A simple essential oil blend for rural life
Living the rural life, one absolute must-have is a mosquito repellent oil.
Even after nine years of living in the tropics, fully adjusted to the humidity and mostly at peace with the insects around me, it seems we are never completely free from those pesky bites. In warm, humid climates like Torio and many rural tropical regions, mosquitoes are simply part of daily life.
I remember a couple of years ago, during a 10-day Vipassana silent meditation. One of the teachings is equanimity: observing sensations in the body without clinging to pleasant ones or rejecting uncomfortable ones. The practice involves sittings of strong determination, where you commit to not moving your body for a full hour.
So when a couple of mosquitoes were buzzing around my face, or I felt bites on my nose or heels, it required real willpower to simply observe the sensations. Not lingering on pleasant sensations, not having aversion to the annoying ones, just scanning the body and noticing how everything changes. With this detachment, you begin to understand through experience that everything is pasajero, temporary.
A beautiful lesson for meditation and for life.
After learning this, believe me, I have tried to apply it many times at home. Sometimes it works. Most of the time not so much. The same goes for resisting the scratching afterward.
So, back to practical living.
A few years ago, a good friend shared a simple natural mosquito repellent oil recipe with me, and since then it has become a staple in my life. I keep a small bottle around the house and another in my bag. It is natural, gentle on the skin, and easy to make with oils that are often available locally.
I personally use extra virgin olive oil as the base. My skin loves it, and it is always at hand in the kitchen. I keep the blend in a small glass spray bottle, around 30 to 50 ml, which is the perfect size to carry around and use daily.
Natural Mosquito Repellent Oil Recipe
Base – Extra virgin olive oil
4 drops citronella essential oil
4 drops lemongrass essential oil
2 drops eucalyptus essential oil
2 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
Mix in a small glass bottle and shake gently before use. Apply to ankles, wrists, behind knees, and around the neck, especially at sunset. Reapply as needed.
This natural mosquito repellent works well for tropical climates, rural living, beach environments, and jungle settings where mosquitoes are more active, particularly in the early morning and evening.
Best Essential Oils for Mosquito Repellent
Citronella
Lemongrass
Lemon eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Lavender
Tea tree
Peppermint
Basil
Geranium
Cedarwood
Neem oil (strong but very effective)
Patchouli
Clove (use lightly, very strong)
Rosemary
You can rotate oils depending on what you have available. This also allows you to create your own scent while maintaining the mosquito repellent properties.
If you prefer not to make your own, my friend Carlota makes beautiful natural blends, including perfumes, aura balancing spritz, mosquito repellent, and more. She usually sells at the Torio Market every month under her brand Medicina de Presencia. Her products are thoughtfully made and perfectly aligned with this simple, natural rural lifestyle.
This simple natural mosquito repellent oil has become one of those small rural living essentials that quietly becomes part of the rhythm of the day. And while equanimity is always the deeper practice, a good mosquito oil definitely helps.
Comments