Which Eco-Friendly Bug Spray is the Best? Testing them head-to-head against leading brands
I wish I could say I simply took for granted living in an area with no bugs, but I was grateful for it every single day. I never had the need for bug spray as an environmentalist until this buggy summer in Northern Minnesota. It’s been BRUTAL. And I made it even more brutal by subjecting myself to mosquito torture for your enjoyment and education.
What makes a bug spray eco-friendly?
It really comes down to packaging and ingredients. Is the packaging recyclable or refillable? Are the ingredients good for the planet and my own body?
Today, let’s dive into my month-long bug repellent test and results and see which eco brand reigns champ according to the stats but also my personal opinions.
You can catch the full thoughts on YouTube, but here is the short version!
The Experiment
To properly test these bug sprays head to head, we have to have a control and and controlled (ish) environment.
Laying out the criteria
Each bug spray will be tested around 11 am at the picnic table at my campsite. I will wear similar clothes (shorts, t-shirt, long wool socks, crocs (lol), a sun hat, and a bug net) and sit outside for 10 minutes with each spray. I will continue to wear the spray all day long and see how many bites I get between 11 am and my shower.
Test 1: The Control
The test I was dreading the most: sitting outside with no protection against the bugs and willingly letting them bite me.
Total Bites: 18
Test 1: Badger
The next test was testing Badger, a popular eco and outdoors brand. We already had this one on hand and I’m not sure where I got it.
Total bites: 6
Ingredients: Organic Soybean Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Organic Citronella Oil, Organic Cedar Oil, Organic Lemongrass Oil, Organic Rosemary Oil, Organic Geranium Oil, Organic Peppermint Oil, Water, Organic Wintergreen Oil
Price: $12.99 for 4 oz or $3.25 per oz
Pros: smells nice, compact bottle, metal bottle
Cons: VERY oily and ruined my clothes, didn’t work terribly well
Test 2: Eco Roots
This was the first gifted bug spray I tried, thanks for the gift, Eco Roots!
Total bites: 10
Ingredients: Distilled Water, Witch Hazel, Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Cedarwood Essential Oil, Citronella Essential Oil, Rosemary Essential Oil.
Price: $12.99 for 2.7 oz or $4.81 per oz
Pros: nice smell, thin, not oily, metal bottle
Cons: really doesn’t work, small portions means you have to order more often
Test 3: Meow Meow Tweet
Another gift, thank you! I’ve been anticipating trying this brand for a long time so I was excited to try it out! Thanks, Meow Meow Tweet!
Total bites: 4
Ingredients: ethyl (sugar cane) alcohol, hammamelis virginiana (witch hazel) distillate, *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) hydrosol, *acetic acid (apple cider vinegar), *cymbopogon schoenanthus (lemongrass) oil, *lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, juniperus virginia (cedar) oil, *pelargonium graveolens (geranium) oil, pinus balsamea (fir) needle oil ( means certified organic)
Price: $25.00 for 3.8 oz or $6.58 per oz
Pros: cute and metal bottle, nice smell, works quite well
Cons: VERY expensive
Test 4: 3 Mom’s Organics
A highly anticipated one suggested by my sister-in-law that I purchased myself is 3 Mom’s Organics. The reviews for this one were astounding so I was excited to get my hands on it, especially since it also works against ticks!
Total bites: 3
Ingredients: Essential Oils; Cedarwood, Geranium, Citronella, Peppermint, Lemongrass, and Rosemary. Inert Ingredients: white vinegar, water, plant-based vanillin, and plant-based glycerin.
Price: $31.99 for 16 oz or $1.99 per oz
Pros: works VERY well, formulated for ticks also, pet friendly, huge portions, excellent price
Cons: vinegary smell, plastic bottle
Test 5: Rinse Bath and Body Co
A bug spray that we bought when we hiked part of the Tahoe Rim Trail in 2022 is Rinse Bath & Body Co. Our other bug spray spilled so we needed a resupply and we found this natural option in town. Let’s see how it holds up!
Total bites: 4
Ingredients: Distilled Water, Saponified Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Saponified Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Saponified Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Eucalyptus Citriodora (Lemon Eucalyptus) Essential Oil Blend, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Essential Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus (Lemongrass) Essential Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Essential Oil, Melaleuca Leucadendra (Cajeput) Essential Oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, and Tocopherol (Vitamin E).
Price: $12.00 for 4 oz or $3 per oz
Pros: smells nice, applies nicely
Cons: nothing fantastic to rave about, very small portions
Test 6: Beacon Mercantile
I reached out to Beacon Mercantile to test their bug itch relief (video coming soon) and they sent over their bug spray as well, so here we are!
Total Bites: 4
Ingredients: distilled water, witch hazel, vegetable glycerin + citronella, geranium, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, lemongrass, cedarwood, and clove essential oils
Price: $22.00 for 4 oz or $5.50 per oz
Pros: very small business, smells nice, applies nicely, easy to recycle or reuse jar
Cons: expensive, not the most effective
Test 7: The Refill Shoppe
Another brand I am testing for the bug bite relief video and they also sent me their bug spray, thanks, Refill Shoppe!
Total bites: 11
Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel), Phenoxyethanol, Salix nigra (Organic Black Willowbark) Extract, Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) Essential Oil, Polysorbate 20, Edta, Citric Acid, Essential Oils of Rosemary, Citronella, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Wild Orange, Tea Tree & Cypress.
Price: $17.00 for 4 oz bottle or $4.25 per oz / $15.00 for 4 oz refill pouch or $3.75 per oz
Pros: small business, easy to recycle or reuse bottle
Cons: really does not work, makes a mess when spraying
Test 8: Shubug
We got Shubug at our visitor centers at Voyageurs National Park this year and I was excited to add it to my list to test! They have an all-natural essential oil blend and also this one I tested that is a chemical formula but does not contain Deet. Deet is a harsh chemical that can cause health affects to you and also wildlife!
So, I like that this formula is stronger than essential oils but not as bad as Deet.
Total bites: 2
Don’t love that they only list “picardin” as the only ingredient
From Target: $9.99 for 6 oz or $1.65 per oz
Pros: metal bottle, applies the best, very effective
Cons: not the most eco as a company
Test 9: Soni’s Suds Soap Bite Me Not
The last gifted bug repellant (not a spray) is from Soni’s Suds, a friend of my Mother-in-law! I like this option for face and hands but it’s really not practical as a full-body bug repellant.
Total bites: 2
Ingredients: Hemp oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax, and unique blend of essential oils
Price: $12.99 for 2 oz or $6.50 per oz
Pros: very effective, smells nice, luscious
Cons: very oily, not practical for full-body use
Test 10: Off
Of course I had to compare these eco brands head to head with the leading, not eco brand, Off!
Total bites: 3
Ingredients: Deet, ethanol, petroleum distillate, corn starch, aloe vera, isopropyl myristate
Price: $9 for 9 oz or $1 per oz
Pros: accessible at any store, easy to use, effective
Cons: toxic to yourself and the planet
So, which ones worked the best? Shubug AND Soni’s Suds both beat Off! But honestly, neither of them were my personal favorite. Shubug just seems a little sketchy to me and Soni’s Suds is impractical for full-body use.
My personal favorites have to go to 3 Mom’s Organics and Meow Meow Tweet. They were nearly as effective but are truly small and eco brands. They smell nice, work nice, and are effective. Plus, 3MO has the BEST price by far!
It’s so cool to know that some of these beat the leading brand while MANY others tied or came close. It just proves that you can stay safe from bugs without compromising the planet.
Which one would you try? Happy low waste summer!
As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)
Emma
