Maggie's Farm
Maggie's Farm Natural Insect Repellent
Spray · FIFRA 25(b) minimum risk repellent product (not EPA-registered)
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Pros
- One of the more effective botanicals, about 2 hours of real mosquito cover from a corn and soybean oil blend.
- Fully disclosed and EPA-registered, with no synthetic actives.
Cons
- Short and mosquito-only, with no proven tick protection.
- Lemongrass and geraniol bring a sensitization risk worth a patch test.
The full review
This plant-only spray lands a recommended with caveats, a DEET-free choice you reach for deliberately rather than for raw power. The case for it is honesty: full disclosure of every active concentration, an audit that found 3 of 6 claims strong, and a labeled reapply interval (about every 2 hours) that matches the roughly 2 hours of complete mosquito protection our model estimates. Duration is the ceiling, since that coverage is short and tick protection comes back minimal or unproven. Safety is the other limiter, dinged for high sensitization from lemongrass oil at 1.75%, high irritation from clove oil, and a pregnancy caution. Worth a patch test, and best when you want a minimum-risk, mosquito-focused spray and accept brief coverage.
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%81Soybean 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, 1 moderate, 2 weak, 0 unsupported (+5). Honestly labels reapplication (~every 2 h) in line with its measured protection (+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, 1 moderate, 2 weak, 0 unsupported (+5). Honestly labels reapplication (~every 2 h) in line with its measured protection (+4).
Safety15%60From 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 1.75% (−18); high irritation risk from Clove oil at 0.50% (−12); 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 1.75% (−18); high irritation risk from Clove oil at 0.50% (−12); caution advised in pregnancy (−6); moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
Transparency15%75This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
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 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
Only active ingredients are disclosed. The full ingredient list (inerts/carriers) is not published, so this may not be the complete formula.
- Citronella oilActive
Active repellent · 0.95%
- Clove oilActive
Active repellent · 0.50%
- Lemongrass oilActive
Active repellent · 1.75%
- GeraniolActive
Active repellent · 1.75%
- Soybean oilActive
Active repellent · 12.00%
- Corn oilActive
Active repellent · 20.00%
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Non-sticky, non-greasy; contains moisturizing hemp seed oil and vitamin E”
NaturalModerateFormulation/feel claim on brand page.
“Minimum-risk pesticide under EPA FIFRA 25(b); plant oils repel insects”
NaturalStrongBrand page + DoMyOwn listing; FIFRA 25(b) classification confirmed.
“Safe to use on dogs, horses, and other animals (not for cats, birds, or reptiles)”
SafetyWeakLemongrass oil at 1.75% — above its ~0.7% leave-on sensitization limit is a high skin-sensitization/irritation risk at this level, so a "gentle / safe-for-kids" claim overstates the safety profile.
“DEET-free”
Deet FreeStrongPlant-oil-only active list; label notes DEET-free is not a safety claim.
“Repels mosquitoes, ticks, and house flies”
EfficacyWeakThe mosquito estimate is a real 2 h, but the tick estimate is minimal/unproven and the repellent oils are borderline-to-trace, so 'repels ticks' is not supported.
“Reapply every 2 hours or as needed”
DurationStrongConsistent with our complete-protection estimate (~2 h).
How to apply it
Hold container 6 to 8 inches from exposed skin and spray with a slow sweeping motion. Slightly moisten skin, then spread with hand for maximum protection. Reapply every 2 hours or as needed. Do not apply to clothing.