I love being outdoors. However, last summer I was hardly outside, mostly due to the mosquitos, which are quite abundant here. (And maybe a little that I had a newborn baby) I would step outside and immediately be covered in itchy swollen bites. This summer, I am determined to not let that happen again. So far I've tried all sorts of bug sprays, natural, full of deet, organic. Some worked ok, but ultimately I find myself not wanting to use them. 

I bought this set of essential oils at the end of last summer, excited to jump in on the essential oil world. I was probably most excited about the pest defy included. I happily got it out this spring as the mosquitos first started to come around, but had no idea how to really use it. I would dab a little on my ankles, which wan't really efficient, so I set out to find a better way.

About a month ago, I picked up a small spray bottle at a local store and decided to try my hand at making my own bug spray. I used the first recipe I found, which was much easier than I anticipated, and the results far exceeded my expectations. 

This concoction is light, smells great, doesn't leave your skin feeling icky or smelling completely like the typical bug spray.  The first day I tried it out, Jordan even picked up on the lavender scent. I was quite proud. I now wear it all the time. Because there are mosquitos in our house at this moment, like, seriously how are they everywhere?



30 drops of pest defy essential oil (can be switched out with citronella or lemongrass)
30 drops of lavender essential oil
1 oz. Water
1 oz. Witch Hazel

Pour each item into a small spray bottle that holds at least 3 oz. look for PET plastic or a glass bottle. I was unable to find the one i have, but here's a great option on amazon, you could probably find what you need at a local store too.

Make sure to reapply every couple hours as the scent starts to fade.

I found this diy here and adapted it to suit what essentials oils I have. These essential oils were all in the original kit that I mentioned. There are a variety of essential oils you can use as a bug repellent spray. I switched out a few drops for peppermint and eucalyptus in my last batch just to play around with what scent I like best.