Make Your Own Homemade, Natural Anti-mosquito Lotion

The homemade anti-mosquito lotion is very effective and does not include toxic ingredients, although we must be careful if we are allergic to any of its components and, in that case, suspend the application.

Make your own homemade and natural anti-mosquito lotion

If you look at the ingredients in your anti-mosquito lotion you will see that they contain some components that can be harmful to your health.

The best option is to find a natural product without toxic components that effectively repel these insects.

In this article, we will teach you how to prepare a homemade anti-mosquito lotion with natural ingredients such as citronella, blue eucalyptus or Egyptian geranium. Try it!

Conventional anti-mosquito lotion

Your conventional anti-mosquito lotion contains some components that can be toxic to your health.

These substances penetrate our skin through pores and reach the bloodstream, and can damage the functioning of different organs.

Then, we highlight the components with the greatest toxicity.

DEET

Girl applying homemade anti-mosquito lotion

Many insect repellents contain an ingredient called N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). It is very effective but can be long-term toxic to the central nervous system.

This to the point of altering behavior and inhibiting the activity of a very important enzyme, acetylcholinesterase.

Some studies confirm that they can also cause irritation and redness of the skin, as well as numbness with an effect similar to that of anesthesia.

Do you want to know more? 4 homemade mosquito repellents

DMP

Another unhealthy component is dimethyl phthalate (DMP), present in both repellents and perfumes. This has the function of increasing their permanence when we apply them.

However, as side effects for our health they can damage the function of the liver and kidneys, in addition to harming the embryo in pregnancy.

parabens

Woman applying homemade anti-mosquito lotion

Parabens are not only present in repellents, but also in many cosmetics and personal care products.

They act as preservatives to prevent the proliferation of bacteria and fungi. However, more and more products specify that they are free of parabens due to their harmful effect, especially in terms of allergies and hormonal changes.

Homemade and natural anti-mosquito lotions

The main natural ingredients that repel mosquitoes are these three essential oils:

Java citronella

It is the best known natural anti-mosquito and stands out for its particular citrus aroma. However, we must look for this variety, originally from Indonesia, if we are to obtain a lotion that is effective.

blue eucalyptus

Eucalyptus to prepare a homemade anti-mosquito lotion

If our skin is sensitive, we can opt for blue eucalyptus, which is also very effective, but with less risk of skin irritation.

Its anti-inflammatory effect is also very useful to calm the discomfort of the bites we already have.

Egyptian Geranium

The sweet fragrance of geranium is the mildest option, but it is also effective. It is the best choice for children, as long as we respect the proper dilution.

In the case of babies, we can use it well diluted in clothes or a sheet, so that it acts as a repellent without needing to be applied to the skin.

Do you want to know more? The 10 best essential oils for beauty care

Homemade anti-mosquito lotion

You can make your own homemade anti-mosquito lotion very simply by following these steps.

Ingredients

½ cup of alcohol, preferably cetostearyl alcohol, which is the only one that does not dry or irritate the skin (100 ml)
50 drops of essential oil of citronella, blue eucalyptus or geranium, or combined (if it is a lotion for children, 30 drops will suffice).

If we prefer our lotion to be in a cream form instead of cetostearyl alcohol, we can use the same amount of aloe vera gel (which has a calming and refreshing effect) or coconut oil (which nourishes the skin and gives it softness ).

In this way, we will avoid chemical essences that are sold in a similar way, but which are neither natural nor have therapeutic properties.

What should you do?

In a container with a lid, mix the ingredients well.
Keep them in a dark bottle to keep the essential oils properties intact.
You can use it for a maximum of two weeks.

Application

Although it is a very effective product, as it is natural, we will have to repeat the application every two or three hours. However, this time will vary from person to person.
We should always avoid the eyes, mouth and other sensitive areas of the body.
Furthermore, we must be alert to any possible reaction to essential oils.