My favourite recipes against insect bites

Andrea Varga-Darabos My favourite recipes against insect bites 24 June 2016 | 3 minute reading time

Manna’s 100% pure essential oils allow you to make chemical-free insect repellents. It’s important to use undiluted, high-quality essential oils – as they are natural and won’t leave stains on clothing.

Before making your DIY natural insect repellent, mind the 3 key rules below:

1. Always check whether you are sensitive to a given essential oil or not. It’s also worth doing a ‘spray-on-clothes’ test for the best results.

2. Do not use essential oils (exceptions: tea tree and lavender), bicarbonate soda and vinegar concentrated (i.e. undiluted) directly on skin.

3. For mothers with newborn babies and well as children, extra care is advised when using eucalyptus or rosemary essential oil. If the repellent is for their use, cut dosage and make sure that other essential oils dominate in the mix.

Mosquito-repellent body moist

It all comes down to choosing the right essential oil. The best mosquito-repellents are citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary and tea tree oil as well as the woody-spicy cedarwood essential oil.

Take an empty Manna Flower Water bottle. Fill 2/3 of it with water then add 10-15 drops of the chosen essential oil. You may want to combine a number of essential oils: e.g. citronella and eucalyptus. Citronella, eucalyptus and lavender will also give a nice scent.

Spray the mix on your clothes every 10-15 minutes. On the skin (of both adults and children) use the mix of lavender and tea tree essential oils only. Test it in a small skin area first as it might cause irritation. Always shake before use.

Mosquito repellent for the bedroom

Combining eucalyptus essential oil with lemon and peppermint oils will result in a fantastic mosquito repellent. Put a few drops of each of them on a cotton wad or into your humidifier to keep out bloodsuckers. Do not use it in the children’s bedroom.

Don’t forget the cautionary measures against ticks – I can help you with that too.

Natural tick-repellent spray #1

What you will need:

1 empty Manna Flower Water bottle
Purified water
8-8 drops of Geranium- and Tea tree essential oils
5-5 drops of Lavender- and Lemon essential oils

Fill 2/3 of the bottle with water then add the 8-8 drops of Tea tree- and Geranium essential oils as well as 5-5 drops of Lavender- and Lemon essential oils. Shake the mix well. Spray it on your clothes when going outdoors. Don’t spray it directly to the skin of children.

Natural tick-repellent spray #2

What you will need:

5 drops of Geranium essential oil
2 tbsp of olive oil or other cold-pressed oil
1 tbsp of aloe vera gel (optional)

Mix the ingredients and put the repellent it in a sealable bottle or pot. Make sure you put a label on it. It stores well for up to 6 months. Keep it in the fridge when not using. Do not apply it directly to children’s skin.