When caught between the misery of mosquito bites and covering yourself in chemicals, many people just don’t know what to choose.  Finding a natural remedy can take some trial and error, but here are a couple that people have found successful:

Witch Hazel

This one requires 1/3 cup of witch hazel and 40 drops of essential oil.  You can pair it with just about any oil you like.  Put it in a spray bottle, shake to mix and apply.

Coconut Oil

Kids seem to like this one because of the smell.  Again, start with 1/3 cup of coconut oil and add 15 drops of essential oil.  Many recommend peppermint or lavender.  Shake it in a jar and simply apply by hand. 

Soybean Oil

The University of Florida says that soybean-based repellant can also be effective.  Using soybean oil in combination with some lemongrass oil has been tested and works against many different species.

Citronella

Don’t overlook the tried-and-true citronella.  It’s a mix of herbs that has been an ingredient in bug spray for many years.  This isn’t one that is easy to formulate yourself, but when you have a good citronella, research has shown it can be just as effective as DEET.

No matter what you choose, it’s important to know that homemade solutions will need to be reapplied every 2 or 3 hours.  They can be great for everyday protection in your backyard, but you may want to choose something a bit more stronger when hiking or camping deep in the woods.