Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) has a long history of use as an insect repellent that dates back to the Native American tribes of our areas, who gifted us with the knowledge.
The most active compounds—the ones that make beautyberry such an effective natural bug repellent—are volatile, terpenoid compounds (callicarpenal and intermedeol) that tend to evaporate as the leaves dry out. So fresh leaves are most effective.
INGREDIENTS:
- Beautyberry bark from the roots
- Beautyberry leaves, fresh or dried
- 1 cup of neem oil
- 1 ounce of beeswax
- 2 cups of boiling water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cut up bark, stems, and leaves
- Bring two cups of water to a boil
- Add the diced mixture of Beautyberry bark, stems and leaves and simmer for 10 minutes
- Strain mixture
- In a different pot warm the neem oil and then mix in beeswax until melted
- Pour neem oil and beeswax mix, into a blender with the strained liquid. Mix slowly until a cream is formed.
*This is perfect for all-day uses even in the hot summer months, one application is needed for all-day relief.
**Always start with a patch test if possible. Spray on a little bit and let it sit for at least 24 hours. This can give you any indication of a potential skin allergy to any of the ingredients. **