the BUZZ skin
BUZZ Beach Eau de Parfum + Bug Repellent
Spray · Not EPA-registered (per brand FAQ); brand cites EPA's minimum-risk exemption guidance but states oil of lemon eucalyptus as its active, which is not a 25(b)-eligible ingredient
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Pros
- A wearable eau de parfum with a summery scent.
Cons
- This is perfume, not protection: an undisclosed proprietary blend with no proven repellency.
- Likely not EPA-compliant as a repellent.
The full review
Marketed as a fragrance that also repels insects, this eau de parfum is not recommended, flagged for an undisclosed formula, potential EPA noncompliance, and no proven mosquito protection. With the active concentration hidden inside a proprietary blend, our model has nothing to size a protection window from, so the effectiveness pillar bottoms out, transparency stays low, and the evidence pillar is poor with 2 weak and 1 unsupported claim. The brand's own FAQ admits the natural formula evaporates and asks you to reapply hourly, and it names oil of lemon eucalyptus as the active even though that ingredient is not 25(b)-eligible. Safety is middling, carrying sensitization, irritation, pregnancy, and under-3 cautions. Treat it as a wearable summer perfume, not bite protection.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%10Mosquitoes: protection cannot be modeled because the active concentration is undisclosed. Ticks: protection cannot be modeled because the active concentration is undisclosed. 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 lower confidence.
Mosquitoes: protection cannot be modeled because the active concentration is undisclosed. Ticks: protection cannot be modeled because the active concentration is undisclosed. 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 lower confidence.
Evidence & honest claims25%26Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is well-supported by published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 43). Of 5 marketing claims audited: 1 strong, 1 moderate, 2 weak, 1 unsupported (-17).
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is well-supported by published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 43). Of 5 marketing claims audited: 1 strong, 1 moderate, 2 weak, 1 unsupported (-17).
Safety15%70From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: moderate skin-sensitization risk from Proprietary essential oil blend (undisclosed) (−10); moderate irritation risk from Proprietary essential oil blend (undisclosed) (−6); not recommended for children under 3 (Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus) (−8); caution advised in pregnancy (−6). Some of this safety data is low-confidence.
From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: moderate skin-sensitization risk from Proprietary essential oil blend (undisclosed) (−10); moderate irritation risk from Proprietary essential oil blend (undisclosed) (−6); not recommended for children under 3 (Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus) (−8); caution advised in pregnancy (−6). Some of this safety data is low-confidence.
Transparency15%45This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 0% of active concentrations (+0); discloses 0% of all ingredient concentrations (+0); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 0% of active concentrations (+0); discloses 0% of all ingredient concentrations (+0); 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)
No protection time estimated — this product's label doesn't disclose the active ingredient's concentration, and protection depends on both the ingredient and its strength.
Tick estimate basis (low confidence)
No protection time estimated — this product's label doesn't disclose the active ingredient's concentration, and protection depends on both the ingredient and its strength.
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 0% of active concentrations (+0); discloses 0% of all ingredient concentrations (+0); the full formula including inerts is accounted for (+25).
Active ingredient concentrations are not published for this product.
- Oil of Lemon EucalyptusActive
Active repellent (per brand FAQ, not the product label) · concentration not disclosed
- Proprietary essential oil blend (undisclosed)Active
Active repellent (undisclosed blend) · concentration not disclosed
- Organic non-GMO sugarcane alcohol
Carrier (perfume base) · concentration not disclosed
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Reapply every hour or as often as needed”
DurationWeakFAQ gives no duration in hours.
“Safe for babies 6 months and older”
Kid SafeUnsupportedBrand FAQ claims baby safety, but CDC advises against oil of lemon eucalyptus/PMD products on children under 3 years, contradicting this claim given the brand's stated active.
“Dual-action eau de parfum + insect repellent ('ALL BUZZ, NO BITE')”
EfficacyWeakRepellency relies on an undisclosed essential-oil blend; brand claims lab testing but publishes no data, concentrations, or duration, and recommends hourly reapplication.
“Vegan, non-GMO, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, SLS/SLES-free”
NaturalModerateCompositional claims; cannot be fully verified because the blend is proprietary.
“DEET-free (and picaridin-free) plant-based formula”
Deet FreeStrongPer brand FAQ; consistent with all-botanical positioning.
How to apply it
Shake well, then spray directly onto exposed skin and/or clothing. Reapply every hour or as often as needed, since the natural formula evaporates over time. For the face, spray into hands and blot lightly, keeping it away from eyes, lips, and mouth; wash hands after handling. For children, the brand advises applying more heavily to clothing and away from the face.