one). If you have never been a believer in the healing power of herbs, an effective bug repellent based on herb essential oils will surely change that! Since then, I have experimented with many essential oils and found that there are three must-haves for all my pesky bug needs: citronella and peppermint for repelling and camphor for relief.

The other ingredients I use are witch hazel extract, soybean oil, lanolin, and beeswax, some of which have healing properties but in these recipes, they are used as the carrier or base for the essential oils. It is a matter of preference as to the type of product you’re going for – a cooling spray, a convenient stick, or a soothing cream. Using essential oil based bug repellent works great and makes me feel better about the amount of repellent I use regularly on myself and my kids. These recipes are very easy to make and last all season, probably longer but I usually just start over every year; there are no oil and water emulsions to mess with. I’m also entering this post in the Mountain Rose Herbs recipe contest – medicinal.

Bug repellent spray

This spray has a cooling effect but it doesn’t last long and must be applied often.
Ingredients by weight:

Fill a spray bottle with witch hazel extract. For a diluted version, use equal parts witch hazel extract and water. Add one drop each of the citronella and peppermint essential oil for each fl oz of liquid.

Bug repellent stick – makes approx. 2 oz

Ingredients by weight:

Heat oil and beeswax in a microwave or water bath until dissolved. Add essential oils. Pour into stick tube and refrigerate about 5 minutes to let it set. Let sit at room temperature until fully set, at least an hour.

Bug bite relief ointment – makes approx. 2 oz

Ingredients by weight:

Heat beeswax, lanolin, and oil in a microwave or water bath until dissolved. Add camphor. Let cool. Blend with a stick blender and store in a jar. Alternative: omit lanolin and use 1.7 oz soybean oil.

Bug bite relief stick – makes approx. 2 oz

Ingredients by weight:

Heat lanolin and beeswax in a microwave or water bath until dissolved. Add camphor. Pour into stick tube and refrigerate about 5 minutes to let it set. Let sit at room temperature until fully set, at least an hour. Alternative: Use 0.5 oz beeswax and 1.5 oz soybean oil and omit lanolin.

Additional Notes:

  • In the U.S, the FDA approves camphor for over-the-counter external analgesic drug products at concentrations of 0.1% to 3%. As a pain reliever and mild anesthetic, the FDA approves camphor at concentrations of 3% to 11%. So if the product is labeled as an anti-itch ointment such as Blue Star, you will see camphor listed as the active ingredient at 3% or less but if the product is labeled as a sore muscle rub like Badger and Tiger Balm, then camphor is listed at greater than 3%. These recipes contain 2% camphor. I’ve included this note here to show that you can use more camphor.
  • You can substitute any carrier oil that is liquid at room temperature for the soybean oil.
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