Essential Oil Mosquito + No-See-Um Bug Repellent (Minimalist Recipe)
Arriving in the South of France during the warm autumn revealed something vital. I needed an essential oil mosquito (and no-see-um) bug repellent recipe that would work.
The buzzing I heard in the middle of the first night alerted me. The itching I felt the following morning confirmed it. I’d forgotten to prepare for the unseasonably warm weather.
Air conditioning and window screens are often beautifully absent in Europe, with indoor temperatures typically managed by opening windows throughout the day and night.
This can last from spring through summer and into autumn.
It’s wonderful to rely on nature to cool us like this, yet it’s also how mosquitoes and no-see-ums make their way indoors. And they exist outdoors, too, where we roam.
Since I react allergically to bug bites and don’t want to spend half the year coated in chemicals, I was determined to find a homemade DIY natural bug repellent recipe that…
truly works (repels biting bugs, especially mosquitos + no-see-ums)
uses minimal ingredients that are easy to find nearly everywhere one travels
is easy to mix, apply, and carry
Wait, Why Not Just Buy a Mass-Produced “Natural” Bug Repellent?
In the past, I’ve packed mass-produced natural bug repellents in my bag. But the following challenges occur while traveling…
bug repellents eventually run out
it’s hard to find mass-produced natural bug repellents that reliably work
if I find a natural repellent that works well, it’s hard to find it a second time (even in Europe)
also, many mass-produced natural bug repellents…
do not always contain ingredients as natural as they could be
can be unpleasant to use (smelly, sticky, gooey, leave stains)
often utilize single-use plastic packaging
are often expensive
Ultimately, it’s not been as sustainable to buy mass-produced natural bug repellents. That said, I’m grateful to buy them if they’re my only choice.
Why Choose Essential Oils to Repel Bugs?
I wanted to use essential oils in my natural bug repellent for several reasons…
Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Library of Medicine (NLM) seemed to reveal how essential oils appear to repel mosquitoes.
“Plant-based repellents have been applied for generations in traditional practice as a personal protection approach against different species of Anopheles. Knowledge of traditional repellent plants is a significant resource for the development of new natural products as an alternative to chemical repellents.
“Many studies have reported evidence of repellant activities of plant extracts or essential oils against malaria vectors worldwide. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of plant-based repellents against Anopheles mosquitoes.
“All eligible studies on the repellency effects of plants against Anopheles mosquitoes published up to July 2018 were systematically searched through PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Google scholar databases. Outcomes measures were percentage repellency and protection time.
“A total of 62 trials met the inclusion criteria.
“The highest repellency effect was identified from Ligusticum sinense extract, followed by citronella, pine, Dalbergia sissoo, peppermint and Rhizophora mucronata oils with complete protection time ranging from 9.1 to 11.5 h.
“Furthermore, essential oils from plants such as lavender, camphor, catnip, geranium, jasmine, broad-leaved eucalyptus, lemongrass, lemon-scented eucalyptus, amyris, narrow-leaved eucalyptus, carotin, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon oil, juniper, cajeput, soya bean, rosemary, niaouli, olive, tagetes, violet, sandalwood, litsea, galbanum, and Curcuma longa also showed good repellency with 8 h complete repellency against different species of Anopheles.
“Essential oils and extracts of some plants could be formulated for the development of eco-friendly repellents against Anopheles species. Plant oils may serve as suitable alternatives to synthetic repellents in the future as they are relatively safe, inexpensive, and are readily available in many parts of the world.”
“A eucalyptus-based insect repellent (PMD) was evaluated against Culicoides impunctatus in Scotland in comparison with deet. In human landing catches, both repellents still afforded 98% protection from biting 8 h after application of 0.5 ml to the forearm. A second trial looking at protection between 8 and 10 h after repellent application showed 99.5% protection for PMD and 97% for deet as compared with controls.”
It was important to me to use ingredients from nature—in a form that transports easily in a checked or carry-on bag…
ingredients from organically grown plants (chemical-free/climate-friendly)
concentrated (a little goes a long way; no flower/seed/plant, no customs issues)
packaged in small glass bottles (less plastic; more sustainable; minimal in size)
Are Essential Oils Safe to Use?
It’s my nature to wonder about the pros and cons of everything, especially since we each have to assess whether we think something is safe. So I found the following publication links, which helped me think through essential oil safety…
Given my unique circumstances, those publications helped me feel comfortable about using essential oils in my bug repellent, especially since…
I cover up when I’m out in the elements
I only use it externally (mostly on my clothing, some skin)
I keep the oil concentration low
I’m not pregnant
I don’t have children
I don’t have pets
Which Liquid Should Be Used as the Bug Repellent Base?
One of the most common base/carrier liquids found in natural DIY bug sprays seems to be witch hazel water (Hamamelis Virginiana). But what does the data say about witch hazel?
generally touted as an “‘all-around astringent’” to relieve inflammation, reduce irritation (insect bites, poison ivy, acne, scalp sensitivity), protect against skin damage, and ward off infection
“witch hazel phenolics protected red blood cells from free radical-induced hemolysis and … inhibited the proliferation of tumoral SK-Mel 28 melanoma cells”
“Hamamelis Virginiana has long been used in the traditional treatment of skin diseases … there are few controlled clinical studies defining the extent of its anti-inflammatory action … the anti-inflammatory efficacy of pH5 Eucerin aftersun lotion with 10% hamamelis distillate … tested in 30 healthy volunteers using a modified UVB erythema test as model of inflammation … data provide evidence for anti-inflammatory action of the aftersun lotion with 10% hamamelis…”
“In 40 volunteers the efficacy of three lotions with 10% hamamelis distillates from different suppliers … anti-inflammatory effect was noted for all three hamamelis lotions … A significantly greater suppression of erythema than seen with the vehicles was noted for one of the hamamelis lotions at 1.4 MED”
“Although witch hazel contains a known cancer-causing ingredient, there's likely no need for concern unless you regularly use high concentrations. The amounts are very small.”
Yet that was the only data I could find on witch hazel.
I was already using witch hazel occasionally (for rosacea), making sure it was pure Hamamelis Virginiana—without added oils/ingredients.
I was also already heeding this advice.
I knew how pure witch hazel smells and how clean it feels before and after application. I also knew this kind of pure witch hazel did not leave a stinky or sticky residue behind.
I initially thought it might be okay to try witch hazel as my bug spray base because I mostly spray bug repellent on my clothing and just a small amount on exposed skin.
But why not try water, instead, and just shake well before each use?
What About Using Listerine, Vinegar, Rubbing Alcohol, or Vodka?
When I began researching DIY bug repellent sprays, some recipes called for Listerine, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and vodka to be used as part of the base/carrier liquid.
However, I find Listerine, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and vodka a bit too smelly or sticky to use. I also wasn’t sure how safe these ingredients might be as a base/carrier.
Then, as I was riding in an auto while abroad, I opened a tiny glass bottle of vodka (to attempt a DIY bug repellent recipe), quickly realizing that vodka could become an open container issue.
In addition, I wasn’t already using any of those products above in my toiletry kit, so choosing one would mean packing an extra product.
I really wanted to keep this recipe as minimal as possible for easy transport and easy refills.
Narrowing Down the Essential Oils
The research above seemed to reveal a wide variety of essential oils that might repel bugs. Yet, wanting to keep things as minimal as possible, it looked like…
the common lemongrass and eucalyptus essential oils might accomplish most tasks
adding tea tree oil might also allow this bug spray to potentially double as an antimicrobial/antibacterial hand spray
“A wealth of in vitro data now supports the long-held beliefs that TTO has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties … there is still a lack of clinical evidence demonstrating efficacy against bacterial, fungal, or viral infections … large randomized clinical trials are now required to cement a place for TTO as a topical medicinal agent.”
“While most bacteria are susceptible to TTO at concentrations of 1.0% or less, MICs in excess of 2% have been reported for organisms such as commensal skin staphylococci and micrococci, Enterococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa … TTO is for the most part bactericidal in nature, although it may be bacteriostatic at lower concentrations”
“The efficacy of formulations containing tea tree oil (TTO) … was investigated and compared with that of a non-medicated soft soap (SS, control) … assessed against Escherichia coli K12 … 5% TTO in Tween 80 and the AHSW were significantly more active than the SS after 1 min of handwashing … also significantly more active than the reference soap after 1 min of rubbing … 5% TTO in Tween 80 was generally, although not always, more active than a handwash formulation, and that the AHSW was generally more active than the HSW … formulations tested, as well as the SS, were more active when assessed in vivo than ex-vivo against E. coli, although only the SS and the HSW were significantly more active in vivo … the main outcome of the European handwashing method is for the formulation tested to be significantly more active than the SS; both 5% TTO in Tween 80 and the AHSW achieved this both in-vivo and ex-vivo … TTO in Tween 80 and in formulations met the European in-vivo method requirements.”
My Essential Oil Mosquito + No-See-Um Bug Repellent (Minimalist Recipe)
Once I knew the ingredients I wanted to use in my mosquito and no-see-um bug repellent recipe, I searched the internet for DIY bug repellent recipes that used these ingredients. I thought it would help to see how others are doing this. However, the online recipes included quite a few additional ingredients or methods that didn’t resonate with me. So, ultimately…
I added the following to a 4oz dark glass bottle…
6 drops organic eucalyptus pure essential oil
6 drops organic lemongrass pure essential oil
6 drops organic tea tree pure essential oil
filled the rest of the glass bottle with water
Well, initially, I used witch hazel as the base, shook the bug repellent well before each use, and sprayed a light mist on my hat, clothes, and my little bit of exposed skin, including ankles and feet. In heavy mosquito areas, I shook and reapplied lightly as needed.
I also applied it before bed, so any biting bugs in our lodging would stay away from me all night. And they did. This minimalist recipe repelled all mosquitoes, all no-see-ums, and any other biting bugs we encountered in the South of France.
But I’m so grateful to have switched to water as the base (not witch hazel). Using water as the base and shaking the repellent well before each use makes it work just as reliably for me—plus it's now a simpler, cleaner, and more affordable product.