2 Hopeful EO Bug-Off Blends

This is a continuation of a discussion we were having in a different thread. I didn't want to make a complete hijack PattiM's thread (in which she also posed other questions), so I'm starting a new discussion here.

Anyway, I've got 2 bug-off sprays of my own blending ready to be put to the test, which is good because I found 2 mosquito bites on my foot this morning. :twisted:

For what it's worth, here are the recipes for my blends -just the EOs only- i.e., not the whole recipe for my actual, finished sprays. I'll list the ingredients for those underneath my actual EO blends.

Before I post them, I should mention I am certainly not an expert when it comes making EO blends. The blends below are just a culmination of all the reading/research I've been gleaning from a handful of different aromatherapy sources, discussions amongst knowledgeable, trustworthy folks that I know of on a few different forums, and also actual ingredient lists of reportedly successful bug-off blends made with EOs, a sample bottle of which I have on hand from OT...........and sheer guesstimation, lol:

Blend A: (broad-spectrum: anti- mosquito, tick, ant and flea......at least I hope so):

23.52% Lemon Eucalyptus (eucalyptus citriodora- Madagascar)
16.38% Citronella (cymbopogon winterianus jowitt- India)
14.7% Geranium (pelargonium X asperum- China)
12.96% Catnip (nepeta cataria- Canada)
12% Virginian Cedarwood (juniperus virginiana- USA)
11.4% Peppermint (mentha piperita- NOW brand)
6.18% Palmarosa [cymbopogon martini- India.var.martini (var. motia)]
2.88% Lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus-Philippines)

It seems like a lot of EOs ( 8 ), but it's actually less than the 10 that my sample bug-off blend from OT contains, so I don't feel I've gone too badly overboard. For what it's worth, my blend happens to share 5 EOs in common with OT's.

Blend B: (not as many EOs, but is anti-mosquito, ant and tick......at least I hope so):

10% Peppermint (the same type as above)
27% Catnip (the same type as above)
27% Geranium (the same type as above)
36% Lemon Eucalyptus (the same type as above)


I just made two 18mL sample/test sprayers out of each blend using the following ingredients in percentages, and utilizing graduated pipettes as my measuring device for the time being, since volume measurement seems to be the common standard with all the EO blends I've seen:

3% EO blend
5.56% PS80
11.11% McCormick- brand imitation (clear) vanilla***
26.11% Everclear
54.22% fractionated coconut oil

***My decision to add imitation vanilla was based on research I found showing that lab-created vanillin can boost the effectiveness of topically applied bug-off concoctions, and can also lengthen the time needed between their applications. Whether 'tis true or not, I have no way of knowing for sure, but here's one thing I do know for sure- it greatly improves the smell of my blend- particularly taking the edge off of the nose-tweaking catnip smell. So boosting effects or no, it's going to remain as a permanent part of my spray formula if based only on smell alone (it's amazing what a pleasant difference it makes scent-wise!).


I particularly went with the McCormick brand because the ingredients actually list 'vanillin' (after water and alcohol). All the other brands of imitation/clear vanilla that I was able to find didn't specifically list vanillin, so I couldn't bring myself to buy any of them.

For what it's worth, the total alcohol content from the Everclear and imitation vanilla comes to 26% in my finished sprays.

Please feel free to critique any of the above, or inquire about your own bug-off ideas, or add your own blends that have worked for you, etc.... it won't bug me, I promise.



IrishLass

Thanks for sharing. I know that the research took a lot of time. Let us know how it works for you. It isn't mosquito season here yet, but they are brutal once they are here. And we live right up against a marshland.

IrishLass said:

I've got 2 bug-off sprays of my own blending ready to be put to the test, which is good because I found 2 mosquito bites on my foot this morning. :twisted:

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Thank you for sharing! I'm still processing my research and building an order with New Directions, so your post is helpful and timely.

I think we've been reading some of the same sources as vanillin is on my list as well; I hadn't thought about using imitation vanilla extract though!

As I said, I'm still putting my list together (I've got a little time as it's not mosquito or black fly season yet), but for what it's worth, I'm considering:

Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus from Ceylon)*
Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora)**
Vanilla Oleoresin (10 fold)***
Catnip
Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana)
Patchouli

As of right now I haven't worked out a formula. I do plan to create a thin lotion as a base (using a small amount of soybean oil as that looks to improve efficacy). Why a lotion? I read something about emulsions helping retention time. Honestly, there's probably more to it than that, but I don't like having repellent spray in the air (it always ends up in my lungs), and it's my product so I'll do what I want!

Okay--back to the grindstone. I have papers to grade. Thank you for the diversion, IL!

*ND list Citronella (Ceylon) as having 55% Geraniol which is more than any of their geranium EO.
**While the citronella I've chosen has a citronellol content (8.6%), the LE will add a considerable amount of citronellal.
***For the same reason IrishLass is using it--it's reported to prolong the protection time of citronellal, citronellol, geraniol, and others.

I was trying last year to formulate an EO anti-tick mix, but the geranium and myself just do NOT get along. I cannot stand the smell of that in ANY amount, so I gave up and bought some Cedarcide. (cedar oil and silica) it works pretty well at keeping ticks off my dog but I do have to pretty much saturate him with it, which I dislike because I feel like the odor is too strong for his lungs at high strength. I'd love to find a blend I can use with a carrier oil and use like a topical medicine on him (and me, although for myself I am willing to make a spray.)

What about neem oil? I am making mine with neem oil and neem essential oil and a
Few other things. I don't have my recipe here with me. I have about 100 recipes in my head at anyone time, the joys of being a newbie.. Iam
Also using an emulsifier and a preservative.

I found a blend made with neem oil here that I'm thinking of making a trial blend with since I also happen to have some cold-pressed neem oil on hand (just scroll down a bit to the "Broad Spectrum Repellent Recipe").


IrishLass

IrishLass said:

I found a blend made with neem oil here that I'm thinking of making a trial blend with since I also happen to have some cold-pressed neem oil on hand (just scroll down a bit to the "Broad Spectrum Repellent Recipe").
IrishLass

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Thank you for that link--I hadn't come across it.

Sexymess said:

What about neem oil?

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I looked into it and read that it doesn't smell all that great. I decided to take my chances and leave it out!

Just wanted to update that I took one of my bug-off blends with us on our week-long vacation to Lake Tahoe last week, and it actually worked quite well! For what it's worth, since I last posted in this thread, I came up with 3 new/different blends in addition to the ones I posted above, and the one that I took with us on vacation is one of the newer blends. Here's the master recipe for it:

21.53% Lemon Eucalyptus (eucalyptus citriodora; from Mtn. Rose Herbs)
21.53% Citronella (cymbopogon winteranianus jowitt-India; from Liberty Natural)
15.41% Geranium (pelargonium X asperum- China; from Liberty Natural)
12.88% Catnip (nepeta cataria- Canada; from Liberty Natural)
12.94% Peppermint (mentha piperita; from NOW-brand)
12.76% Virginian Cedarwood (juniperus virginiana- USA; from Liberty Natural)
2.94% Litsea Cubeba (from Brambleberry)

I let that steep for a few weeks in a 1oz amber glass bottle in a dark cool place (my refrigerator) and then made a 4oz amount of a 3% dilution of it using this formula:

3% EO blend
5.56% PS80
11.11% McCormick- brand imitation (clear) vanilla
32% Everclear
48.33% fractionated coconut oil

Instead of pouring it into a spray bottle, I actually made 25 hand wipes with it. I bought a box of these tough paper shop-towels from Lowe's, cut enough of the sheets into 4ths to make 25 towelettes, folded them up accordion-style (so they could be pulled easily from a pop-up container such as a small wipie box), and then placed them into a glass bowl and poured the whole 4oz of my diluted bug-off mixture over them to soak it all up. As it turned out, I didn't have a small wipie box on hand, so I just double-bagged the stack of moistened towelettes in quart-sized freezer ZipLoc bags, which worked quite well.

There was only one night out of our entire vacation that we encountered any mosquitoes at all, wouldn't you know it, which happened to be our last- and the first- warm night the week that we spent there (it was a very chilly week up there- it even snowed one of the days). Not that I wanted to encounter mosquitoes or anything like that, mind you, but I was hoping to at least be able to see a few so that I could test my concoction out. lol

Anyway, we were outside in the evening on that last day of our vacation grilling some trout my son had caught earlier when the pesky buggers finally made an appearance and started making a snack of my sister-in-law who happened to be sleeveless and wearing shorts (hubby, son and I were in long pants/long sleeves). I gave her one of my towelettes, and after rubbing it all over her arms and legs, the mosquitoes left her completely alone for the rest of the evening. Yay! :grin:


IrishLass

I'm visiting friends in Eugene this summer and have been warned that the mosquito population is booming. I'm following this thread closely!

Thank you!!

Vanilla FO and vanillin

IrishLass said:

... My decision to add imitation vanilla was based on research I found showing that lab-created vanillin can boost the effectiveness of topically applied bug-off concoctions, and can also lengthen the time needed between their applications. Whether 'tis true or not, I have no way of knowing for sure, but here's one thing I do know for sure- it greatly improves the smell of my blend- particularly taking the edge off of the nose-tweaking catnip smell.

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I know there are quite a few skin safe vanilla FOs for soaping, do you think one of those might be good for this purpose? I have some Brambleberry "Tahitian Vanilla" and the "Cybilla Vanilla".. Since they're not pure vanilla extract or something, my assumption is that they're lab created - though I guess there is no good way to know if either contain vanillin specifically.

I assume they are lab-created, too. I don't know how any FO manufacturer would be able to use real vanilla without going belly-up seeing as how the real deal is so expensive.

For what it's worth, the McCormick-brand of clear vanilla that I use is an artificial, lab-created vanillin, so I don't see why the FOs shouldn't have at least some effect. The studies that are out there that show that vanillin helps to slow down the evaporation rate of volatile EOs such as citronella are based on using an amount of 5% of vanillin as per the amount citronella. I'm not sure exactly how much vanillin in is my extract, to tell you the truth, but even if it's not exactly enough to equal out to 5% in my blend, I find that it sure does add a very pleasant scent component to it- especially in light of the nose-twerkingness of the catnip.

If you want to be 100% exactly sure that you're getting 5% vanillin in your formula, you can always buy some vanillin from Fragrance Lab: http://www.fragrancelaboratory.com/store.html#!/Vanillin-Vanilla/p/48707775/category=9255021 I thought about buying some myself, but I decided to wing it with the McCormick's first for expedience sake.


IrishLass

Any suggestions for an alternative to Everclear? We can't buy it in MN.

dibbles said:

Any suggestions for an alternative to Everclear? We can't buy it in MN.

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I think you could use a cheap vodka from Costco or something, and just up the amount in order to have the minimum preservative amount.

IrishLass said:

I assume they are lab-created, too. I don't know how any FO manufacturer would be able to use real vanilla without going belly-up seeing as how the real deal is so expensive....

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From the looks of this article, I'm going to assume that at least Brambleberry vanilla fragrances have vanillin. I looked at the Vanilla Vanilla Cybilla and it reads: Vanilla Content: 19.5%.

Since I already have that, I may give it a go! It will be interesting to see if it discolors in an insect repellent, since it will in soap!

WeaversPort said:

From the looks of this article, I'm going to assume that at least Brambleberry vanilla fragrances have vanillin. I looked at the Vanilla Vanilla Cybilla and it reads: Vanilla Content: 19.5%.

Since I already have that, I may give it a go! It will be interesting to see if it discolors in an insect repellent, since it will in soap!

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Somehow I missed that one. I ended up using their Vanilla Select (vanillin at 10-15%).

I ended up using a blend of lemon eucalyptus, cedarwood, vanilla FO, and patchouli. It smells awful! Something about the LE turns my stomach--especially when it's on my skin. Unfortunately, I received a rather bad bite while wearing it and have gone back to Repel OLE. . . .

Saranac said:

Somehow I missed that one. I ended up using their Vanilla Select (vanillin at 10-15%).

I ended up using a blend of lemon eucalyptus, cedarwood, vanilla FO, and patchouli. It smells awful! Something about the LE turns my stomach--especially when it's on my skin. Unfortunately, I received a rather bad bite while wearing it and have gone back to Repel OLE. . . .

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Oh no!! A bite on top of hating the smell is rather insult to injury. It would be different if you got the best protection ever, but even then...

I ordered some lemon eucalyptus to play with, who knows.. I might have to drown it out with lemongrass or something. Or run for the hills.

Since the link IrishLass posted said that mosquitoes can be regional, I may send some test wipey ziplocks up to my friend in Oregon. That way she can let me know how it works before I get up there and get eaten alive.

WeaversPort said:

I ordered some lemon eucalyptus to play with, who knows.. I might have to drown it out with lemongrass or something. Or run for the hills.

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There's just something about the LE that I can't stomach. Ironically, when I was blending, I thought, "if only I had some lemongrass to cut it," but I didn't. Then I received an order last week and the company sent me a 1/8 oz sample of lemongrass. Talk about "day late and dollar short."

After the bad bite, I changed my thinking; Instead of making a bug repellent, I'm going to focus on a lotion (and soap) that work with the commercial repellent (and not against it by drawing the bugs in).

On a positive note, the vanilla lasts longer on my skin than the lemon eucalyptus!

Saranac said:

There's just something about the LE that I can't stomach. Ironically, when I was blending, I thought, "if only I had some lemongrass to cut it," but I didn't. Then I received an order last week and the company sent me a 1/8 oz sample of lemongrass. Talk about "day late and dollar short."

After the bad bite, I changed my thinking; Instead of making a bug repellent, I'm going to focus on a lotion (and soap) that work with the commercial repellent (and not against it by drawing the bugs in).

On a positive note, the vanilla lasts longer on my skin than the lemon eucalyptus!

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I'm a big fan of vanilla!!

In that case, you might be able to make something like a Eucalyptus (regular, not lemon), Cedarwood, Geranium, Mint, Citronella, and Vanilla soap/lotion. It might not be as strong as something with the lemon eucalyptus, but you might like the way you smell a heck of a lot better!

I wonder if lemon eucalyptus might morph in soap the way that other scents do.

WeaversPort said:

I'm a big fan of vanilla!!

In that case, you might be able to make something like a Eucalyptus (regular, not lemon), Cedarwood, Geranium, Mint, Citronella, and Vanilla soap/lotion. It might not be as strong as something with the lemon eucalyptus, but you might like the way you smell a heck of a lot better!

I wonder if lemon eucalyptus might morph in soap the way that other scents do.

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I think anything would be better than the LE. As far as soap, I did make a batch with 2 parts LE, 2 parts cedarwood, 1 part vanilla, and 1 part patchouli. I haven't used it yet (it's only been 3 weeks), but the cedarwood has taken over and I'm not getting a lot of the LE, so that's a plus. I don't think it morphed, just a lot of it has been lost and/or covered.

I'm making some lotion tomorrow and will be using the lemongrass instead (along with catnip infused sunflower oil).

Saranac said:

After the bad bite, I changed my thinking; Instead of making a bug repellent, I'm going to focus on a lotion (and soap) that work with the commercial repellent (and not against it by drawing the bugs in).

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There was a post today that had an avocado and Neem soap used for bug repellent as well!
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=651662&postcount=5656