NotchOur product
Nourish + Defend Botanical Insect Repellent
Lotion · FIFRA 25(b) minimum risk repellent product (exempt from EPA registration)
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Pros
- No mystery ingredients: Notch lists exactly what's in the bottle and how much, Geraniol at 5%, which is rare for a botanical.
- A lotion you'll actually want to wear, with a glycerin and bentonite base that rubs in smooth instead of the wet, fume-y feel of an aerosol.
- Plant-based and EPA-recognized, sitting at the gentler, naturals-first end of the shelf.
Cons
- You'll be reapplying often: figure 1 to 2 hours before bites start, so it suits a backyard evening better than an all-day hike.
- Worth a quick patch test, since Geraniol at 5% can irritate sensitive skin.
The full review
A skincare-style lotion built on 5% geraniol as its sole active, this one lands as recommended with caveats. Evidence is the strength: geraniol is well studied near its effective dose and all 7 audited claims held up as strong or moderate, and unusually for a botanical, the active is fully quantified. Our model puts complete protection at about 1 to 2 hours against both mosquitoes and ticks, so frequent reapplication, which Notch itself flags at roughly hourly, is the main limiter and it suits a backyard evening better than an all-day hike. Safety is the other drag, with high sensitization risk and moderate irritation from geraniol at 5%, so a patch test is worth it. The disclosed FIFRA 25(b) formula keeps transparency strong, and it rubs in smooth without an aerosol's fumes.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%65Mosquitoes: 1–2 h of complete protection. Ticks: 1–2 h of complete 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: 1–2 h of complete protection. Ticks: 1–2 h of complete 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%77Geraniol is well-supported by published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 65). Of 7 marketing claims audited: 5 strong, 2 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
Geraniol is well-supported by published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 65). Of 7 marketing claims audited: 5 strong, 2 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
Safety15%72From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: high skin-sensitization risk from Geraniol at 5% (−18); moderate irritation risk from Geraniol at 5% (−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 Geraniol at 5% (−18); moderate irritation risk from Geraniol at 5% (−6); moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
Transparency15%87This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 11% of all ingredient concentrations (+2); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 11% of all ingredient concentrations (+2); 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 (moderate confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a lotion-style formulation, matching this lotion (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~3 h as repellency decays. Luker 2023 (10% lotion, CPT > 60 min); López 2025 dose-response
Tick estimate basis (moderate confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a lotion-style formulation, matching this lotion (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~3 h as repellency decays. Luker 2023 (10% lotion, CPT > 60 min); López 2025 dose-response
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 11% of all ingredient concentrations (+2); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
- GeraniolActive
Active repellent · 5%
- Glycerin
Inert / humectant · concentration not disclosed
- Glyceryl monostearate
Inert / emulsifier · concentration not disclosed
- Isopropyl myristate
Inert / emollient · concentration not disclosed
- Potassium sorbate
Inert / preservative · concentration not disclosed
- Sodium benzoate
Inert / preservative · concentration not disclosed
- Stearic acid
Inert / emulsifier · concentration not disclosed
- Bentonite
Inert / clay texturizer · concentration not disclosed
- Water
Inert / diluent · concentration not disclosed
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Provides strong protection against both mosquitoes and ticks”
EfficacyStrongMatches the live PDP (the earlier 'long-lasting' wording is gone). Notch's 5% geraniol is at its effective dose (López 2025) with published support for repelling both mosquitoes and ticks and outperforming other botanicals, so 'strong protection' is well-backed.
“Lotion binds to the skin rather than sitting on top, staying effective longer under comparable conditions”
EfficacyModerateMechanistically supported: occlusive/emollient lotion vehicles slow volatile-botanical evaporation versus sprays (Maia & Moore 2011 note formulation/fixatives extend essential-oil duration), and our protection model assigns lotions a longer-persistence factor than sprays. The claim is directional and unquantified with no specific citation, and any benefit is bounded by the hourly-reapply direction — short of STRONG, but well past WEAK.
“Geraniol has been clinically tested to rival synthetic repellents with comparable efficacy”
EfficacyModerateSupported by head-to-head clinical testing: Bissinger et al. 2014 found a 5% geraniol formulation (TT-4302) matched or exceeded 15% DEET against mosquitoes (94.7% at 5 h lab; 100% at 5 h field) and across four tick species. Caveat: the rivals-DEET result is from an extended-release formulation; plain ~5% geraniol gives only ~1 h complete protection (Lopez 2025; Luker 2023), so a standard lotion may not fully replicate it.
“Apply generously before heading outside; for maximum protection, reapply every hour”
DurationStrongVerifiable Notch label direction. The hourly cadence honestly reflects geraniol's roughly one-hour effective window and matches its evaporation rate — an accurate, evidence-aligned instruction rather than an overpromise.
“Studies have shown that a 5% concentration of geraniol provides protection against mosquitoes and ticks, outperforming many other botanical repellents”
EfficacyStrongSupported by published studies and makes no duration overpromise: Lopez et al. 2025 put geraniol's EC50 around 5%, and Luker et al. 2023 found geraniol was 1 of only 4 of 20 minimum-risk botanicals to exceed 60 min against both Aedes aegypti and Ixodes scapularis — backing both the mosquito/tick protection and the 'outperforming many other botanicals' comparison.
“DEET-free botanical formula powered by geraniol”
Deet FreeStrongSole active is 5% geraniol, a botanical FIFRA 25(b) minimum-risk active. DEET-free is verifiable from the ingredient list.
“Repels mosquitoes while keeping your skin soft and hydrated”
EfficacyStrongBoth halves hold up: geraniol has published repellency data against mosquitoes (Lopez 2025; Luker 2023), and the soft/hydrated benefit is a verifiable cosmetic property of the glycerin humectant/emollient base. The hydration claim being non-repellency does not make it untrue.
How to apply it
Apply generously to skin before heading outside, and reapply every hour for maximum protection. Because the formula contains a high concentration of geraniol, perform a patch test on a small area of skin before first use. When applying to children, adult supervision is advised.
The label
Ingredients, warnings, and directions from the package label. Read it before you buy.
