Prevent Bug Bites with 4 Essential Oils for Mosquitos and Ticks

How to Use Essential Oils for Mosquitos and Ticks: Protect Your Skin and Get Back Outside!

When I say "essential oils for mosquitos, "I really mean repelling them! (Mosquitos don't actually like to use essential oils, in my experience!)

This blend is made in a base of natural lotion.

You can use any natural, unscented lotion that you like. Aromatics International online sells a beautiful lotion.

You'll also need a 2 oz (60 ml) glass jar.

And here are the 4 essential oils for mosquitos and ticks that I'm using!

• Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana)

• Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin)

• Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii var. motia)

• Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

Mosquitos and ticks—not to mention other pesky bugs—do not like the scents of these essential oils at all! And yet they are gentle for skin, especially when we stir them into the lotion.

We use Cedarwood in our closets for the way it helps send bugs (including moths!) in the other direction. It's very popular for that reason (and it scents our clothes with the sweet, woody aroma of Cedar!)

Patchouli is famous for the way it deters bugs! If you are not a fan of the aroma, you can substitute it if you like (try Peppermint, Mentha x piperita)—but I really do suggest giving it a try. Its aroma blends so nicely with the other essential oils in this blend, that it's not overwhelming.

Palmarosa contains a wonderful natural component called geraniol, which has been well-researched for the way it repels bugs—especially dust mites. It is one of my favorite essential oils for mosquitos and ticks, too!

Catnip essential oil is such a strong ally against mosquitos and ticks that I could not leave it out of this blend. When you're buying this essential oil specifically to help repel bugs, Aromatics International sells it, and it has a significant percentage of nepetalactone isomers. This is what helps make it so effective! (Just like geraniol does for Palmarosa.) Catnip is also great for calming the nervous system.

Ready to use these 4 essential oils for mosquitos in a skin-loving, bug-reducing lotion?

Here's the recipe!

Don't Bug Me! Lotion

Keep mosquitoes and bugs at bay while loving your skin with this nourishing lotion.

Ingredients

• 2 oz (56 g) unscented natural lotion

• 6 drops Cedarwood essential oil (Juniperus virginiana)

• 6 drops Patchouli essential oil (Pogostemon cablin)

• 10 drops Palmarosa essential oil (Cymbopogon martinii motia)

• 14 drops Catnip essential oil (Nepeta cataria)

Equipment

• One 2 oz (60 ml) Glass Jar

• Glass stirring rod

Directions

• Put your lotion into the 2 oz (60 ml) glass jar. Then drop the essential oils right into it.

• Stir gently using a glass stirring rod. It may take some time for the essential oils to be blended into the lotion, but once they are blended in, you'll never have to stir it up again.

Use this blend anywhere your skin is exposed.

I have to say . . . this recipe has had such an amazing impact on me!

I LOVE spending time outside, but just the thought of all of the mosquitos and other bugs will sometimes prevent me from taking walks. No fun! These essential oils for mosquitos and ticks have dramatically increased my comfort.

If you want a blend you can use on your clothes, you can put these essential oils for mosquitos in 2 oz (60 ml) of water in a spray bottle. Or use Catnip hydrosol.

You can use the same essential oil drop counts. Just be sure to shake your blend up well before spritzing it on your clothes.

For both blends, the lotion and the water spritz, I suggest making a fresh batch every few weeks. That's because they are both water-based, and not made with preservatives.

Enjoy your bug-free time outside... and don't forget to subscribe to Aromahead's YouTube channel so you can get notified every time we post a new video!

Join us for a deep dive into how to use your essential oils for wound healing and first aid. In this workshop, First Aid Remedies with 3 Essential Oils and Aloe Vera, you’ll learn how to effectively use your oils for healing scrapes, wounds, bruises, and so much more!

 Looking for supplies? I used oils from Aromatics Internationl