During the summer I feel like there’s a sign on my back that says “drink me.” Despite the fact that mosquitos seem to love me, I can’t say the feeling is mutual. With this badger balm copycat recipe though, you’ll have effective and lasting protection to help keep the unwanted little friends away.

The dangers of camp

This summer my little guy had his first trip to an overnight camp. I wasn’t worried about him getting hurt, or being away from home for the first time… I was worried that someone would share their toxic, conventional bug spray with him. Just the idea of that poison on his little body made me cringe.

So to ease my mind I made sure to send him off with some healthy bug repellant and told the camp counselor we (strongly) preferred not to share. And in case you’re not so convinced DEET is really that bad, then take a look at all the damage it can do to not just our bodies, but animals and the environment.

Why a badger balm?

Since this recipe uses essential oils, which are very volatile substances, the balm base helps them to stay on the skin much longer than a spray. It also doubles as a nourishing skin protectant. These essential oils will deter a wide variety of pesky things, including mosquitos and ticks that can carry disease.

How to use it safely

This recipe is safe for children ages 3-4 and up, but there are some caveats. A higher concentration of essential oils are needed in order to be effective at repelling bugs, but this also means that more care is needed when using the bug balm.
A little bit can be applied to the ankles and wrists, and for older children and adults, it can also be applied to the back of the neck. This will offer optimal protection, without risking a headache from breathing in the oils for a prolonged period of time. This safety info comes from a personal conversation with Jessie Hawkins, founder of the Franklin Institute of Wellness.

The dilution rates for this are a little higher than what I typically use in a skincare product, but this is common for a bug repellant. Keep in mind that using less will decrease the effectiveness, and it’s still very safe at the concentration it’s at. It’s also something that I have no issues using on my 4 year old.

Natural bug repellant – DIY badger balm

• 50 drops citronella (5% concentration)
• 20 drops cedarwood (2% concentration)
• 10 drops lemongrass (1% concentration)
• 10 drops rosemary (1% concentration)
• 50 drops geranium (5% concentration)
• 2 T. organic beeswax pellets – get it here
• 6 T sweet almond, grapeseed or coconut oil – get carrier oils here

1. In a small saucepan combine the carrier oil and beeswax. Heat over the lowest heat possible, stirring occasionally until it’s completely melted.
2. Allow the oil and wax to cool for just a couple minutes, then stir in the essential oils.
3. Immediately pour into your tin or glass jar and cap. Since this will still be warm, you don’t want the volatile oils evaporating into the air!
4. Rub on ankles, wrists and the back of the neck to help deter pests.

How do you keep the bug’s at bay? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to share this article with the buttons below!

The post Natural bug repellant diy badger balm appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.

When I was little, all of the cousins would gather at grandma’s house and play outside in the yard during the summer. One of our favorite things to do was get out the hug bubble blowers made out of dowel rods and rope, a bucket of suds, and get busy blowing bubbles. We’d dip our hands in, and even get elbow deep in the stuff.

The problem with conventional bubble solution

Now bubbles don’t really sound that bad, and honestly weren’t first on my list of need to DIY. However, conventional soap contains some pretty nasty ingredients. Dishsoap and handsoap frequently contain sodium laureth sulfate, a skin irritant that is likely contaminated with known cancer causing chemicals. And most of these soaps are also antibacterial, meaning they contribute to superbugs and damage health. You can read more about the dangers of antibacterial cleansers and get a safe, non-toxic recipe for hand sanitizer here.

Now bubble solution may not have antibacterials in it, and maybe the one you have isn’t made with sodium laureth sulfate (though that’s highly unlikely), but it’s difficult to know. Since the manufacturers don’t disclose the ingredients, it’s just not possible to know what’s actually in the bubble solution. And what they consider to be non-toxic,  I may not consider non-toxic. Since my son is spilling this stuff on his shirt, getting it all over his hands, and I’m hoping he won’t drink it, I want to be positive his bubble solution is actually non-toxic.

Natural soap

I used Seventh Generation brand dishsoap for this recipe, but your brand of natural dishsoap may work too. Mine uses sodium lauryl (not laureth) sulfate, but sodium coco sulfate, which is derived from coconuts, should probably work. I can’t guarantee the results of every brand though, as they’re made with different surfactants.

Colored and scented bubbles

When I told my husband I was going to make colored bubbles, he asked me what the point was. While the bubbles don’t look any different once they’re blown, they look fun and colorful in the jar. You can even add some essential oils for a scented, aromatherapy version. Lavender is calming and relaxing, while lemon is invigorating. We also add essential oils to playdough for the aromatherapy benefits, like this candy cane playdough.

These additions are completely optional though, and your homemade bubbles will work just fine without them.

Homemade bubbles

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup natural dish soap – the one I used
• 1 tsp glycerin – get non-gmo, coconut derived glycerin here
• 1cup filtered water – the filter we use that also removes fluoride
• 5-10 drops natural food coloring (optional) – the one I used
• 5 drops lavender or lemon essential oil (optional)

Directions:

1. In a glass jar combine the soap, glycerin, essential oil and food coloring if using. Stir the mixture  thoroughly to combine.
2. Add the water and gently stir to incorporate everything. This will suds up some, but you want to avoid sudsing too much, or your bubbles won’t be as strong.
3. Store at room temperate and use liberally for lots of bubbly fun.

What are some of your favorite outdoor activities? Let us know in the comments, and share this recipe with the share buttons below !

The post Make Your Own Non-toxic Homemade Bubbles appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.