Homemade repellents? It's so easy!

Bzzz - zzz - zzz... As wonderful as the hot months are, we admit that they also have annoying drawbacks. It's precisely in the summer that all kinds of insects and stinging bugs become active, buzzing around us during seaside evenings and mountain hikes, and most unpleasantly – leaving itchy spots on our skin. We won't go into detail about the inflammations and infections that a simple mosquito bite can cause, but we think that on this matter, we all agree – we don't want anything to sting us! 🙂

This is where repellents come to the rescue, which you can easily find in stores. However, we at ZELEN recommend that you make them yourself at home so you can choose cleaner ingredients for your skin. And for natural protection, you don't always need to mix various special extracts and secret herbs; it's enough to carry a few sprigs of aromatic lavender in your bag.

But actually, even mixing repellent preparations is extremely easy. The indispensable ingredient is essential oil, with the best effects coming from eucalyptus, citronella (lemongrass), lavender, orange, thyme, peppermint, basil, and geranium. After that, you only need a little carrier oil (coconut, olive, almond, or other), into which you drop a few drops of the essential oil and apply the mixture to your skin.

The best part is that these oil blends have a triple effect – they nourish the skin, give a pleasant aroma, and protect against insects.

Of course, you can use only essential oil of your choice without mixing it with a carrier oil, but you should apply it in very small quantities and in areas where the skin is not too sensitive. Don't forget that if you want to use essential oils for children and pregnant women, the product should not be applied directly to the skin but dropped onto clothes.

And finally, we want to share one of our favorite summer decorations for the terrace, window, or veranda, which will serve as an improvised mosquito net. Tie bunches of basil and thyme stems and hang them on the windowsill, curtain rod, or wherever is convenient. This way, you will simultaneously scent the air around you and protect yourself from annoying mosquitoes.