Tired of battling pesky mosquitoes on summer evenings, but worried about harmful synthetic chemicals used in the average insect repellent? Citronella candles aren’t cutting it for you, and you want something to bring on your hike, cottage weekend, or even just an evening walk in the park? Purple Urchin has the solution for you! Our Don’t Bug Me insect repellent is a fantastic natural substitute, it contains all natural ingredients, and harnesses the power of aromatherapy to repel insects like mosquitoes for stress-free summer nights. The spray contains a blend of essential oils, each one 100% natural and selected for its unique ability to repel insects. Sounds too good to be true, right? But it isn't! We did a deep dive into the ingredient list to share with you how each ingredient contributes to keeping those bugs off, while still being gentle to your skin and kind to the planet. Here’s the breakdown on this bug spray.
Water: Water acts as a solvent in this product so it can spray easily and spread all the active ingredients over your skin and face. Why complicate things? Water is as natural as it gets!
Hamamelis virginiana distillate: You may have heard of this ingredient by its common name - Witch Hazel. Witch Hazel is the extract from the dried leaves, bark and flowers of the Hamamelis tree. Witch Hazel contains compounds called Tannins, which are a natural astringent. Astringents are a type of compound that causes the tightening of soft organic tissues, like your skin! Tannins are why Witch Hazel is often used in skincare products like toners or cleansers. Combined with water, this creates the perfect base for a solution meant to go on your largest organ-your skin.
Eucalyptus globulus leaf oil: This ingredient is Eucalyptus oil. It is derived from the leaves and twigs of, you guessed it, the eucalyptus tree, through a process called steam distillation. This essential oil is widely used for countless health benefits, but one magical little compound it contains is called para-menthane-3,8-diol (or PMD for short!) which gives it its insect repelling abilities.This naturally occurring chemical is a great alternative to DEET, a synthetic chemical that is often used in insect repellents.
Rosmarinus officinalis oil: Rosemary essential oil is also a great insect repellent. Many studies have been conducted to show the effectiveness of this essential oil, and it excels at repelling mosquitoes and even ticks! This essential oil provides an herbal smell to the spray as well.
Nepeta cataria oil: This ingredient is also much more recognizable by its common name - catnip. This ingredient is not just popular among our feline friends. Compounds in catnip interact with a gene in mosquitoes called TRPA1. When the active compound in catnip, nepeta cataria, comes in contact with this gene, it acts as a sensor and irritates the mosquitoes, making them want to buzz right off! Even though there’s catnip in Don’t Bug Me, don’t be tempted to use it on kitty. Many essential oils are toxic to cats, and you should not spray or use them near your pet cat. However, Don’t Bug Me is safe for dogs, and works great on them as well as on you. (And don't worry, although cats love fresh and dried catnip leaves, they aren't attracted to the essential oil. Using Don't Bug Me won't cause cats to follow you around like the Pied Piper. Although as huge cat lovers, we kind of wish it did!)
Lavandula angustifolia oil: Lavender essential oil doesn’t just smell amazing: it contains a compound called linalool, a type of terpene (see below for more on terpenes).
Thymus vulgaris oil: a savoury herb, thyme is well known in the cooking world. But did you know essential oils can be extracted from this plant and used for therapeutic purposes? Just like lavender essential oil, Thyme essential oil also contains linalool terpenes!
Terpenes are aromatic compounds produced primarily by plants that are very hard to duplicate in the laboratory (scientists haven't quite mastered how to synthesize them). Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons - composed almost entirely of hydrogens and carbons - and mother nature is by far the best at creating them! We do take advantage of their magic though, and terpenes like linalool found in lavender and thyme essential oils repel insects like mosquitoes, ticks, and even fleas.
Eugenia caryophyllus flower oil: Another less recognizable name, but this ingredient is actually clove bud essential oil. This essential oil has been distilled from an ingredient you might put in christmas cookies to get that warm, spicy aroma: cloves! Clove oil contains more of those magic terpenes, which repel mosquitoes and other insects. Clove oil also provides a subtle warm scent to balance the otherwise fresh, herbal scent.
So there you have it, a complete breakdown of what’s in our natural insect repellent. When you use our Don't Bug Me spray, you’ll see the results first hand of the power of aromatherapy and these compounds mother nature is such a pro at making. We select each ingredient in all our Purple Urchin products for their health or aromatherapy benefits, choosing each one with intention to create for our customers the best natural products. Come into our store to chat with us about our wide selection of eco-friendly natural bath and body products, and keep an eye out for another deep dive on the ingredients used in your favorite product.
If you are interested in reading more about the power of these essential oils in our Don't Bug Me spray - here are some links to learn more!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9886999/
https://aloki.hu/pdf/2002_13011324.pdf
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)00217-7
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/how-catnip-plant-repels-insects-mosquitoes-chemical-receptor#:~:text=Catnip's%20repellent%20effect%20on%20insects,how%20the%20plant%20repelled%20insects.