Lemongrass Farms
TREK Insect Repellent for Kids
Spray · FIFRA 25 minimum-risk
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Pros
- Nothing hidden: every active and its percentage is printed on the can, and it is Non-GMO Project Verified.
- A gentle, DEET-free, plant-based mist at kid-friendly concentrations, easy and pleasant to spray on.
Cons
- Barely repels. The oil doses are very low, so our model shows minimal complete protection and bugs find skin fast.
- Fine for a quick backyard visit, not for tick country or a long day outdoors.
- Even mild essential oils can bother sensitive skin, so try a small patch first.
The full review
The kids version of TREK dials the same four botanical oils down further, geranium and lemongrass at 0.50% with peppermint and cedarwood at 0.25%, in a water and plant-based moisturizer formula that is Non-GMO Project Verified and marketed as gentle on sensitive skin. Full marks for candor: every active, its concentration, and the inert total are printed right on the can. The trade-off is protection. These are very low botanical doses, so our model shows minimal complete mosquito protection, and that gates it to not recommended when reliable coverage matters. It stays fairly gentle and honestly labeled, claiming only about 45 minutes per application, so it suits a short outing with a bug-averse kid more than a long hike or tick country.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%8Mosquitoes: minimal or unproven 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: minimal or unproven 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%68Geranium oil is well-supported by published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 56). Of 5 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 2 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
Geranium oil is well-supported by published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 56). Of 5 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 2 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
Safety15%73From 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 0.50% (−13); moderate irritation risk from Lemongrass oil at 0.50% (−4); 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 0.50% (−13); moderate irritation risk from Lemongrass oil at 0.50% (−4); caution advised in pregnancy (−6); moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
Transparency15%94This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 57% of all ingredient concentrations (+9); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 57% of all ingredient concentrations (+9); 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)
Botanical actives show little to no reliable mosquito protection; reapply very frequently if used at all. No measured CPT below 10% for this active — estimated via sigmoid dose-response (×0.00 of Luker 2023 (10% lotion, CPT > 30 min)).
Tick estimate basis (low confidence)
Botanical actives show little to no reliable tick protection; reapply very frequently if used at all. On human-skin tick bioassays these oils protect for well under an hour and most show no significant protection versus an untreated control (Eisen 2024; Le Mauff 2024; Luker 2023).
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 57% of all ingredient concentrations (+9); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
- Geranium oilActive
Active repellent · 0.50%
- Cedarwood oilActive
Active repellent · 0.25%
- Lemongrass oilActive
Active repellent · 0.50%
- Peppermint oilActive
Active repellent · 0.25%
- Polyglyceryl oleate
Inert (plant-based moisturizer) · concentration not disclosed
- Water
Inert (plant-based base) · concentration not disclosed
- Glycerin
Inert (plant-based moisturizer) · concentration not disclosed
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“DEET-free formula”
Deet FreeStrongFormula contains no DEET; actives are botanical essential oils.
“Zero mystery ingredients — every active and its concentration is disclosed on the label”
NaturalStrongLabel prints all four actives with concentrations plus the inert total (100%).
“Non-GMO Project Verified, first Seed Oil-Free Certified insect repellent for kids”
NaturalStrongCarries the Non-GMO Project Verified seal; brand claims first Seed Oil-Free Certified kids repellent.
“Gentle on sensitive skin, safe for children when used as directed”
Kid SafeModerateKid formula uses lower botanical concentrations; still contains essential oils that can sensitize a subset of users, so patch testing is advised.
“Effective against mosquitoes for up to 45 minutes per application”
DurationModerateA modest, honest window roughly consistent with the short protection expected from low-concentration botanical oils; not an all-day overpromise.
How to apply it
Shake well. Spray directly onto skin and rub in. Reapply as needed, roughly every 45 minutes for continued protection. Powered by air, zero propellants. Sensitive-skin conscious. For external use only; keep out of reach of children and use on children as directed.
The label
Ingredients, warnings, and directions from the package label. Read it before you buy.
