Natural Bug Repellents That Actually Work (Tried + Tested by Pegs)

If you know me, you know I love spending as much time outdoors as possible during the summer—hiking, gardening, beach walks, and of course, camping. There’s something so healing about being in nature. But if you’ve ever tried to enjoy the great outdoors during mosquito season, you also know how quickly the bugs can turn a peaceful evening into an itchy, uncomfortable mess.

This year, we planned an early summer camping trip in Colorado. I knew it had been an unusually wet spring, so I fully expected the mosquitos to be out in full force. And let me tell you—they were. But I came prepared.

I’ve never been one to use DEET, and I didn’t use it on my kids when they were growing up either. My body has always been sensitive to chemicals, and something about DEET just never sat right with me. Even though some sources like the Cleveland Clinic say DEET can be safe in small amounts, I’ve always listened to my gut—and my gut says no. Especially for children or anyone with compromised immunity. There are other options out there that can be just as effective with fewer risks. You may need to reapply more often, but for me, it’s worth it.

So what did I bring on this trip? Everything. I may have gone a little overboard, but I was determined not to let the bugs ruin our fun. I packed several natural repellents and honestly—every single one of them helped. I reapplied them throughout the day, especially in the early mornings and late afternoons when the mosquitos were most active. My husband Tim didn’t reapply as often, and he ended up with quite a few bites. I only had a couple.

One standout product I fell in love with is called No-Bite-Me. It worked both as a repellent and an after-bite cream. Even when I did get bit, I never itched, which was a small miracle. If I still had young kids, this is definitely the route I would go.

There’s also a newer chemical repellent called Picaridin, which was approved in the U.S. in 2005. It’s synthetic like DEET, but current studies show it doesn’t appear to have the same harmful effects. Tim used a Picaridin-based spray and said it worked well for him when he remembered to apply it. But I still prefer to stick with natural options when I can.

MOSQUITO, TICK, BLACK FLY OR BUG REPELLENTS…

I will do everything not to wear a DEET mosquito repellent. So much so I went a little crazy this camping trip.  Knowing Colorado had such a wet spring, and that there would be an abundance of mosquitos, I prepared myself! I wasn’t about to let them buggers ruin our fun! So, I bought and used all of the Au Natural products I bought. And they worked, LOL, all of them! As in, I used them all! 

The DEET controversy. Here’s one opinion about DEET from the well-respected Cleveland Clinic saying when used in small amounts, Deet is ok.. I still don’t feel it safe for kids ever, just a weird intuition I have.  I still will not use DEET nor did I use it on the kids growing up. My body is so sensitive and chemically challenged, that I go to great lengths not to add more chemicals in and on my body.  In this article about DEET, I feel more in alignment with what Dr. Axe found. As parents, I feel, listening to your gut is the best way to decide. If you or your child are immune compromised, that is another deterrent not to use Deet products. There are so many other alternatives that work, you just need to reapply often. 

This summer, our first camp out had crazy amounts of mosquitos a couple times during the day. Especially in the morning and early evening. However, by frequently reapplying the natural bug repellents we did fine! Tim who didn’t reapply as often as I did, got many bites. I only had a couple. What I loved was this new product called No-Bite-Me. It was even great after a bite. I never itched once when I got a bite!  If I still had young kids, this is the route I personally would choose. 

A not so new product, called Picaridin is giving Deet a run for its affectedness. It was approved in 2005. It’s similar to Deet, as a synthetic chemical, not derived from plants. Appears not have any adverse effects. However, I again chose not to use the chemicals. Tim used it and felt it worked when he applied it! ☺ I repeat, apply often when there a lot of pesky mosquitos around.  

Here are the mosquito repellents I liked and used. They worked! 

  1. DIY Bug Repellent (one we make from essential oils and rub on skin)
  2. Second Skin Organics Jungle Shield I found in Hawaii! 
  3. Badger Anti-Bug spray
  4. No-Bite-Me repellent and after-bite cream
  5. Not Buggin’ Me by Little Moon
  6. Murphy’s Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus oil spray
  7. Proven insect repellent 20% Picaridin
  8. BUZZ Patch all over Instagram… will review when I try them! 

Our favorite bug bite salves and homeopathic that really work:

  1. Ssssting Stop homeopathic bite topical gel
  2. Old Indian Healing Clay (check out how this works! Great for Bee Stings too!)
  3. Use Staphysagria 30c. Allergic reactions to mosquito bites; red swollen highly irritated. Sam daughter #4 would swell up and get so many bites. This helped her a lot as a child.
  4. Bee Stings use Apis Mellifica 30 c. I keep this on me when I go outdoors. I’ve gotten stung walking on the beach! It completely reduces the irritation. I use it for 4 days. Bee stings take 24 hours until the reaction happens. Red, swollen and itchy. If you wait, it gets worse. Best taken immediately. Keep in an emergency bag.   Life saver! 

I like to keep these remedies in a little emergency pouch for hikes and camping trips. They’ve come in handy more times than I can count, and they’ve saved us from a lot of swelling, itching, and discomfort.

At the end of the day, protecting your skin doesn’t have to mean exposing your body to chemicals. There are effective, natural ways to keep bugs at bay—you just have to be willing to reapply and pay attention to what works for you.

I hope this gives you a helpful head start on your own summer adventures. And if you’re navigating sensitivities, healing your body, or raising kids with similar concerns—know that you’re not alone. There are always cleaner, safer alternatives. You just have to find what works for you.

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Take good care out there,
—Pegs

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