Learn to create effective and safe bug repellants.
by Tracey TieF, Anarres Natural Health
the full-length version of the DIY column of the upcoming Karma Chronicle, summer issue.
If it can kill a bug, what's it doing to my kid?
In my opinion as a health practitioner and as a mother of two, the toxins in your average insect repellant is far worse than the bites in the long run. DEET, permethrins and other common insect repellants ingredients are often neurotoxic insecticides that you are directed to apply to your skin, and worse, the skin of your vulnerable children! Added to these “chemical name” ingredients are the usual toxins found in the base lotions and creams: parabens, petroleum by-products like “mineral oil”, colour and fragrance and so forth, adding cancer and hormonal disruption risks to the very real potential for neurological and organ damage. Pregnant and nursing women need to be especially careful to avoid these chemicals, and these should never be used on babies and children. What is comes down to is that if it can kill a bug, it can harm you.
Don't Smell Human!
As with many natural and traditional ways of managing the sometimes unwanted effects of our environment, it's safest and most effective, to begin with, prevention strategies. Bugs are attracted to our human smell: sweet scents, perfumes, the carbon dioxide we exhale and our own very personal scent. My father worked in Nistassinan where the black flies pick your bones. His advice to avoid being mauled by bugs is:
1. Don't eat bananas, or sweet fruits or drink fruit juices.
2. Don't bathe, but if you must, do not use any scented soaps or body products.
3. Wear light coloured clothing and screen off areas if you can.
4. Eat garlic, onions and other bug repelling foods.
Natural Ingredients Proven to Work
Contrary to popular belief, some natural traditional ingredients have been demonstrated - in both cage and field studies - to be just as effective, or even more effective, as the Vietnam War era insecticidal toxin N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide is commonly known as or DEET. Examples abound:
~ A product containing 40% oil of lemon eucalyptus Eucalyptus citriodora, with its high concentrations of citronellal, was just as effective as products containing high concentrations of DEET.
~ Non-toxic, skin healing neem oil Azadirachta indica is mosquito repellent for up to 12 hours even in 1-2% concentrations!
~ Citronella oil's Cymbopogon Winterianus mosquito repellency has also been verified by research, including effectiveness in repelling Aedes aegypti when applied every half hour.
~ Catnip Nepeta cataria and geranium Pelargonium graveolens essential oils, combined with soybean oil Soja hispida, for example, were found to be effective insect repellants, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
I believe that all botanicals traditionally used to repel bugs do the job, but most have not been the subject of controlled studies to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Repel Bugs, Not Humans
There are many naturally occurring scents that repel bugs, but after considering skin safety, we may also consider composing the blend as we would a perfume – with variety to decrease the chances of sensitization, and with base notes to fix the blend. Create surprisingly non-lemony and varied blends!
Please use a combination of three to five essential oils, and check your ingredients to make sure that your blend will be skin-safe as well as repel the insects you intend it to. If you want to buy an off the shelf product, look it up its safety first on the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.
Floral Insect Repellant
Geranium Pelargonium graveolens
Lavender Lavandula officinalis
Marigold Calendula officinalis
Herbaceous Insect Repellant
Basil Ocimum basilicum
Marjoram Thymus mastichina or Origanum marjorana
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Cedarwoods Juniperus Mexicana and others
Musky Insect Repellant
Sage Salvia lavandulifolia
Tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia
Neem oil Azadirachta indica
Patchouli Pogostemon cablin
Minty Insect Repellant
Basil Ocimum basilicum
Peppermint Mentha Piperita and Mentha arvensis
Tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia
Cedarwoods Juniperus Mexicana and others
Instructions for (Don't) Bite Me Perfume Spray
Makes one 120ml/4 ounce glass atomizer bottles
Open the included atomizer bottle and add...
Essential oils:
30 drops lemon eucalyptus Eucalyptus citriodora
25 drops cajeput Melaleuca Quinquenervia
15 drops lemongrass Cymbopogon flexuosus
10 drops patchouli Pogostemon cablin
10 drops lavender Lavandula officinalis syn. angustilfolia
Shake very thoroughly and shake again each time before using.
Apply to exposed skin and lightly over clothing up to every 20 minutes. One application could repel insects for up to 2 hours.
Keep your bottles and refill at Anarres Apothecary. You'll never pay for the bottle again!