It’s back-to-school season. And along with the joy of new backpacks, anxiety about new teachers and a fresh start comes a different kind of unique challenge…dun dun duuuuuuunnn….LICE.
All parents live in fear of their child bringing home a note with “…one of your classmates has been diagnosed with lice.” We all want to make sure that not only do our own children avoid the dreaded little bug, but also ensure we’re taking whatever precautions we can to prevent it in the first place.
We do have a wonderful, effective blend for this issue called Get ‘Em Gone, which you can also use in this DIY. But for the purposes of making this as quick and easy to make as possible, we created this DIY from oils you probably already have in your essential oil collection: Tea Tree and Lavender.
Why Tea Tree + Lavender
You already love Lavender and probably Tea Tree too. But for lice? I bet you’re wondering why we chose these two oils in this case. There’s a great reason! In 2010, a study was done on the effectiveness of essential oils to help ward off lice, specifically. It found that Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils killed lice in 97.6% of cases. That’s pretty effective!
Back-to-school Healthy Scalp Spray
What you’ll need:
- 52 drops Tea Tree
- 20 drops Lavender
- 4 oz spray bottle
- Fractionated Coconut Oil
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What you’ll do:
Add Tea Tree and Lavender essential oils to your spray bottle, then add Fractionated Coconut Oil until full. Spray down your child’s scalp, let sit for 15-30 minutes, and rinse out. Follow with shampoo to remove any excess oiliness.
I am confused as to when to rinse this out. How long after spraying?
Let it sit for 15-30 minutes and then rinse it out. Follow up with shampoo to remove any excess oiliness.
Did anyone got the answer to how long after spraying do we rinse off?
If you use the Get Em gone blend, would you use 72 drops of it in place of the tea tree and lavender or add so many drops of it along with and does the Get Em gone blend kill lice as well?
You can use Get Em Gone instead or combine it with Lavender and Tea Tree. But you won’t want to exceed 72 drops total for four ounces of carrier oil.
Thank you for the quick reply. I thought of another question as well. Would I be able to use any carrier oil or is the coconut important in this case?
Any carrier oil will work just fine!
I’m just wondering if this will leave my childs hair greasy?
As long as you rinse it out afterward, it shouldn’t leave it greasy.
I’m confused by the directions to rinse it out. Dies that mean at the end of the day? Or put it in their hair and then immediately rinse it out?
*NOTE: Make sure you rinse out the product after use! This product is not meant to be used without rinsing out your child’s hair.
For how long do we need to leave it on before rinsing it off?
Wow, this is great to know. Thanks a bunch for sharing.
Wish I would have had this one years ago! Just wondering what is meant by rinsing out of the hair after use? Spray it on and rinse out right away? Or shampoo out once a day before bed?
I am going to make this for my grandchildren
Is it recommended to use the KidSafe versions of these oils or can we use the regular versions?
Both Lavender and Tea Tree are KidSafe, so you don’t have to worry about different versions.
No water or alcohol? With only FCO, I think that this spray would clog the sprayer and leave the child’s hair greasy.
How much more effective is this than Get ‘Em Gone? I have lavender, no tea tree, but I do have this blend.
Could you use the same recipe but add rosemary and cedarwood for just a healthy scalp spray???
I don’t quite understand the instructions. Am I meant to spray on 1-2 times per day and then rinse out every night or rinse out after applying?
Also can I spray soft toys with this as well?
Definitely need to try this! We battled lice last year and never want to deal with that again!
Oh yes..I have the oils..
Great to know that Tea Tree and Lavender can actually kill head lice. Do you know if tea tree and lavender hydrosols would be strong enough to act as a deterrent?
Hydrosols are much milder and more gentle than essential oils. While it certainly can’t hurt to use hydrosols too, essential oils are your best bet when it comes to lice.
Great post, thanks for this. I am going to add this to my list of things to have on hand for the kids going back to school.