“Kids won’t remember their best day of television.” ~ Unknown
If you happen to stop by and see an open bottle of vodka next to my morning omelette, it’s because it’s the base ingredient for something my potami go through A LOT of this time of year homemade bug spray. And that’s just fine with me, because I know that the time they spend outdoors:
- Fosters creativity (source)
- Boosts mood (source)
- Improves concentration on tasks once they come back inside, including academic tasks (source 1, source 2)
- Supports healthy immune function – yep, dirt is essential for normal immune development! (source)
- Improves the quality of their sleep due to its effect on melatonin levels (source)
- Improves coordination and overall fitness (source)
- Gets their little bodies some much needed fresh air and vitamin D (source)
. . . . and may even protect their eyes from nearsightedness! (source) Oh and it also gives me some time to enjoy a bit of quiet, or get outside and spend some time in the sunshine as well.
Natural Bug Spray vs. Bug Repellent Lotion Bars – Which works better?
I love our bug spray for home-use, but in a few weeks the Potamus clan is heading up to Colorado, and that’s why I decided to create this homemade bug repellent lotion bars. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of both:
Homemade bug spray – Has a light finish that some people prefer. This is my favorite to use with children under two because I can spray their clothes instead of their skin.
Bug repellant lotion bars – Scent tends to stay strong longer than the spray, so fewer applications may be needed. Also nourishes and hydrates skin, which is a plus for some people. Also very convenient for travel because there’s no risk of it leaking inside your luggage.
Is this recipe safe for kids?
Yes, this recipe is safe for kids over two at a 2% dilution. For kids under two I avoid topical application in most cases, instead opting to spray their clothes with this homemade bug spray.
What about pregnant and nursing moms?
Yes, these recipes are safe to use during pregnancy and nursing. However, as I mentioned in this post on safe essential oils for pregnant and breastfeeding mamas, according to clinical aromatherapist and Aromahead Institute founder Andrea Butje, “Since we’re assuming that essential oil constituents cross the placenta, it is generally suggested that the mother use very little essential oil during the first trimester, and only as needed at a 1% dilution. For anyone concerned about the use of oils they should be avoided completely during the first trimester.”
She adds that, “The more you use, the more you absorb… so don’t use essential oils every day during pregnancy. Reserve essential oil use for health support, such as relieving nausea, calming anxiety, or supporting sleep. By minimizing use, essential oils can be safely used in times of need.”
Special note on dilution ratios: For general use, a topical dilution of 1% is usually recommended during pregnancy – the typical dilution suggested for adults is 2.5%. However, there are instances when a higher dilution ratio is considered appropriate after the first trimester, such as to repel bugs.
Homemade Bug Repellent Lotion Bars
This recipe makes a six fluid ounce bar. Using these silicone molds, that would be four butterfly/dragonfly/ladybug lotion bars (1.5 ounces each), 2 large flower lotion bars (3 ounces each) or six small flower lotion bars (.75 ounces each)
The dilution ratio in this bar ranges from 2% (84 drops), which is considered appropriate for regular body use, and 3% (126 drops), which is considered appropriate for once-in-awhile use. For a general repellent I’d go with the Shield Me synergy. For a tick specific one I’d go with the same one I use in my homemade tick repellent – geranium bourbon.
Ingredients (By Weight)
- 1 ounce coconut oil (where to buy coconut oil)
- 1.5 ounces cocoa butter (where to buy cocoa butter)
- 1 ounce beeswax (where to buy organic beeswax)
- 84-126 drops Shield Me essential oil synergy (specially formulated for children ages 2-10, but also good for adults) OR geranium bourbon essential oil (geranium has a very strong scent so you may want to use less than the max amount)
- 1/8 teaspoon Vitamin E (optional, I use this one both as a supplement and in my skincare products)
If no scale is available, try:
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (where to buy coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated cocoa butter, loosely packed (where to buy cocoa butter)
- 2 tablespoons grated beeswax, tightly packed (where to buy organic beeswax)
- 84-126 drops Shield Me essential oil synergy (specially formulated for children ages 2-10, but also good for adults) OR geranium bourbon essential oil (geranium has a very strong scent so you may want to use less than the max amount)
- 1/8 teaspoon Vitamin E (optional, I use this one both as a supplement and in my skincare products)
How To Make Lotion Bars
Fill a medium pot with about two inches of water and bring to a boil. Place a smaller pot or heat-proof stainless steel bowl inside the larger pot to create a double boiler. Add coconut oil, beeswax and cocoa butter to the bowl/pot. Stir occasionally until it is fully melted, then remove from heat.
Allow the mixture to cool a little before adding essential oils and vitamin E (if using). Note: If you measured ingredients by volume instead of weight, you can double-check your final volume to ensure that the essential oil dilution is correct by by pouring the liquid into a measuring cup. For a 2% dilution, add 12 drops essential oil per ounce. For a 3% dilution, add 18 drops essential oil per ounce.
Pour the liquid into your molds and allow lotion bars to cool fully before unmolding them. If you want to speed things up, pop them into the fridge or freezer for ten to twenty minutes.
How To Use Lotion Bars
Rub lotion over the desired areas, then allow a few minutes for it to absorb. Reapply every 2-3 hours, or more often if needed.
Shelf Life
Because there is no water in this formula, it is shelf stable for up to a year without the use of preservatives. Store out of direct sunlight and away from heat – it will melt!
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What age would you use these bars on? What would you use on a toddler younger than 2? Would you share your spray recipe also please? Thanks for all your great info and recipes, I find myself at your site a lot these days!
Thanks,
Heather
Thank you so very much for your recipe on the bug repellent lotion bar. My grand children live in Texas and it is really needed for them. Mosquitos love my daughter as well. I will be back many times to your blog. I really have enjoyed it.
Love, tolerance and peace,
Harriette
I’m so excited, can’t wait to this remedies. But I live in Nigeria, West Africa I wonder how I can get geranium oils because it’s a really not available you see..
The weather conditions now support s alot of bugs I really need your assistance.
Just wanted to make sure the amount of cocoa butter in the no-scale version is correct?
Thank you!
Yes, the amount is correct.
Do you sell any of your bug repellent products? Etsy maybe?
These are super cute! I recently discovered the best bug repellent to be a very low sugar diet. That’s right, when I eat very low added sugar mosquitoes don’t bite me. I’m curious if anyone else has noticed this.
Yes, I have noticed that in my family. My older son loves carbs: pasta, breads, etc. All of those turn into sugar and he gets bitten the most! 🙁
I’m glad to learn that sugars in our blood draws bugs to certain people. I discovered this when I was in my late teens. People have always made fun of me or call me crazy! I’m overweight and have been most my life, so it has always made sense…to me.
Can’t wait to go camping this year! I noticed that there was grapefruit in the synergy blend that you used. Can it still be used in the sun?
Thanks for the recipes,
Laurie
Hi!
I’m just wondering about the citrus oil (grapefruit) in the essential oil blend. I know bugs don’t like citrus, but I thought citrus oils were photo-toxic and not recommended for skin products if you will be in the sun. Thoughts? Thanks!
Great question. If they’re below a certain dilution ratio, citrus oils are safe to use before going out in the sun. Plant Therapy is focused on safety and considered phototoxicity when formulating this blend because it’s exclusively for outdoor use, so it’s fine to use. 🙂
Plant therapy is considered phototoxic? Or, you considered the phototoxicy of the blend before formulating? That’s another confusing sentence. It doesn’t make sense to me and isn’t a proper sentence. I, too, am wondering the same thing as Paula Jean.
Plant Therapy is a company, so they are not phototoxic. 🙂 You are correct, though, my sentence was very confusing! I’d just come in from cleaning out my shed and all three kids were hungry, so I was rushing. I’ve edited the sentence but the short of it is that the blend is not phototoxic. It uses grapefruit essential oil but at a dilution that is so low it doesn’t cause a problem.
Ohhhh, I see. Thank you!! I had no idea that Plant Therapy was a company. That makes a bunch more sense now. Haha, I also totally understand the chaos from hungry kids. Thank you for clarifying. ☺
I’m so confused about the open bottle of vodka?. I didn’t see vodka listed as an ingredient in your recipe and you didnt mention drinking it. What’s it for? Anyone else wondering the same thing?
Oops! It the base for my homemade bug spray, but I see now that the connection may not be clear. Essential oils and water don’t mix, so I use vodka to disperse the oils evenly in the spray. Thanks so much for your question – just clarified in the post!
Where do you buy your vodka if I may ask??
I use a potato-based vodka, but can’t remember the name right and I’m out of it due to all the bug spray I’ve been making. Absolut is a non-GMO option 🙂 http://contact.absolut.com/org/absolut-vodka/d/test-again/
Is there any reason I couldn’t add geranium oil to the Ban the bugs synergy oil to make an all-purpose bug and tick repellant?
You absolutely can. Just make sure the total number of drops stays the same.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I do have a question though, is the 126 drops of essential oil correct? That is over 1/2 of a 10ml bottle of EO, even the child-safe oils that seems to be a lot. I understand the oils/solids are over 1/2 cup but I have never used that much in a product before so that is why I am questioning. Thanks in advance for clarification.
Yes, it is correct. When you consider the volume of the oils, it’s only a 2-3% dilution. 2% is considered safe for daily, whole body application and 3% is considered safe for more occasional application.
these are so cute and a great idea. i am wanting to make some sort of bug repellent for my elderly mother who sprays deet all over herself in the summers. if i substitute shea butter for cocoa butter would i still use the same amount: 1/2 c. + 2 T.? thanks. 🙂
Unfortunately, the final amount of shea butter in the recipe would be much more than intended. There’s a lot of “air” in the volume of the grated cocoa butter that goes away when it is melted, yielding a smaller volume than originally measured out. I measured the amount when testing the recipe to make sure that the essential oil dilution was appropriate, but unfortunately I don’t recall what the liquid volume was.
ok, thanks. i think i’ll use a standard lotion bar recipe with shea butter and then see if i can figure out the essential oil dilution ratio. i hadn’t thought about that part needing to be adjusted–glad you mentioned it. understanding how to calculate the essential oil dilutions would make a good post even for those of us who were good at math but not so good at percentages. 🙂
Hi, thank you so much for all your recipes and posts, I have been reading your website for a while and always find exactly what I’m looking for! Quick question, how do you use the vitamin E gelcaps? Isn’t the heat required to dissolve them going to damage the vitamin? Do you cut them open? Blend them? How do you measure the amounts? Not sure how to handle this, thanks!
Hi, I was wondering if you could explain your math in the dilution? For a 2% dilution rate, you would use 18 drops per 1 ounce. You recipe is approximately 3 1/2 ounces, for a total of 73 drops for a 2% dilution rate. If I round that 3 1/2 ounces up to 4 ounces, I still only get 72 drops for a 2% dilution. A 3% dilution for 4 ounces would be only 108 drops.
I’m unsure where 84 – 126 drops equals a 2-3% dilution. I have the shield me synergy and love it, and would love to make the bars! Thanks 🙂
Lady, you rock!
Thank you for your posts! Awesome info! I moved and lost my Book of Shadows (where I kept my natural healing info) and my handy apothecary box with my roots, tree barks, flowers etc in it (and of course years of handy index cards with info in my apothecary case… Ugh…) Your posts are like having my beloved book and case back! So again, you ARE AWESOME, ACCURATE, AND YOU ROCK!
Much Love and Happiness to You, and Yours!
Hi, I live in holland and they don’t sell the Shield Me essential oil synergy here.
Wich essential oils can i use with the same result?
Thankyou for your help
Please do not use any natural or commercial repellents in wild bear habitat. The aromatics in the products and in any similar products, are sure to attract their extremely sensitive noses. This could lead to a human vs bear encounters that may not turn out so well for either party. Oh natural is best in bear country, otherwise, this sounds like an amazing natural and effective product. Just something to think about heading out into the bush….;))
I would love to have a combined product to repel ticks and mosquitoes. I’m fairly new to using essential oils. Could geranium be combined with the Shield Me? Have you ever tried that?
I love this recipe but would love to know the supplier you used to get the tins from? I truly appreciate your wisdom, knowledge, and time sharing all of this with us!
Thank you Gretta Haolbert
Morning.
I am allergic to bee products so shy away from using bees wax.
Do you have a substitute you would recommend?
Thanks.
Leone
Carnuaba wax might work, but the bars would be much harder and possibly difficult to apply. You might want to use less than the amount of beeswax called for and see if that works.
Have you notice this is successful in repelling wasps? My son is very allergic to their stings.
Hello! I am wondering if there is something else I could use instead of the coconut oil as I’m allergic; would more cacao butter be ok to use?
What grade of coconut oil would you use to make these insect repellant bars? Gold, Green or Pure?
Any of those will work 🙂
I LOVE that idea! How cool is that!? And where did you find a mold for them?
I already receive your newsletter but would like a copy of your kitchen apothecary. Is that possible? I just don’t want to receive the newsletter twice 😉
Hi Sylvia! You can “sign up” again and you will still just get one email 🙂
Hi Heather,
I’m a newbie in soap making. You blog helps a lot in developing my skill and knowledge. Very inspiring. Can i replace Shield M with Lemongrass EO?
Thank you.
Katheline
I’m not familiar with that blend, sorry.
Just found your blog this morning. Great information for a beginner. I have sheep twallow rendered and in my freezer to try candles, lotion and soap. Any suggestions on what equipment I would need to make these that one just can not do without?
Thank you
Tiffany
I love this recipe! Thank you for sharing! Would you please share where you found the tins to fit the awkward shape of the dragonfly & butterfly? I have searched and found nothing deep enough.
Thank you!
Tiffany
Hey Tiffany, these are the tins I used
Could you please post the recipe for the bug spray. Thanks so much.
Karen
Hi Karen, you can find it here: https://mommypotamus.com/homemade-bug-spray/
Is there a store bought bug spray you can recommend?