Juniper berry oil
Juniper berry oil is a pine-scented, alpha-pinene-rich oil that turns up in a few botanical blends. Its repellent evidence is laboratory-only, with no measured skin-protection time in people.
How it works
Its aromatic terpenes, mainly alpha-pinene, can deter ticks and mosquitoes at close range in the lab. Whether that translates into real skin protection has not been measured.
Safety around dogs & cats
Common juniper (Juniperus communis) berry oil is a monoterpene-rich conifer oil that cats clear slowly, so caution is sensible even though it is not on the ASPCA's flagged list and documented pet poisonings are lacking. The classic kidney-toxic 'savin' oil comes from a different species (Juniperus sabina), not this berry oil. Keep it off pets and prevent grooming of treated skin; data are limited, so we rate it conservatively.
Low confidence. Ratings from ASPCA Animal Poison Control, the Pet Poison Helpline, and published veterinary toxicology. This is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is exposed, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
The evidence
A 2011 study found juniper oil repelled lone star and blacklegged ticks and Aedes aegypti in cloth and petri-dish bioassays, with some fractions rivaling DEET in the assay. Those are lab results; there is no human complete-protection-time data, so treat juniper as an unproven minor active.
- Bioactivity of cedarwood oil and cedrol against arthropod pests2014LabLimited evidence
A pest-control screen of cedarwood oil (from eastern redcedar) as an ant repellent and its component cedrol as a tick toxicant. It did not test mosquitoes or human skin at all, so its relevance to a skin repellent is indirect.
- Essential oils of Cupressus funebris, Juniperus communis, and J. chinensis as repellents against ticks and mosquitoes and as toxicants against mosquitoes2011LabLimited evidence
A lab study of three cypress-family oils (juniper and cypress) for repelling ticks and Aedes aegypti and for toxicity to mosquito larvae. Juniperus communis oil stood out, roughly matching DEET on a dose basis against ticks in the assay.
Products using it
Not recommended
Potentially not EPA compliant
The Superbloc
The Superbloc Bloc & Chill Mosquito Repellent Spray
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus 1% · Cedarwood oil 0.5%
Complete protection
Not recommended
Potentially not EPA compliant
The Superbloc
The Superbloc Bloc Off Mosquito Repellent Spray
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus 1% · Cedarwood oil 0.5%
Complete protection
Not recommended
Potentially not EPA compliant
The Superbloc
The Superbloc Bloc & Chill Mosquito Repellent Wipes
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus 1% · Cedarwood oil 0.5%
Complete protection
Safety notes
Alpha-pinene can sensitize skin, especially once the oil oxidizes, so patch-test concentrated products. As a pine-terpene oil it carries the usual cat caution; keep it off pets.