7 Natural Insect Repellents
Battle Pesky Bugs Without Questionable DEET
By Brian Clark Howard
Discover Natural Bug Repellents
To many, biting insects are the very definition of annoying. Plus, mosquitoes and ticks can sometimes carry diseases, from Lyme disease to West Nile virus. Long clothes can certainly help, but that's not always an option in the heat of summer. The active ingredient in most bug sprays, N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or DEET, has been shown to be effective, but it has also come under fire in recent years by health researchers. DEET has been found to impede cognition in some animal studies. Plus, some people find that DEET-based repellents have a harsh, chemical smell and feel. Many families are looking for more natural alternatives, which can be made from plant oils like citronella, lemongrass, peppermint and cedarwood. For example, California Baby's sprays are designed to soothe existing bites while repelling fleas, mosquitoes, ticks and biting flies -- all with pleasant smelling (and sustainably harvested) essential plant oils.
Do note that most natural bug repellents must be refreshed more often than DEET-based products, because they aren't quite as long lasting.
Product: California Baby Natural Bug Blend Repellent SprayActive Ingredients: Citronella, lemongrass and cedar essential oils
Cost: $13.95 for 6.5 ounces
Aubrey Organics
Natural products pioneer Aubrey Organics offers an herbal, DEET-free bug spray that also includes SPF protection.
Product: Aubrey Organics Gone!Active Ingredient: 8% Padimate O
Cost: $7 for 4 ounces
(Padimate O is a PABA ester that the Environmental Working Group rates as a moderate hazard. Read more about safe sunscreens.)
Badger Balm
Not all bug protection must come in the form of sprays. Available in tins and a push-up stick, Badger Balm's Anti-Bug formula is soothing to dry skin, and repels pests with oils of citronella, rosemary, cedar and geranium.
Product: Badger Balm push-up stick and tin
Active Ingredients: 5% citronella oil, 2% cedar oil, 2% lemongrass oil, 1% rosemary oil and 1% geranium oil
Cost: $10 for 1.5 ounces (stick), $10 for 2 ounces (tin)
Kiss My Face Swy Flotter
The playfully named Swy Flotter insect repellent from natural products company Kiss My Face offers DEET-free protection from mosquitoes, ticks and other pests.
Ingredients include isopropyl palmitate (from coconut oil), cyclomethicone (from silica) and essential oils. The most recent formulations of Swy Flotter no longer contain parabens, which the Environmental Working Group points out have been linked to allergies, harm in animal studies and possibly endocrine disruption. Parabens are still found in many conventional personal care products, and their safety is now being debated.
Product: Kiss My Face Swy FlotterActive Ingredients: 7% Octinoxate, 4.5% Octisalate and 4.5% Oxybenzone
Cost: $12.95 for 4 ounces
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