Prepare this effective poultice: Mix 8 drops of anti-lice essential oils (such as lavender, lavandin, tea tree, niaouli, lemon, lemon eucalyptus, geranium, ravensara, or palmarosa) into 100 ml of olive oil. Apply, then rinse thoroughly. Always comb through with a lice comb first. Follow up by washing the hair with your regular shampoo, enhanced with 8 drops of lavender oil, 5 drops of tea tree, and 5 drops of citrus essential oil.
Opt for trusted lotions like Puressentiel Anti-Lice Lotion (€17.50 for 100 ml, includes comb), a blend of 7 vegetable oils (coconut, neem, calophyllum, jojoba, sunflower, sweet almond, castor) and 4 essential oils (lavender, tea tree, rose geranium, clove) that suffocates lice while nourishing hair. Alternatively, try Pranarôm's Aromapar (€14.90), featuring essential oils of tea tree, ylang-ylang, lavandin, niaouli, pennyroyal, myrtle, and Greek oregano.
Massage mayonnaise into the scalp, leave on for two hours, then comb, wash, and rinse. Onion juice applied similarly has also shown promise for some families, according to anecdotal reports.
Apply a drop of lavender or lemon essential oil behind each ear, on the nape of the neck, or on clothing to deter lice during outbreaks. For added protection, use an anti-lice headband infused with microcapsules of lavender, rosemary, and clove essential oils (€11.90 at Mamanshopping.com).
