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My Reward PointsBugs and other insects, such as mosquitoes and flies, can disrupt outdoor activities by inflicting itchy bites, spreading illnesses, and making them unpleasant.
Commercial bug repellents can cause neurotoxicity, seizures, and extreme irritation if used excessively.
Licensed repellents, such as DEET, offer protection against disease-carrying insects; however, there are potential dangers, especially for young children.
But there is a solution: use safe, natural, and effective DIY bug repellent lotion bars.
What Are Bug Repellent Lotion Bars?
Bug Repellent Lotion Bars are solid lotions impregnated with insect repellent essential oils that are a convenient, mess-free alternative to sprays and creams. It melts on skin contact, giving moisture and insect protection.
Why Make DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bars?
DIY bug repellent lotion bars are eco-friendly, long-lasting, and cost-effective alternatives to commercial repellents.
Made with natural ingredients, they offer lasting protection against bugs while nourishing your skin. Here are the reasons to make it:
1. Control Over Natural Ingredients
A homemade bug repellent lotion bar, made from coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax, offers nourishing benefits without toxins and can be enhanced with cocoa or mango butter.
2. Long-lasting Protection And Skin Sourishment
While providing comparable long-lasting protection to store-bought repellents, a DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bar can provide excellent skin nutrition benefits with natural components, while also providing acceptable protection.
3. Eco-friendly
Homemade bug repellent lotion bars are environmentally friendly due to their natural components and waste-saving properties, reducing plastic waste and avoiding harsh chemicals found in commercial products.
4. Cost-effective Compared to Store-bought Repellents
DIY bug repellent lotion bars can be cheaper than store-bought ones due to the cost savings of individual raw ingredients, as they can be purchased in bulk.
Benefits of DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bars
A homemade bug repellent lotion bar provides various benefits, including natural & chemical-free protection, Doubles as a moisturiser, is compact & travel-friendly, and is customizable with preferred scents.
1. Natural & Chemical-free Protection
DIY bug repellent lotion bars, made from natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax, offer skin protection and nourishment without toxins like traditional bug sprays.
2. Doubles as a Moisturiser
A homemade bug repellent lotion bar, made with shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax, not only provides insect repellent properties through essential oils but also moisturises and protects the skin.
3. Compact & Travel-friendly.
You may pack all of the DIY repellents together and carry them easily for travel because there is no risk of them spilling inside your luggage.
4. Customizable With Preferred Scents
You can customise a DIY bug repellent lotion bar by changing essential oils, butters, and carrier oils for aromas, insect-repelling capabilities, and texture, replacing coconut oil and beeswax.
5. Safe For Family Use
Age-appropriate essential oils, which have been proven to be safe for family use, effective, reasonably priced, and easily accessible, can be used to make homemade bug repellent lotion bars.
Key Ingredients for DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bars
Some of the key ingredients used in a bug repellent lotion bar made at home include base oils, butters, waxes, essential oils, and other optional ingredients.
1. Base Oils
A DIY bug repellent lotion bar includes various base oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, etc., that provide moisturising & nourishing properties.
2. Butters
DIY bug repellent lotion bars include butters like shea butter and cocoa butter as key ingredients that provide deep hydration to the skin.
3. Waxes
As a key ingredient in homemade Bug Repellent Lotion Bars, waxes such as beeswax solidify lotion bars and lock in moisture in the skin.
4. Essential Oils
Essential oils are vital to deter insects in a quite natural way with their scents and are an important part of DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bars.
Some essential oils used in homemade Bug Repellent Lotion Bars include:
- Citronella (classic insect repellent).
- Lemongrass (mosquito repellent).
- Eucalyptus (repels flies & mosquitoes).
- Lavender (soothing, insect deterrent).
- Peppermint (keeps ants & spiders away).
5. Optional Additions
Some optional additions you can use in a homemade bug repellent lotion bar include vitamin E oil for its antioxidant properties and calendula oil for its soothing effects.
Homemade Bug Repellent Lotion Bar Recipe
Here, we will provide you with a recipe for a bug repellent lotion bar that includes all-natural ingredients, including coconut oil, cocoa or shea butter, beeswax, and essential oils.
Ingredients
- Coconut oil: 1 cup
- Cocoa butter or shea butter: 1 cup
- Essential oils: 30 drops (tea tree, cedarwood, clove & thyme, rosemary, lemongrass, and peppermint & eucalyptus)
- Beeswax: 1 cup
How to Make?
- Melt all of the components in a double boiler, except for the essential oils. To build your own double boiler, place a glass bowl over a medium-sized saucepan.
- Boil the water until the ingredients have melted.
- Once the ingredients have melted, take the bowl off the heat. Allow liquid to cool slightly before adding essential oils.
- Stir until well blended.
- Pour the mixture into metal tins or silicone moulds.
- Allow the liquid to cool completely before popping the bars out of the moulds.
- Keep in an airtight jar for up to a year.
Tip: Adjust the beeswax ratio to get tougher or softer bars.
How to Use Bug Repellent Lotion Bars?
- Apply the lotion bar straight to exposed skin, such as on your arms, legs, neck, and ankles, before heading outside.
- Then, wait a few minutes for it to absorb.
- Reapply lotion every 2-3 hours or after sweating.
- It is safe to take the lotion with you if you are travelling, hiking, or camping.
Safety & Precautions for Using DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Bars
- Always perform a patch test prior to full use of a DIY bug repellent lotion bar.
- Avoid using essential oils that are too powerful for children under the age of three (such as peppermint and eucalyptus) in a DIY bug repellent lotion bar.
- Do not apply the bug repellent lotion bar to broken skin or near the eyes.
- Women who are pregnant or nursing should counsel before using the bug repellent lotion bar that includes powerful essential oils.
FAQs - Homemade Bug Repellent Lotion Bars
Now you would probably know how to make a bug repellent lotion bar at home, along with other useful details. Now consider the following FAQs:
Q 1: Do DIY bug repellent lotion bars really work?
Ans: Bug repellent lotion bars offer a convenient and effective alternative to traditional homemade bug sprays, providing a protective layer on the skin and being suitable for children.
Q 2: How long does homemade bug repellent lotion last on skin?
Ans: Homemade bug repellent lotions provide temporary protection, often less than 2 hours, and require frequent reapplication after 1 to 2 hours.
Q 3: Which essential oils are best for repelling mosquitoes?
Ans: A blend of thyme and clove essential oils provides 1.5-3.5 hours of mosquito protection, suitable for diffusers or topical use, but dilute for sensitive skin.
Q 4: Can kids use homemade bug repellent lotion bars?
Ans: DIY bug repellent lotion bars are kid-safe if they are made with natural ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, and kid-safe essential oils, like lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, citronella, etc.
Q 5: How do I make a vegan version without beeswax?
Ans: You can create a beeswax-free bug repellent lotion bar using candelilla wax or a butter and oil base, infused with essential oils like citronella, lavender, peppermint, and catnip.
Final Thoughts
DIY bug repellent lotion bars are eco-friendly, long-lasting, and cost-effective alternatives to store-bought products.
Made from natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax, they offer natural, chemical-free protection; they double as moisturisers; and they are portable, customizable, and safe for family use.
Enhancements with cocoa or mango butter can be added. So, make your own batch today and enjoy the outdoors worry-free!
