Category: Insect Repellents

It's finally summer. It's time to pull out your liberated lawn chair to bask for the first time in oh about 8 months, to sit down with a favorite book and refreshing drink – outside. Abruptly the hair stands up on your neck. An odd sound swirling nearby catches your attention, with an eerie sensation […]

So it’s mid spring. You’ve thrown off the coat, traded in sweaters for that bright little short sleeve number that allows the sun to gently bathe your wintry white skin. Pulling out your liberated lawn chair to bask for the first time in oh about 8 months, to sit down with a favorite book and […]

Cedar Leaf Hydrosol - Thuja occidentalis Also known as  arborvitae, white cedar or  "Tree of Life".  The cedar tree is part of the  cupressaceae botanical family which includes both red and white cedars which is native to Canada and other parts of North America.  Although commonly called cedar, it's not actually part of the cedar […]

There is a new fad to entice consumers to blow through copious amounts of essential oils. They're called electric essential oil diffusers, atomizers, nebulizers or any other contraption that will force essential oil into the air at warp speed.  So why am I writing about this? Because so many of you have asked for my […]

A woman called me for advice the other day; I’m glad she did. She was told to make a natural insect repellent for her 2 year old son from the following items; 4 tbsp. witch hazel, 30 drops citronella essential oil, 20 drops rosemary essential oil. I was almost speechless but then managed to blurt […]

A customer asked me recently if rose geranium essential oil was effective to repel ticks and fleas on dogs. Aside from my disdain for this oil ( I refer to it as one of the GMO’s of the essential oil world) which is another blog brewing, I would say yes to the geranium part, no […]

Commercial fabric softeners have come under increasing scrutiny as potentially hazardous. So what is the problem with them? Why should consumers look to natural alternatives? And, how did the need for fabric softeners develop? Fabrics have evolved over the years from natural fibers such as wool, hemp and cotton, to synthetic materials like rayon, polyester […]

Eucalyptus is a member of the Melaleuca or Myrtacea botanical family; one of the most useful and medicinal group of plants in the world. There are literally over 600 species of eucalyptus plants, most of which were originally native to Australia. Crops were exported and planted in different parts of the world to facilitate demand […]

Winter has settled again in the Northern hemisphere. You want to get away somewhere, anywhere warm for a reprieve. I travel quite extensively and am in the essential oil business so people always ask; what essential oils are best to travel with? In this article the focus is on the tropics and Caribbean. I have […]

Going Buggy? Natural VS Synthetic Insect Repellents – What’s The Difference? By Sandy Powell R.A.H.P Anyone who’s idea of the great outdoors involves something more than opening a window will let you know the annual rite of slapping one’s self and waving hands in the air has begun as the black flies, mosquitoes and deer […]