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I’m one of those people who can literally sit on a patio with a citronella candle between my ankles and STILL get eaten up by mosquitoes! No matter what I have tried---candles, those fancy “bug lanterns,” the petroleum-based oil torches or just covering up in layers, those little jerks always find me. Then, in about two days, I’m covered in ugly, itchy red welts. This summer, I decided that it was high time that I faced, and beat, my nemesis so I began looking for a solution that really works.
Since I have successfully made lotions, soap, shampoo, conditioner and a number of facial products, I decided to check out my trusted sources in the hopes that there would be information on mosquito repellent. It wasn't too long before I stumbled across this post on the SoapQueen.com website. In it, Anne Marie explains how she came up with two recipes for natural bug repellent using essential oils. I already had some essential oils in my soaping stash but not the catnip essential oil, which is used in the “stronger” recipe so I ordered it from Brambleberry.com. Now, this essential oil isn't cheap, but you only need a little bit. I was desperate for a solution so I gladly parted with $10 for .8 ounce. Anne Marie makes it really easy if you don’t have the ingredients. One click of your mouse puts all the needed items in your cart for quick check out online and in a matter of just days, the ingredients for your very own natural bug spray arrive at your door!
I admit that I did tweak the recipe a little bit as I did not have enough citronella essential oil (I just used more catnip). This recipe made enough for me to halfway (or so) fill two 6 ounce spray bottles, one of which I gave to my stepson and his girlfriend to take to the beach (a place notorious for vicious mosquitoes). This recipe is enough to take most people through the summer but not so expensive that you can’t easily (and inexpensively) make another batch.
The big question though---does it work? You bet your bug bitten butt it does! Tested in both the buggy Outer Banks of North Carolina and the humid, bug-ridden forests of Virginia, this recipe gets a big 5 stars!!! So for those of you who want a more natural, less chemical-ly bug repellent alternative, get yourselves over to SoapQueen and check out the tutorials. You can thank me later!!!
Ages of Beauty rating: *****
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