Badger
Anti-Bug Shake & Spray
Spray · FIFRA 25(b) minimum risk repellent product
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Pros
- One of the stronger botanicals, about 2 hours of mosquito cover from a soybean and citronella blend, no DEET.
- Plant-oil base with a bright herbal-wintergreen scent that many people genuinely like.
Cons
- Short and mosquito-focused, with no proven tick protection.
- You shake it before each use, and lemongrass oil adds a sensitization risk worth a patch test.
The full review
Badger's certified-organic spray earns a recommended with caveats, a reasonable situational pick for plant-based shoppers. Transparency is the clear strength, with every active concentration disclosed and the full formula accounted for. Effectiveness is the limiter: a soybean and castor oil base with botanical oils yields about 2 hours of complete mosquito protection and no demonstrated tick coverage. The evidence pillar holds up on a decent audit (3 of 6 claims strong) but is docked because the roughly 3.5-hour reapply interval on the label outlasts measured protection, which our audit flags as an overpromise. Safety reflects lemongrass oil's sensitization risk at 2% plus a pregnancy caution. As botanicals go it is one of the stronger short-window options, with a bright herbal-wintergreen scent many people like.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%50Mosquitoes: 2 h of complete protection. Ticks: minimal or unproven protection. Protection times are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format (see methodology). Scored on a saturating curve (each added hour counts less than the last), 65% mosquito / 35% tick, with reasonable confidence.
Mosquitoes: 2 h of complete protection. Ticks: minimal or unproven protection. Protection times are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format (see methodology). Scored on a saturating curve (each added hour counts less than the last), 65% mosquito / 35% tick, with reasonable confidence.
Evidence & honest claims25%72Soybean oil is backed by definitive published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 72). Of 6 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 2 moderate, 1 weak, 0 unsupported (+4). Labels a reapplication interval (~every 3.5 h) longer than its measured protection — an overpromise (−4).
Soybean oil is backed by definitive published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 72). Of 6 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 2 moderate, 1 weak, 0 unsupported (+4). Labels a reapplication interval (~every 3.5 h) longer than its measured protection — an overpromise (−4).
Safety15%66From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: high skin-sensitization risk from Lemongrass oil at 2% (−18); moderate irritation risk from Citronella oil at 4% (−6); caution advised in pregnancy (−6); moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: high skin-sensitization risk from Lemongrass oil at 2% (−18); moderate irritation risk from Citronella oil at 4% (−6); caution advised in pregnancy (−6); moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
Transparency15%97This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 80% of all ingredient concentrations (+12); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 80% of all ingredient concentrations (+12); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
Every pillar is scored from published rules. Read how we score.
How long it protects
Complete protection ends when the first bite gets through; partial protection keeps reducing bites as repellency decays. EPA label times are verified; the rest are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format.
Mosquito estimate basis (low confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a lotion-style formulation, matching this spray (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~3 h as repellency decays.
Tick estimate basis (low confidence)
Botanical actives show little to no reliable tick protection; reapply very frequently if used at all.
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 80% of all ingredient concentrations (+12); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
- Castor oilActive
Active repellent · 10%
- Peppermint oilActive
Active repellent · 1%
- Soybean oilActive
Active repellent · 23%
- Cedarwood oilActive
Active repellent · 2%
- Citronella oilActive
Active repellent · 4%
- Rosemary oilActive
Active repellent · 1.5%
- Geranium oilActive
Active repellent · 1%
- Lemongrass oilActive
Active repellent · 2%
- Wintergreen oil
Inert / Fragrance · concentration not disclosed
- Water
Inert / Carrier · concentration not disclosed
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Cruelty free and gluten free”
SafetyModeratebrand page
“USDA Certified Organic”
NaturalStrongbrand page
“Repels mosquitoes for 3 to 4 hours per application”
DurationWeakRe-evaluated against our corrected complete-protection estimate (~1 h): the claimed 4 h is 4.0× our estimate, so this duration claim is thinly supported.
“Certified organic ingredients”
NaturalStrongBadger states the formula is certified organic; USDA logo cannot appear on repellent labels per EPA labeling rules.
“Laboratory tested to repel mosquitoes”
EfficacyModerateBadger commissioned a lab trial; as a 25(b) product the data is not EPA-reviewed.
“100% DEET-free botanical formula”
Deet FreeStrongAccurate; all actives are botanical oils.
How to apply it
Shake well before each use, then spray directly on the entire area of skin to be protected and reapply as needed (about every 3–4 hours based on Badger's testing). For sensitive skin, test a small amount before full use. Keep out of eyes and off broken or unhealthy skin. Adult supervision is recommended when using on children, and Badger advises consulting a doctor before use on infants or toddlers.