By Holly Sosa
Bugs and I are not friends. I have a deep phobia towards bugs of any kind. They induce panic attacks, the shakes, and even stress sweats. I’m just not a friend of bugs. We have a mutual understanding and try to stay out of one another’s way.
You can imagine my stress-induced nervous poops when I read an article recently about the prediction of a drug resistant lice outbreak in California schools this year. Typically, I’d advise friends to stay away from Google when stressing about something but in this case I didn’t heed my own advice and took to the world wide web to find a solution, anything that could help keep these little nasties dar away from my house. Because let me tell you sister, if lice ends up on one of my kids, everyone is getting their heads shaved.
I found several articles that stated melaleuca (tea tree oil), rosemary, and peppermint oils all are deterrents. In fact, there is a popular lice prevention spray on the market that contains exactly these three ingredients. I sang hallelujah, praised the Lord, and asked my friend Billynda, my local doTERRA gal, to come over immediately to help me whip some of my own DIY lice repellent.
SUPPLIES
- glass spray bottles
- glass storage bottle
- rosemary essential oil
- lavender essential oil
- melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
- conditioner of choice (acts as an emulsifier)
- distilled or purified water
To start, fill up your glass storage bottle about a quarter of the way with conditioner. This acts as an emulsifier and allows the oils the all blend together with the conditioner and each other.
Next you’ll add four drops of rosemary essential oil.
And four drops of lavender essential oil.
And four drops of melaleuca essential oil.
Next fill it with distilled or purified water about 2/3 of the way.
Seal it and give it all a good shake to ensure proper emulsification. Once it’s mixed well, top it off with water.
This creates a super concentrated version of the DIY lice repellent spray that doubles as a detangler (bonus for my curly haired girl). Don’t use this as is and instead transfer some to a spray bottle.
I filled my little spray bottle about a quarter of the way with the lice repellent and then the rest of the way with water. Give it a good shake and you’re ready to use. You can store the rest in the glass storage container you made it in and when you run out of your spray bottle, repeat the process (one quarter lice repellent, the rest water).
We use this spray daily before school. Each kids gets a generous spray over their hair and a gentle comb through before heading out to school or church. I’m not taking any risks with these gross little head bugs and I will not go down without a fight. My oils and I are armed and ready for battle!
For more information on doTERRA and what essential oils can do for you, I’d love to chat more with you. I’m not a sales consultant for the company. I just genuinely enjoy using my oils and discovering natural ways to defend and heal my family. If you’re looking to purchase some oils for yourself, my mother, Sandy, and my friend, Billynda, are both consultants for doTERRA and they provide me with all my oily needs. The kit I use for my family (contains all of these oils and more!) is the Family Physician Kit and contains a great starting point for if you’re a beginner like me.
Do you use essential oils in your life? Have any tips or ideas you’d like to share with beginners like me? Let’s chat in the comments below.
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