Aug 18, 20181 min
While using your mosquito net, spraying insect repellents on your net and your clothing can further protect yourself from harmful mosquitoes. Now you can make your own all-natural mosquito spray out of citronella oil with simple ingredients at home. In addition to keeping away bugs, it also helps kill bacteria and nourish your skin. And unlike conventional brands, it smells amazing!
Total Time: 2 minutes
Serves: 30
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup witch hazel
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
40 drops mixed essential oils (citronella, eucalyptus, lemongrass, tea tree or rosemary)
glass spray bottle
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients in eight-ounce spray bottle. Spray over all portions of the body, but avoid repellent in eyes and mouth.
BENEFITS OF CITRONELLA OIL:
Natural pest repellent
Anti-inflammatory pain reliever
Stress reducer
Parasite destroyer
Cleaning aid
Natural deodorizer
Pet training
Skin and hair booster
POTENTIAL SIDE-EFFECTS:
Citronella oil is safe for adults and children over six months of age. Ask your pediatrician before using citronella on children under the age of six months. It’s a good idea to start out using citronella in small amounts and performing a skin patch test to make sure you don’t have any citronella oil side effects like allergies, redness, swelling or hives. Citronella oil is not recommended for use by pregnant women.
Can citronella oil be applied to skin? Yes, but it should always be mixed with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil for external use. However, citronella is typically not recommended for internal use.
Check out the original article by Dr. Josh Axe for other uses of citronella essential oil.