For this Summer Solstice 2015 I’ve got three Herbs and Essential Oil recipes for you!!! Please on your own time review the warning and caution signs on the essential oils before using!

The Summer Solstice is a time when the days become long and the nights become short. It is also a time when we spend most of our days outside. And that means…bugs and sun. For this summer solstice 2015 DIY project I will be showing you how to make:

• Bug Spray
• Bug Itch Spray
• Anti-aging Serum

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Recipe for Lemon Balm Bug Spray source

Ingredients and Supplies:

• Handful of fresh Lemon Balm
• Handful of fresh Mint (I used spearmint)
• Handful of basil
• Handful of catnip
• Witch Hazel (one bottle)
• 1-2 drops of Basil Essential oil
• 1-2 drops of Citronella Essential Oil (I used citronella java)
• 1-2 drops of Lemongrass or Lemon Eucalyptus Essential oil (I used both)
• Distilled Water
• Dark glass Spray bottle (I used a four oz glass bottle)

Directions:

Place the fresh herbs into a glass jar with a bottle of witch hazel and place in a dark and dry place in your house. Let the witch hazel extract the fresh herbs for one to two weeks.

Once you have let the fresh herbs extract in the witch hazel for a week or two…you are now ready to make the Lemon Balm Bug Spray. To a four oz bottle fill it up half way with the witch hazel herb base, fill the second half with the distilled water and then add your drops of essential oils. Shake and spray.

Fresh Herb Leaves from left to right: Basil, Catnip, Lemon Balm, and Spearmint.   

Witch Hazel extracting the fresh herbs.

Essential oils used for this Lemon Balm Bug Spray.

Overall this really did keep the mosquitos away!! I’m not sure if it keeps gnats away…will have to use it again to be sure! One thing I do recommend though…if you are camping…try really hard to keep the bugs out of the tent (even spiders)…because while you are sleeping you can’t reapply in your sleep to keep from being bitten.

Another thing I’m going to try in the future is vanilla and water…something my Grandma came up with…I’ll let you know the recipe and if it works!

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Recipe for Bug Itch Spray for Sandflies and Mosquitos

source The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood

Ingredients and Supplies:

• Sweet Almond Oil
• 10 drops of Lavender
• 10 drops of Eucalyptus
• 10 drops of Thyme (I used Red Thyme)
• 1 oz dark glass spray bottle

Directions:

Add your drops of essential oils (lavender, eucalyptus, and thyme) into the glass spray bottle. Fill up the rest of the bottle with the sweet almond oil. Shake and spray on bites.

Ingredients and supplies for Bug Itch Spray.

This really works well for sandfly and mosquito bites…My sister tried it on some ant bites and it didn’t work as well.  <—-update she reported back and said that about an hour later after she put it on she forgot the ant bites were there…so I guess it’s not so much for instant relief…but it does work!

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Recipe for Anti-Aging Serum source

Ingredients and Supplies:

(modified for a two oz bottle)

• Sweet Almond Oil (or jojoba oil)
• 4 drops Lavender essential oil
• 4 drops Frankincense essential oil
• 4 drops Rose essential oil (I used Rose Absolute in jojoba oil)
• 4 drops Helichrysum essential oil (I used Helichrysum in jojoba oil)
• 4 drops Sandalwood oil (I used Sandalwood in jojoba oil)
• 4 drops Geranium essential oil
• 2 oz dark glass bottle

Directions:

Add all the essential oils into the dark glass bottle and fill up the rest of the bottle with the sweet almond (or jojoba oil). Shake before each use.

Ingredients and supplies for the Anti-Aging Serum.

Overall time will tell if it really works…. 🙂 I will say though, the Geranium does not smell good! hahaha. But it feels good when you apply the serum to your face! It’s moisturizing.

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For the sake of not making this post too long…I’ll end it here but will come back later with the benefits of the essential oils used in these recipes.

Until then…have a pretty Summer Solstice!

Love,

Kelly