What’s All The Buzz All About?
It’s that time of year again. The weather is warmer, you’re outside so much more, and many of your evening activities are starting to be outdoors as well. Those bugs are going to be coming atcha full force and your want to be sure to protect yourself and your skin.
There’s so many different types of bug sprays out there, and it can be overwhelming and expensive to try and figure out which ones are going to work the best. Throughout the years I think I’ve tried just about all of them. It got a little tricky when my kids were babies because there’s so many ingredients out there that are not safe for the little ones. Through my own self trials and sage advice from good friends, I was able to finally arrive at several great brands that not only work extremely well, but are safe for kids and babies to use. Another path to go on the bug spray journey is using essential oils to make your own bug repellant. I’m a huge fan. When my kids were babies, I started doing this – and it was actually really fun to do, they smelled great, and the outcome is completely safe for all ages to use. I again tried so many different essential oil recipes and through trials and tribulations I have fine tuned a couple mixtures that have been proven to work so well for us. I was recently introduced to a new recipe – and knowing what I have learned in the past, what scents work well etc – I knew it would be a winner….and it is! It works so well and smells AH-mazing! So keep reading. I’m sharing my top 3 store bought bug sprays and top 3 essential oil bug repellent blends that work extremely well for us!
Top 3 Store Bought Brands
Nantucket Spider – I was first introduced to this gem by a good friend in town who really knows her stuff, so I knew I could trust her judgement (I’m talking about you, Kristen!). All the ingredients are basically essential oils and are safe for all ages, and it’s gentle on clothing as well. It sprays on nicely and cleanly and it smells so good! We use it all season long and it keeps the mosquitoes especially at bay. I feel this brand is the best I’ve used for a tick repellant as well. Of course you should always do a tick check every night, but so far so good with us using this one. My kids often play in the woods behind our house and I have been so pleased with the tick repellant agents. Another quick little plus is the locking system on this spray bottle – it actually works great and will never leak out if you have it in your bag. The little things count too, right? You can purchase this brand at Whole Foods Market, or on Amazon here
All Terrain Kids Herbal Armor – This brand has worked very well repelling almost all the bugs for us; but, I have found a tick on one of my kids after a long day playing outdoors using this one. So, it could be just one of those things, but I always remember that when I apply this. The ingredients are gentle and safe for the whole family. This actually sprays on nicely and evenly, it doesn’t come out full force. It smells nice, but not as nice as the Nantucket Spider (it’s those essential oils – they are just lovely!) Again, this works super well for mosquitoes especially, but something to keep in mind if you’re in a heavily wooded area, you might want to use another brand that day. You can purchase on Amazon as well here.
Jason – Quit Bugging Me – I think I’ve been using this brand off and on ever since I became a mom. I remember buying my first bottle at Target. When I use this, I can actually see bugs flying off to the side of my kids and not actually on or on top of them. So there’s definitely something in here that they don’t like and stay away from. Again, I don’t feel this is the number one brand for a tick repellent (that’s Nantucket Spider in my experience), it works best for those frustrating little flying bugs that really come at you in the evenings. The spray comes out soft and smoothly and the lock always works well and won’t leak in your bag. You can purchase online as well here.
Top 3 Essential Oil Bug Repellents and How to Make Them Yourself
Alright, here we go. I’m a big fan of using essential oils for many reasons for many different things. Making your own bug repellant is just one of them. I have always used doTerra Essential Oils so I’m a fan of those; and I was recently introduced by a friend to Young Living Essential Oils – another wonderful line. You can also purchase essential oils at Whole Foods Market or online. I always make my blends using a carrier oil. A carrier oil dilutes the essential oils when using them on the skin. These carrier oils are neutral and compliment the essential oils. My favorite carrier oil I like to use is doTerra’s Fractioned Coconut Oil.
A few other great ones are: Olive oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, avocado oil and grapeseed oil.
Ok, back to the essential oils. Bugs are naturally deterred by several different scents. A few big one’s are:
Lavender – An all-purpose insect repellent. It performs well as a tick deterrent, as well as preventing tick eggs from hatching. It smells wonderful!
Geranium – A very potent repellent to ticks especially, as well as all insects.
Eucalyptus – A great overall bug repellent, but use caution around pets.
Cedarwood – This scent can actually be toxic to ticks, it interrupts their movement and their feeding.
I always use a glass container to store my blends. I’m a big fan of these cute little roll-on bottles. One of my kids really does not like a spray being applied to him, so using a little roll-on is something he can even do easily by himself.
They are just the right size to stick in your pocket for easy travel when you are out and about with the kids. You don’t need to print out a fancy little label like I did above, a simple sharpie will do just fine to write what your bottle contains. You can purchase these roll-on bottles here.
Now without further a do, here are my top 3 favorite bug repellent blends:
1. This one is especially great as a tick repellent. We’ve been on hikes throughout the woods, exploring, using this blend, and the ticks have stayed away! And no shocker here, but it smells amazing!
*Fill half a bottle with carrier oil
*geranium – 12 drops
*cedarwood – 8 drops
*lavender – 5 drops
*eucalyptus – 3 drops
*lemongrass or citronella – 3 drops
Shake well and roll on!
2. A friend of mine, Simone, runs her own side business for the line I mentioned above – Young Living Essential Oils. She’s incredibly knowledgable and passionate about all the positive ways you can use essential oils. She is the one who recently gave me that great bug repellent recipe I mentioned in my video. If you’d like to learn more about her and the great things you can do for yourself using essential oils, you can follow her on instagram @essentially.simone She’s a wonderful resource and will walk you through how to use your essential oils properly every step of the way. Below is that amazing recipe. I’ve been using this in the evenings – when it’s very buggy out – on my kids, and it works so well, smells great, I’m just so pleased!
*Fill half a bottle with carrier oil (Simone uses witch hazel, also a great option!)
*cirtonella – 10 drops
*cedarwood – 12 drops
*geranium – 12 drops
Shake well, roll on!
3. This one I have been using for years, an old faithful all purpose bug repellent, using primarily doTerra essential oils:
*Fill half a bottle with carrier oil
*Terra shield – 10 drops
*lavender – 10 drops
*peppermint – 8 drops
* purify – 3 drops
*lemon – 3 drops
*on guard – 3 drops
Shake well and roll on!
All of the above bug repellent blends that are combined with a carrier oil are safe to use on kids and babies – I’ve been using them on mine for years and they are very gentle on young skin.
I hope this information is useful for you! These are what have proven to work really well for me and my family. Try some out for yourself, see what works for you. When it comes to buying a decent bug spray or purchasing some essential oils to make your own – I feel it’s worth the little extra money and effort to have that piece of mind that the ingredients are safe and gentle, yet effective. I hope this gives you a little guidance and a starting point.
I’m grateful I have a great network of friends who were able to guide me towards what works well for my family! Thank you!