The Ultimate Natural Bug Spray made with pure essential oils and simple ingredients - that actually works! This DIY Natural Bug Spray can be made in just 5 minutes, is super easy, and life-changing! Who's ready to enjoy a bug-free, toxin-free summer?!
Cottage season has officially begun! Campfires + starry nights... = time to pull out the bug spray. Try this mixing up this easy DIY blend before your next trip to the cottage! Works well for repelling bugs, or soothing bites.

One thing to note with natural bug repellant, is that it works best if applied often (try hourly)! The good news is, there is no harm in re-applying, because these are all safe ingredients.
Most of us are familiar with the potential health risks & side effects of the synthetic chemicals used in most bug sprays on the market. A few common chemicals used as insect repellants are DEET, permethrin, pyrethroids, and cyfluthrin.
I did a quick search just now to see what some of the symptoms of using sprays containing these chemicals are....
Symptoms of swallowing sprays that contain pyrethrins are:
- Breathing difficulty
- Coughing
- Loss of alertness (stupor), from the blood oxygen level being out of balance
- Tremors (if a large amount is swallowed)
- Seizures (if a large amount is swallowed)
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting

Symptoms of using sprays that contain DEET:
- Hives
- Severe skin reactions
- Burning - ear nose and throat
- Stomach irritation
- Nausea/ Vomiting
- Insomnia
the list goes on....
Needless to say, THIS is why I never ever use conventional bug repellants, and always stick to making my own!

DIY Skincare Basics
What's really neat about using essential oils for ANY homemade cosmetics, cleaning products, air fresheners, or in this case - bug spray; is that you're actually promoting your health... rather than potentially causing terrible side effects from the synthetic and carcinogenic chemicals found in conventional bug spray.
Some of the essential oils used in this bug spray for example, would have the opposite effect that the chemicals found in conventional bug spray cause. Peppermint for example, is helpful as a carminative and antispasmodic when treating digestive discomfort.
You see what I'm saying? There shouldn't be a trade off - anything that goes on your body, should be good enough to go in your body!
Natural Bug Spray
Materials
- 50 ml witch hazel
- 50 ml water
- 10 drops peppermint
- 15 drops citronella
- 10 drops lemongrass
- 10 drops tea tree
Instructions
- Combine in a 100 ml spray bottle, and shake well!
Benefits of The Essential Oils In This Blend
Peppermint - Peppermint essential oil is one of the staples that I always keep in my natural first aid kit. One of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs, peppermint essential oil has a fresh aroma that is energizing to give you a renewed feeling of energy and clarity. Ticks, ants, mosquito, spiders, and even cockroaches don’t like peppermint oil.
Citronella - Of course you've likely heard of citronella candles before - but did you know that conventional candles are often loaded with toxins and synthetic scents?! Stick to the real deal, and try 100% pure citronella essential oil. It is one of the best known essential oils for repelling mosquitos. Citronella works by masking scents that we produce, which mosquitos are attracted to - lactic acid, blood, body odour, and carbon dioxide.
Lemongrass - Lemongrass essential oil is another great mosquito and bug repellant. You can include it in this natural bug spray, and try diffusing it outdoors with citronella when you're enjoying time on your outdoor patio. Some people will even plant lemongrass in their garden as it works to naturally repel bugs and insects.
Tea Tree - Tea tree essential oil (aka melaleuca) is well known as a bug repellant, but it's also especially beneficial to the skin. It helps to eliminate eliminate musky odors (making it a great bug spray) and includes the naturally occurring constituents terpinene4-ol, gamma terpinene, and alpha-terpinene. Tea tree reduces the appearance of blemishes, and helps maintain healthy-looking hair and scalp. When you use this essenital oil in your bug spray, you're getting so many additional benefits!
Other great bug repellant oils to try include: rosemary, lemon, and eucalyptus, cedarwood, geranium, spearmint, clove, and thyme.
Pure Essential Oils
Always make sure you’re using the most pure essential oils… After all, anything that goes on your body, should be good enough to go in your body. This is why I choose to use and share Young Living essential oils, over any other oil company – they are the most pure essential oils in the world! Read more about their Seed to Seal quality here.
To purchase these beautiful, 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils, visit my Get Started! and Essential Oils pages. Or, to start purchasing essential oils at 24% off retail right away, you can enroll for your Young Living wholesale account with this link: http://bit.ly/EnrollWithJasmine

Survival Journal says
I've heard a great deal about essential oils. They actually can do wonders for keeping mosquitoes away, that I know for sure.
Marie Rehg says
Great info. Thanks. Marie