Citronella Essential Oil

There is an amazing species of citronella that only grows on one Island in the whole world & that is Java hence the name Java citronella oil. Unlike the common garden variety of citronella, cymbopogan nardus, insects are not used to Java oil at all & so leave you well alone. It smells the same as the ordinary citronella but is so much more effective at keeping insects away, it lasts longer too. The problem is it is very hard to get hold of in Europe, I buy mine from Incognito Anti-mosquito & it costs £7.50 for a small bottle.

I wrote a review about Java citronella on this site, but it was titled oil burner, so I thought it best to repost here. It can be used in an oil burner, though I mainly use a few drops in my cosmetic products to turn them into a homemade insect repellent.

I am a botanist in the UK. There are 2 species of citronella and Java citronella is much stronger than the ordinary citronella (cymbopogan nardus) & more effective against insects like mosquitoes, horseflies, sandflies, wasps, etc because they are not used to it. So I am writing my review about organic Java citronella only: I have been using this for years and it is very effective, although hard to get hold of in Europe and costs between £7 top £11 for a 10 ml bottle, I've now found a supplier online and I get 1 or 2 bottles so I don't have to worry about any insects biting or stinging me. I use a few drops in various cosmetics, oil burner, even put some and it keeps the bugs away better than any other essential oil.

Citronella seems to be %100 effective. Cheap and easy way to prevent mosquito bites.

Citronella is a great natural insect repellent. You can buy citronella candles and other products, but I just buy a bottle of essential oil and mix a drop with my suntan lotion for all over coverage. I then mix it with water and put it in a spray bottle for top-ups. At night you can put a few drops around your bed too. It really works for me and it's completely natural which a massive bonus is. It's only a couple of pounds and lasts ages.