Bite back at the mosquitoes with our bite balm recipe!

Keep your summer peaceful with this DIY bite balm

Summer is finally here! Backyard barbecues, swimming holes, starry night skies, and, of course…. mosquitoes! If you’re a favourite meal for these blood-sucking beasts or if you struggle to not scratch that itch, then we have just the thing for you: a soothing balm that will instantly relieve your bites. It works thanks to a synergetic blend of powerful essential oils: true lavender for its soothing properties, lemon-scented eucalyptus for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, and citronella, an excellent natural repellent. Combined with sweet almond and caprylis oil, this soothing roll-on anti-bite balm has a non-greasy feel. And it we make it in a oh-so handy little container, so that you can bring it with you everywhere you go.

Pair it with our natural mosquito repellent spray recipe and you’ll be all set to enjoy summer to its fullest. Read on to make it an itch-free and bite-free season!

Before you begin

Before you begin your recipe, it’s important to make sure that your workspace and equipment are carefully cleaned and disinfected. This is essential to protect your DIY creations from microbes and ensure they last as long as possible. 

As there are essential oils and vegetable oils in this recipe, we recommend you do a patch test before using this product. Just apply a little bit of product to a discreet spot on your arm and wait for 48 hours. If your skin does not react, then you can safely use this DIY bite balm. 

If you’d like to make a version suitable for under six years old, we recommend omitting the citronella essential oil. 

How to make a balm to relieve itchy mosquito bites

Ingredients

• 8.3 g (46%) sweet almond oil
• 3.8 g (21%) caprylis oil
• 3.4 g (19%) true lavender essential oil
• 1.4 g (8%) lemon-scented eucalyptus essential oil
• 0.9 g (5%) citronella essential oil (optional)
• 0.2 g (1%) vitamin E

Tools

• Scale, accurate to 0.1 g
• A few pipettes
• Ramekin
• Dispensing syringe
• Two glass roll-on bottles (10 ml)

Good to know!

• Sweet almond oil is an ideal carrier oil for this recipe. In addition to having bug repelling properties, it soothes and moisturizes your skin to help reduce itching. It also helps disperse essential oils, and so adds to the product’s effectiveness.
• Caprylis oil is a dry oil, which gives this product its non-greasy feel. We advise against replacing it with another oil.
• True lavender essential oil is known for its soothing and restorative properties. 
• Rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, lemon-scented eucalyptus essential oil soothes and calms itchiness. It’s also a very good natural mosquito repellent, unlike eucalyptus radiata or globus. We therefore advise against replacing it with one of our other eucalyptus essential oils. 
• Citronella essential oil is a top-notch natural insect repellent. 
• Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that will help prevent the sweet almond oil from going rancid as well as improving the quality of this product and extending its shelf life. 

Steps to follow

1. Prepare and disinfect your equipment and workspace.
2. Measure all the ingredients in a ramekin.
3. Mix thoroughly until homogeneous.
4. To fill your roll-on bottles, you must first remove the ball set on top of each. Then, use a dispensing syringe or a pipette (cut the tip of the pipette off to speed up the process) to carefully fill the two glass bottles. Replace the roll-on balls and close your containers.
5. Shake again to mix the ingredients together. 

Use and conservation

Apply this balm directly onto mosquito bites. Gently massage in to relieve the itch. Avoid contact with your eyes. This product is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding people.
When made in optimal sanitary conditions, this anti-bite balm will keep for about six months.

FAQs

Q1: How strong does it smell? 

Its fragrance is surprisingly mild! The true lavender and eucalyptus help keep its scent pleasantly light and refreshing. It even won over our marketing manager, Sarah, who isn’t fond of the smell of many essential oils.

Q2: Can I replace the sweet almond oil with another vegetable oil? 

Yes! We recommend choosing a carrier oil with a neutral scent that disperses essential oils well. For example, you can replace it with the same quantity of jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, or argan oil.

Q3: Can I make it with different essential oils? 

Peppermint, tea tree, chamomile (10%), or basil essential oils are excellent substitutes. Again, be sure to do a patch test and read up on dermocaustic and photosensitizing essential oils to ensure you’re using these substitutes safely.

Q4. Does this bite balm also work as a mosquito repellent? 

While it won’t be as strong as a conventional bug spray, this recipe contains two excellent natural mosquito repellents: citronella and lemon-scented eucalyptus essential oils. To keep insects away AND soothe the itching caused by their bites, we recommend pairing this roll-on with our mosquito repellent spray.