Posted July 30, 2018 in Essential Oil Basics by Rocky Mountain Oils

Bug Away VS Bug Off!

Where did Bug Off! go?

Many of our customers have noticed that we no longer carry the Bug Off! Essential Oil Blend. Today, we will talk about why. Did you know that Rocky Mountain Oils used to offer two, no three, natural “bug repellent” essential oil blends at the same time? Bug Off! was first, of course, and was a great blend for adults that were looking to protect themselves and their homes from creepy crawlies. Then came the kid-safe and diluted Bug Away Roll-On as a part of our RMO Kids Safe Collection.

Bug Away Neat (undiluted) followed soon after, and it was a big hit, particularly because it is completely safe and effective for you, your little ones, and the entire family After offering these three blends for a while, we noticed that some confusion and questions started to arise from our customers, like, “Which blend is better?” or “Which blend would be safer for my children?”. In response to these questions, we decided to take a closer look at why we were still offering these very similar (but different) blends.

First, let's look at the differences in the ingredients.

Bug off! Essential Oil Blend:

Citronella
Cedarwood
Lavender
Peppermint
Eucalyptus radiata
Eucalyptus citriodora
Thyme
Lemongrass

Bug Away Essential Oil Blend:

Citronella
Cedarwood
Lavender
Lemongrass
Thyme

Pretty similar ingredients, huh? The only thing that really sets them apart is that the Bug Away Essential Oil Blend does not contain Peppermint and Eucalyptus, and there is now more Lemongrass than Thyme in the blend. This makes the blend less “hot” and a safer option for children under ten years old while still retaining its effectiveness.

Did you know?

You should not topically apply Eucalyptus to children under the age of ten years, and you should not apply Peppermint to children under the age of six years. These single essential oils are very potent and have the potential to negatively affect the lungs. Both Eucalyptus and Peppermint have a natural constituent called 1,8 cineole.

If Eucalyptus, Peppermint, or essential oils that are rich in 1,8 cineole are applied to the skin or around the face, the 1,8 cineole constituent can potentially cause respiration to slow in younger children. We value our customers’ experiences, and we strive to offer products that are safe and effective for the entire family! To help eliminate confusion as to which blend to use, we decided to move forward with only offering our Bug Away Essential Oil Blend.

This blend will keep those pesky bugs at bay and is safe for the whole family! To use the Bug Away Essential Oil Blend, you can…

Or...did you know that you can diffuse outside!? All you need is a warm, dry summer night and an extension cord! :)

Quick Tip:

For our customers who were fans of the Bug Off! Essential Oil Blend, you are in luck! If you have Peppermint and Eucalyptus lying around in your oil collection, all you need to do is simply mix one or two drops of each single oil in with the Bug Away Essential Oil Blend, and voila! You have a new blend comparable to Bug Off!