Make an insect repellant you actually want to use.
I live in the country and a lot of bugs have been biting me recently. I have a natural insect repellant, but I only use it if I know I am going into the backwoods. I don’t like how it smells so I don’t use it most days and find myself swatting mosquitoes and worrying about ticks.
Most natural insect repellants use citronella or lemon eucalyptus as their main ingredients, but these scents don’t appeal to me. Fortunately, there are a number of other essential oils that can help repel insects. They might not be quite as strong as citronella, but I figured that if I actually used my new bug spray because I liked it, I would still be ahead.
I looked at the list of essential oils commonly used to repel insects (basil, citronella, geranium, grapefruit, lavender, lemongrass, lemon eucalyptus, and peppermint) and picked out the ones that I would want to smell all day. I particularly love the smell of grapefruit essential oil and it contains a compound that ticks and mosquitoes hate.
Here is the recipe I came up with:
Uplifting Bug Spray
16 drops Peppermint essential oil
16 drops Lavender essential oil
16 drops Grapefruit essential oil
16 drops Lemongrass essential oil
Mix into 4 ounces of water in a spray mister.
Shake well before each time you use it. Reapply frequently.
You can modify this recipe based on what essential oils you like. I chose mostly energizing and uplifting essential oils for my blend, but you can go another direction too as far as the additional benefits of the essential oils. Also consider adding aloe or witch hazel to replace some of the water.
Have fun, smell good, and tell the insects to buzz off.
Dr. Laurell Matthews, ND 
Thank you, Laurel! Imagine a bug repellant that is entirely safe and that smells great, too.
Does this work for chiggers, too?
Surprisingly, no studies have been done to see what repels chiggers, except for an Asian variety that spreads an illness. Lemongrass and geranium were useful for repelling those, so consider adding one or both to your formula.
I already have a natural repellant that has lemongrass essential oil and it doesn’t seem to be getting the job done. However, I do not know how much is in it so I may try making my own as well as trying geranium.