image by: HWN

HWN Suggests

Mosquito repellents: ‘Lemon Eucalyptus Oil’ is not ‘Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus’!

There is considerable confusion between ‘lemon eucalyptus essential oil’ and ‘oil of lemon eucalyptus’. Both are used as mosquito repellents but they have quite different chemical compositions and efficacy. Lemon eucalyptus essential oil (sometimes simply called Lemon eucalyptus oil) is made by steam distilling the dried leaves and twigs of the lemon eucalyptus tree (Eucalyptus citriodora or Corymbia citriodora). A typical chemical profile for this essential oil is: citronellal (70-90%), citronellol (4-12%), and isopulegol (1-16%). It also contains small quantities (trace -2%) of p-menthane 3,8-diol (PMD). PMD is a highly effective and long acting mosquito repellent but because it is only…

read full article

Articles of Interest

Mythbusting: Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil as a Mosquito Repellent

One of the primary limitations of using essential oils as insect repellents is their volatile nature; that is, they tend to evaporate quickly and need to be reapplied frequently. Also, in an oil of lemon eucalyptus formulation the level of PMD is standardized. Many commercially available PMD repellents contain a level of 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus, containing 65% PMD [Ibid,4]. Lemon eucalyptus essential oil has a very high concentration of the aldehyde citronellal; using it at anywhere near the same concentration as oil of lemon eucalyptus would very likely cause skin concerns (or worse). Tisserand and Young, authors of Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition state regarding aldehydes, “[t]hey often cause skin irritation and allergic reactions”.

Does Lemon Essential Oil Repel Bugs

This oil is particularly effective in protecting against mosquito and deer tick bites. However, it's important to note that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not recommend using "pure" lemon eucalyptus oil as a repellent; instead, they advise using the formulated version. Additionally, be cautious with this oil as it can cause significant eye damage - if exposed, make sure to wash your eyes thoroughly to reduce any potential long-term harm.

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil: Best Bug Repellent?

What are the pros and cons of lemon eucalyptus oil as an insect repellent? I know you don’t like DEET, but can you tell me how it compares? Most of the available insect repellents containing lemon eucalyptus oil have concentrations of 30 percent oil of lemon eucalyptus and 20 percent PMD. Reportedly, concentrations of 20 to 26 percent PMD may work as well as 15 to 20 percent DEET against mosquitoes and ticks, but the maximum protection time isn’t as long.

Lemon Eucalyptus Repel Unwanted Visitors

The first time I heard of lemon eucalyptus oil I thought someone had blended lemon oil with eucalyptus oil. Seems logical, right? Wrong! It’s an actual tree that grows in tropical climates. The oil is extracted from the leaves. Not at all what I first thought. Now there are some great repellant qualities to this beautiful oil.

Make an Effective DIY Mosquito Repellent With Lemon Eucalyptus Oil

All you need is lemon eucalyptus oil, vanilla extract, and some witch hazel. The menthoglycol in the lemon eucalyptus oil has been shown to be almost as effective as DEET at repelling mosquitoes, the witch hazel acts as an emulsifier, and the vanilla extract makes the spray smell nice.