Insect repellents
by Opal, Lalita, &Veba
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Hello, just thought I would include these recipes for those who are looking fo natural alternatives for Insect Repellents for yourself and your fur babies. For youself Bug Be Gone Oil apply to skin; avoid the eyes 3 1/2 fluid oz. Grapeseed, Almond, or KiKui Nut Oil, or make a combination of the three. 5 drops of Cedarwood essential oil -insect repellent 2 drops of rosemary -repel mosquitoes 2 drops of lavender -insect repellent 2 drop Geranium -repel mosquitoes 1 drop of citronella -repels houseflies Add the essential oils to a plastic squeeze bottle (great for outdoor activities, like camping) Add the 3 1/2 fl. oz. of carrier oils and shake well. Label the contents for directions on use. I always do a skin test to make sure I'm not allergic to any of the ingredients, since I have very sensitive skin. For your furbaby, or you own body spray Bugs Don't Bother me Herbal Spray 2 T Lavender 2 T Mint 2 T Pennyroyal 2 T lemonbalm 2 T Wormwood 2 T Pennyroyal 2 T Tansy Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the herbs. Allow to steep for 3 hours. Strain, and pour into a small spray bottle. Label contents with directions on use. I use this as a cool mist for myself, Lalita & Veba. *The essential oils, carrier oils and herbs can usually be found in health food store, or your organic food store. **Instead of spraying directly on Lalita, I spray it on her brush and apply it to her fur, brushing against the growth of her hair, and along with the growth of her hair. Spraying the brush constantly. When I take her outside I don't have to worry about the bugs bothering her. Now if there was only a product out there called 'Dirt be Gone'... Opal, Lalita, & Veba

DISCUSSION:

Thanks for those recipes Opal - I'm adding them to my file of useful tips! How long does the herbal spray keep for, and is it coloured from the herbs - if so, does that stain Lalita's coat?
Deanna (Moose & Squirrel)

If you are using oils, doesn't that make their hair oily to some degree?
Isabel

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I keep my 'herbal tea' mixture in the refrigerator, Deanna. I have not had a staining problem with the product, even though it does have color to it. The longer you let the mixture set the darker in color it gets. If that is a concern I would just let the herbal mixture brew for 15-30 min. (It will have a pale color) I use the concentrated tea on myself, and the lighter one on Lalita. How long does it last? Mine last a little over 2 months. I use it daily on her. I only use the carrier oils in that oil based recipe on myself, Isabel. I have used carrier oils on Lalita in her shampooes, like Grapeseed & Jojoba Oil. It's non-greasy (grapeseed), and absorbs quickly into the skin. She doesn't scratch her skin anymore. (She has sensitive skin.) I wash the shampoo out thouroughly, so I never have any oily residue. It leaves her coat very soft, and shiny(Jojoba), and more manageable. I use the 'herbal tea' remedy on Lalita. Essential oils are not really oils as you or I might think of 'oils'. When you put a few drops of the essential oils on your fingertips they don not have an 'oily' feel, they have more of a 'watery' consistency, except for some of your wood & gum oils like, sandlewood, myrhh, oakmoss, etc...A better term, I think, would be plant essences because they are taken from different parts of a plant to express there volatile 'essential oils'. ALWAYS use essential oils in small dilutions. Since they are from concentrate you do not need that much and ALWAYS mix with a carrier oil
Opal, Lalita, & Veba

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