A couple weeks ago I was bragging to my aunt about an upcoming camping trip. I told her of the site’s pristine hiking trails, its beautiful sandy beach, and its reputation for being a respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  My aunt listened, smiled at me, and left me with the following sentiment: “Just make sure you bring tons of bug spray. They have mosquitoes up there the size of small birds.”  Ugh.

Ok, so bugs are more or less inevitable in the summer, right? Especially while on a camping trip. But for four days in a row, should I really douse my body in DEET and other nasty chemicals?  Thankfully, our wonderful intern Isabel got right to work and found some natural alternatives & tips for pest protection.

The following bug repellents are all free of DEET, parabens, phthalates, PEG’s, sulfates, dioxanes, propylene glycols, and synthetic fragrances. Best of all, they all scored a zero in the Skindeep database!

• Bubble & Bee 100% Organic Bug Spray:  Made from all natural products like lemongrass essential oil, peppermint, and clove. The makers even tested it on themselves to see if it worked! So does it? They say, “You betcha.”
• Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent: This one works because it’s made from oils that bugs hate, but all smell wonderful to humans. It’s an all-natural spray that provides safe coverage. It’s gotten some excellent customer reviews, as well.
• Graham Gardens BugBar:  Who would have thought that the same ingredient in catnip is also about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET? That’s exactly the ingredient Graham Gardens harnessed for their BugBar—a bar that glides onto skin and works for hours.

Pay attention to these facts about bugs, to keep you and your fam bite-free!

1. Bugs love fragrance, especially a synthetic one. So avoid scented products at all costs.
2. Mosquitoes seem to be more attracted to floral prints. Protect your skin with lightweight clothing in solid colors. 
3. Be mindful that mosquitoes are most active during dusk and dawn, so schedule outdoor time according.
4. Stagnant water is an ideal breeding site for mosquitoes, so eliminate unnecessary opportunities for bugs to breed.

Here's wishing you a happy, healthy, and pest-free time during all of your outdoor activities!

Tags: Bubble & Bee 100% Organic Bug Spray, bug spray, Burt's Bees Herbal Insect Repellent, DEET, Graham Gardens BugBar, green bug spray, insect repellent, organic bug spray, paraben, PEG, phthalates, Sulfates

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 1:30 pm and is filed under personal care products. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.