Heading outside? Adding essential oils to your packing list can help you ensure a great time, good health, and toxin-free wellness!
Tea Tree – Tea Tree essential oil is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal treatment. Tea tree essential oil is great to have on hand for minor cuts and scrapes, rashes, or athlete’s foot. Remember that tea tree should only be used in topical application, it should never be taken orally!
Peppermint – Did you know that peppermint essential oil is a natural insect repellent? You can make a DIY bug spray by adding 30 drops of peppermint essential oil to 3 ounces of witch hazel. This toxin-free bug spray is harsh on bugs but gentle on people, so you can spray it directly on your skin! Just remember to avoid the eyes. For extra tough repellant, add a few drops of lavender and lemongrass. Peppermint and other essential oils also work to repel spiders and mice, making them perfect for spraying in tents and around your campground. Peppermint essential oil also has a natural cooling effect, making it wonderful for applying to sore feet and muscles when your outdoor adventures leave you feeling uncomfortable, tired, and tense. Just mix a few drops of peppermint with any mild lotion or carrier oil and massage into aching muscles and joints.
Cedarwood – While cedarwood essential oil isn’t known to repel mosquitoes as well as peppermint, lavender, and lemongrass, it does repel ants and ticks! If you’re worried about ticks while you hike and play outside, just apply cedarwood to your skin and clothes. You can mix up a DIY tick repellent in no time with 15 drops of cedarwood essential oil per ounce of witch hazel. This spray can also be used for camping and picnics to repel ants. Cedarwood can also help promote rest and sleep – important qualities of any outdoor adventure!