There are few worse feelings than being feasted on by mosquitos with no defense. To make matters worse, the options for protection consist of sticky, noxious sprays, iffy “invisible” fences, or candles with limited reach. I’m always prepared with sprays and plenty of bug-repellant outlet plugs on vacation, but the former always makes me anxious.
I’m not too worried about this stuff usually — I use aluminum-packed antiperspirants and chemical sunscreens, after all — but the bug sprays don’t sit right. Maybe it’s the overwhelming smell of citronella, or the goopiness that they give skin — either way, I loathe applying them anywhere on my body, especially my face. Enter: Heretic’s duo of organic bug repellents that are both rich in essential oils and worth the pretty penny they cost.
There’s The Entomologist Serum, a pure-oil blend, as well as The Entomologist Spray, which combines sugarcane alcohol, water, and a roster of essential oils (The Entomologist Spray). They have distinct scents, but both products contain cedarwood, geranium, and thyme oils, as well as rosemary, lemongrass, peppermint, cinnamon, and clove oil.
The smells of both are neutral, pleasant even, when compared to the olfactory experience of most bug sprays.
More importantly, both products blend in beautifully. The serum in particular doesn’t weigh down the skin. It’s an oil that is labeled as a serum, but the soybean base absorbs and doesn’t leave you feeling greasy and slick.
I stop at my neck when applying it, since I’ve got acne-prone skin and soybean oil has a high comedogenic rating. In other words, it can clog pores more easily than other ingredients, so for me, this one is purely a neck-down product.
Compared to the average bug spray one can buy at Costco, this serum is expensive. The container isn’t very large, either, (just 1 fluid ounce) so I save it for close-to-home use when the windows are open or we’re out on the balcony and I don’t want to lather up in chemicals. It’s great for ankle protection on summer walks, or arm and neck defense when you’re just in a t-shirt.
I use the spray more generously. It’s 1.7 fluid ounces. and massages into the skin easily so it can cover a lot of real estate. I like to apply it to facial blind spots, like around the ears and along the jawline — anywhere a sneaky bugger might post up without my noticing.
Due to its alcohol base, I don’t spritz it around the center of my mug, at risk of drying the skin out. It’s not drying on other body parts, though; it’s just that the face is more susceptible to this stuff.
Heretic “The Entomologist” Serum 100% Organic Bug Repellent
Heretic’s “The Entomologist” Serum is 100% organic bug repellent, designed to absorb quickly into the skin without causing a greasy or irritated feeling.
Does it work? Yes, and I’m impressed. So far, I’m bite-free at the height of feasting season, after a month of steady use.
The big caveat is I’m nearing the end of my $45 supply after only a few months, and we’re not through summer quite yet. Heretic’s products are expensive, but they’re nice to have on hand when hosting friends in the evening for drinks or balcony chats. It’s much nicer to offer them this than, say, a DEET spray that they’ll feel all evening. With Heretic’s two options, I don’t actually feel the need to shower it off ASAP; one feels like a nice body oil, and the other feels like a really luxe, nourishing hand sanitizer.
You might also like: Diptyque’s citronella body spray. This product isn’t budget-friendly either, at $58 for just over 3 ounces, but it has the perfect lemongrass-geranium scent in a lightweight spray that also doesn’t feel goopy on skin. Is it citronella-y? Yes, per the lemongrass. But is it the best expression therein? Oh yes. And the 3.4-ounce bottle should last a while.