5. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is native to Australia and is derived from Melaleuca alternifolia leaves. It is highly praised for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. And not only is it a reliable repellent of mosquitoes, biting midges, and bush flies; due to its terpene content, it actually smothers insects to death by dissolving their exoskeletons. As an added bonus, tea tree oil can also be used to treat insect bites and stings.
And while it can be applied directly to one’s skin, as an essential oil, it is highly concentrated and likely to cause some irritation or a rash. It’s advisable to first dilute it using a combination of other solvents or base oils like coconut, olive, jojoba or almond oil. Alternatively, a simpler solution would be to mix two parts water with one part tea tree oil in a spray bottle. Lastly, it’s quite toxic if ingested so should be carefully stored out of direct sunlight and, most importantly, away from children and pets.