I hate mosquitos. All the deets on a non-toxic alternative to DEET.

As you can probably tell by now I often buy from my fellow moms. That said, I only buy if I have a need that their products fulfill and I only write about it if I love it and continue to buy. I don't sell or profit from this article or the sale of these products. To be very honest, Essential Oils took me a bit to buy into, but...you see I had a challenge. Not a real life challenge but a tiny insignificant to the world - but important to me - challenge.

​Before I had my girls I used to love curling up on the couch with a glass of wine and a lit candle to make my house smell amazing while I relaxed. I mean, who doesn't love a GREAT candle?! But after my girls were born I was afraid to relax with a candle burning because I didn't want to take the risk of anything catching on fire while I was snoozing with two little precious lives sleeping upstairs. SO....I bought a diffuser and some essential oils. I got the amazing smells I was looking for (Young Living: Gentle Baby is my ABSOLUTE FAVE) but my oils had some added benefits I didn't expect.

Like natural mosquito repellant.

​Now before I go on - I am not a doctor and I have no medical or official "mosquito" repelling facts except my own lack of mosquito bites after use. But with the simple itchy annoyingness of mosquito bites and the controversy around using DEET (primarily on young children). I thought I'd share my find. There are several ways suggested ways to make a mosquito repellant using essential oils. The one I currently use includes: Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Citronella, Witch Hazel and water.

​​The upside is that only a small amount is needed to make repellant and the rest can also be used to mix up a delicious smell for your diffuser or in other essential oil recipes. So while I'm not convinced that essential oils can cure the world - I do think they are a nice, natural alternative for some things (like deterring mosquitos) and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them in my diffuser. If you're interested in checking them out here's a list of my favorites to diffuse together:

• Eucalyptus and Lavender
• ​Grapefruit and Basil
• ​Rosemary, Lavender, and Peppermint
• Tangerine
• ​Lemongrass, Cedarwood and Lavender
• ​And my all time favorite to diffuse for bedtime: Gentle Baby

I also have an after sun recipe that we haven't tried (no sunburns yet this summer - knock on wood) but when I do - I'll let you know how it goes!!

Please bear in mind not all essential oils are created equally. While I believe that all who use them have the intent of creating safer methods for their families to who benefit from them, sometimes the details are overlooked. I choose Young Living for my family based on their process, history and price (they have the most beautiful farms and a "Seed to Seal" process that promises the maximum benefits for their oils). Their starter package (that includes the diffuser - because that was critical to me) is nearly $100 dollars less than other companies that provide similar therapeutic grade oils. And they have been around the longest.

I would LOVE to hear from you on if you use essential oils, how you use them and which smells (blends) are you favorites!!! I'm always eager to try something new.

If you're curious for more information about Essential Oils I love, find a Young Living rep near you - or leave a comment and I'll put you in touch with mine!

NOTE: Like with anything you apply to your skin it's best to test on a small section first to insure there are no allergies (I have a little one with sensitive skin - just because things are natural doesn't mean it can't cause a reaction - that said my sensitive girl has had no issues with any of the essential oils we've used). Additionally, Essential Oils may deter mosquitos but only some are recommended by the CDC for disease control , please consult with a doctor if your intent is disease control.