Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Test Kitchen Adventures 2.0: Anti-Bug Balm Cubes

Another HOT and spicy day has dawned here in northeast Georgia. This year the weather has been so weird! A warm winter, then a cold spring, alternating between days in the low 80s in February to the mid 40s in MAY! This is entirely unusual. Usually we're settled around the high 80s right now with no end in sight. It's also been very wet.

These two factors- a warm winter and a wet spring- are going to result in one very aggravating eventuality: a buggy summer. No good! I hate bugs. Especially mosquitoes and gnats- but oh do I love flies! My favorite past time in the summer on Mama's front porch is stalking the flies with my fly swatter and a bloody mary. I just love it. There is nothing more satisfying than sitting back with a drink and surveying the carcasses of your enemies- small as they may be- littering your porch. Oh the joy!!!

I understand this makes me a bit odd, however I also acknowledge the similarities in our lives- like a deep hatred for mosquitoes and biting insects. I hate them. I do. I also hate spraying on cloying, lung-filling bug sprays. They're sticky and nasty and they smell bad and they hang in the air like a cloud of noxious radiation from the Chernobyl incident. And another thing- I have dogs... so I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of having lit candles all over my house and outdoor area. The smart hound knows not to get involved, but Manfriend's overzealous Gomer Pyle- esque pup just WOULD NOT be able to handle that kind of responsibility in the yard.

I tried planting lemongrass and citronella and lemon thyme and all those plants that are supposed to keep the bugs away. The problem with that was unless I was sitting in the planters with them, the bugs still crawled all over me. I could rub them all over me, but a couple times I, being the most epicly graceful person you have ever had the pleasure of meeting, cut myself on the edges of the lemongrass. I quickly abandoned the idea of rubbing myself with grasses and random leaves. Manfriend wasn't really buying into that idea either. Because of the business, though, I did have lemongrass oil in the house so I took to smoothing a few drops of that behind my knees and ears and on my wrists. THAT worked. Then I ordered some Citronella oil on a whim and with a certain idea in mind. When it came in (YESTERDAY!!) I used that on myself with the lemongrass. I smelled fabulous (in my opinion) and the bugs were nowhere to be found. I could read outside in my lawn chair for HOURS and not one bug bothered me. Manfriend wasn't sure about the strong smell, but I HAD just put straight citronella oil all over me. I can't say I blame him.

The job I now face.. Making the idea in my head actually happen. Here's the plan: I hate bugs, but I hate bug spray. How can i get rid of bugs without bug spray? Slathering on essential oils has worked, but that gets expensive and Manfriend would probably leave me for smelling "funny". BUT WAIT! I have a business that specializes in natural skincare... hmmm... and I also use essential oils in almost everything I do... Why not use what I already make and just stick the repellant oils in there? Well now that might work. So here's what I'm thinking. I'll take the Mini-me lotion bars and add lemongrass and citronella oils to it. Now we have a LOTION bug repellant that isn't a spray and doesn't hang in the air. It's not sticky, it absorbs into the skin, and it moisturizes as it does. It also stays on your skin and keeps the bugs away. I've been talking to a lot of my friends that have kids and they're all REALLY excited about this because- as we all know- kids hate that spray crap too. I'm also looking into creating the lotion as a stick- like a glue stick- so you don't have to worry about getting too much on your hands and it will make it easier to get it on your face without getting in your eyes (OUCH!) or your nose (EEW) or your mouth (BLECH!) not to mention easier to get on the kids!!!

I'll keep you guys updated on how all this turns out and how it goes today.... I'm excited. Are you?

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