HOMEMADE BUG SPRAY

Homemade Bug Repellent – Essential Oil Blend: 

NOTE ON NATURAL FIXATIVES: Fixatives prolong the staying power of your essential oils by slowing down the evaporation process of the volatile oils, thereby increasing the duration of their effectiveness. 

Ingredients

• 20 drops Eucalyptus and/or Lemon Eucalyptus¹

• 20 drop Patchouli  [fixative & insect repellent]
• 15 drops Citronella
• 15 drops Rose Geranium  [essential for tick repelling]
• 10 drops Geranium
• 10 drops Lavender
• 10 drops Peppermint
• 10 drops Juniper
• 5 drops Vanilla OR 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract  [fixative & insect repellent]
• 1 Tablespoon organic Vodka, 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, or 70% Rubbing Alcohol
• ½ cup natural Witch Hazel
• ½ cup organic raw Apple Cider Vinegar or organic White Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of Vegetable Glycerin, Castor Oil, or Soybean Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Castile soap (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon Aloe Vera gel (optional)

Other essential oils to consider: Cajeput, Catnip (smells very bad),  Cedar, Clove, Coriander, Cypress, Fennel, Helichrysum, Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, Palmarosa, Pennyroyal, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Tea Tree, Thyme, Vetiver, Yarrow,  and Frankincense. 
Other fixatives to consider: Clary Sage, Coriander, Frankincense, Sandalwood, and Vetiver. 

Method
NOTES:  A small funnel is very helpful to prevent spills.  Make about 11 ounces.
1.  Pour Essential Oils in a 16-ounce glass bottle*.  
2.  Pour in Vodka or Alcohol.
       ►  Shake well to combine.
3.  Pour in Witch Hazel.
       ►  Shake well to combine..
4.  Pour in Vegetable Glycerin, Castor Oil, or Soybean Oil.
       ►  Shake well to combine.
5.  Pour in Vinegar of choice.                                                                                                                    ►  Shake well to combine.
6. Pour in Castile Soap and/or Aloe Vera, if using.                                                                        
        ►  Shake well to combine.
7. Pour final product into small bottles for portability and having one to share with a friend or two.  Use amber or blue colored spray bottles.  Use plastic bottles for taking to areas where glass is prohibited or for use by children.  Also 1-ounce bottles are great for day hikes. 
8. Store away from light and heat, especially direct sunlight.
9. Shake before each use as the oils and other liquids will naturally separate over time. 
         ► Spray some on your skin, hair, and clothes.  [I spray on my hands and rub on].
         ► Repeat about every hour or so.

Thanks for reading!  Peace & Love! ~ Tanya

*An old kombucha bottle works well, as it is large enough to allow for shaking, has a wide mouth, and has enough volume to prevent overflowing.  You can use a clear bottle for making your BUG SPRAY, as this is used only to prepare it and not store it.  As stated above, it is best to store in smaller blue or amber glass bottles.  Also do not overfill the sprayer bottles, as the sprayer will take up some room and you do not want any overflowing. 
NOTE TO SELF:  Geraniol oil (component of rose oil, palmarosa oil, citronella oil) is very effective at insect repelling. 
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¹Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil is not Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.  The latter is a refined product to be high in p-menthane 3,8-diol [PMD] - a highly effective mosquito repellent comparable to DEET, while Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil is significantly less effective.  Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is synthetically produced to have up to 65% PMD, but Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil has only about 2% PMD.
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References:
1. Borg-Karlson, A.-K. (2017). Essential oils of aromatic Egyptian plants repel nymphs of the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae). Experimental & Applied Acarology, 73(1), 139–157. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-017-0165-3
2. Tabanca N, Wang M, Avonto C, Chittiboyina AG, Parcher JF, Carroll JF, Kramer M, Khan IA. Bioactivity-guided investigation of germanium essential oils as natural tick repellants. J Agric Food Chem. 2013;61:4101–4107. doi: 10.1021/jf400246a.
3. Jaenson TGT, Garboui S, Pålsson K. Repellency of oils of lemon eucalyptus, geranium, and lavender and the mosquito repellent MyggA natural to Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory and field. J Med Entomol. 2006;43:731–736. doi: 10.1093/jmedent/43.4.731.
4. Maia, M. F., & Moore, S. J. (2011). Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing. Malaria Journal, 10(Suppl 1), S11. http://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-10-S1-S11