Lemongrass Farms
TREK Natural Insect Repellent
Spray · FIFRA 25 minimum-risk
Retailer links may earn us a commission. Scores are never affected.
Pros
- No mystery ingredients: the can lists every oil and its exact percentage, which is genuinely rare for a botanical spray.
- DEET-free and plant-based, a light, pleasant mist for a short evening on the patio.
Cons
- It fades fast. At these low oil concentrations our model puts real protection in the minimal range, so bites start quickly.
- Not for ticks or a long hike; the maker's own 45 minute window tells you how often you would be reapplying.
- Geranium and lemongrass oils can irritate sensitive skin, so patch test first.
The full review
Lemongrass Farms builds TREK around four essential oils, geranium at 1.30% plus lemongrass, peppermint, and cedarwood at 0.75% each, in a water and plant-based moisturizer base. Its real strength is transparency: the can prints every active and its concentration next to the inert total, so there really are zero mystery ingredients, and it carries a Non-GMO Project Verified seal. The catch is dose. At these low concentrations our model puts complete mosquito protection in the minimal range, which is why it lands a not recommended for anyone who needs dependable coverage. Credit where it is due, the maker only claims about 45 minutes per application, an honest window rather than an all-day promise, and the DEET-free, plant-based mist is pleasant to wear for a short backyard evening.
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 4 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 1 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 4 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 1 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
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 0.75% (−18); moderate irritation risk from Lemongrass oil at 0.75% (−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 0.75% (−18); moderate irritation risk from Lemongrass oil at 0.75% (−6); 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 · 1.30%
- Cedarwood oilActive
Active repellent · 0.75%
- Lemongrass oilActive
Active repellent · 0.75%
- Peppermint oilActive
Active repellent · 0.75%
- 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, 100% bio-based plant essential oils”
NaturalStrongCarries the Non-GMO Project Verified seal; actives are plant-derived oils.
“Effective against mosquitoes for up to 45 minutes per application”
DurationModerateA modest, honest window that is 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 exposed skin and rub in. Reapply as needed, roughly every 45 minutes for continued protection. Powered by air, zero propellants. For external use only; keep out of reach of children.
The label
Ingredients, warnings, and directions from the package label. Read it before you buy.
