Mosquitos suuuuuck. They are a very special kind of nasty over here. They get thick in the high alpine lakes. Like I’d rather not go kinda thick. I’ve had days where I have gotten bit so many times it made me feel pretty sick. Yuck.
So, what do you do? Spray yourself down with deet? Wear citronella wrist bands? Use Permethrin on your clothes? Drink vinegar? Stay home? All those ideas might help (except the vinegar one that was a lie), but if you want something that actually works you want to find something with citridiol in it.
What is Citridiol exactly? What they do is they take a lemon and eucalyptus branch and run over it with a semi truck and it makes juice. Then they scape it up off the road and bottle it. Nah just kidding. Here’s what it is and how its made.
Citriodiol is a natural insect repellent derived from the leaves of the lemon eucalyptus tree (Corymbia citriodora). It contains p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) as its active component, which is effective against mosquitoes and ticks. Here’s a breakdown of how it’s made:
1. Harvesting the Leaves
- Leaves from Corymbia citriodora (lemon eucalyptus) are harvested.
- These trees are cultivated primarily in subtropical areas.
2. Steam Distillation
- The leaves are steam-distilled to extract lemon eucalyptus oil.
- This oil contains a high percentage of citronellal, a compound with a lemony scent.
3. Conversion to PMD
- The citronellal in the essential oil is then chemically converted to PMD (p-menthane-3,8-diol).
- This is done using a controlled acid-catalyzed cyclization and oxidation process.
- This step increases the concentration of PMD, which is the active insect-repelling ingredient.
4. Refinement and Formulation
- The PMD-rich extract is then refined and standardized to ensure consistency and efficacy.
- It is then formulated into Citridiol, which can be used in sprays, lotions, or creams.
While PMD occurs in small amounts naturally in the essential oil, commercially effective Citriodiol is made by enriching that PMD content through a natural-chemical conversion process.
Here’s the kicker— it works and its not deet. All that other stuff is kinda a joke and a big waste of money.
Pros: keeps bugs away for hours and smells like lemon and eucalyptus. Better than smelling like a Yankee Candle!
Cons: after a while it sorta has a hint of someone barfed on your shirt. I don’t know why… its weird, but It beats the alternative. Its not the end of the world, as long as you’re not going out to a nice dinner.
I personally have tested the Murphy’s Mosquito & Tick Repellent and I’m sold. Also nice to know if it busts open (god forbid) at least you don’t have a bunch of poison in your kit. But it will still suck haha.
