Does mosquito repellent work?

One of the most common questions we’re asked is – does mosquito repellent work? And to that we say a resounding – YES!

We’ve had to prove it –

In order to be allowed to call our products “insect repellent”, they have to be approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

All insect repellents, whether they’re chemical-based or natural plant-based alternatives, are required by law to be registered with the APVMA. If they’re not registered, they can’t be sold in Australia.

As part of the registration process, the insect repellent needs to be proven to be safe and effective through clinical trials both in the lab and in the field. The APVMA has statutory criteria the tests need to meet – while APVMA regulatory scientist aren’t involved in the process of undertaking these trials, they do assess the information supplied to ensure it’s valid and meets the necessary standards. If it’s a dodgy trial, or isn’t as thorough as it should be, the product won’t get approved. They want to know that the mosquito repellent does work, and it’s safe for use on humans.

We use great ingredients

When developing our natural mosquito repellents, Jeannie scoured plant chemistry research to find the most effective ingredients that also play nice with human skin. The final result is a mosquito repellent that does it work through a selection of essential oils drawn from plants with amazing insect repelling abilities:

· Cymbopogon spp (aka Lemongrass)

· Lemon Tea Tree (aka Melaleuca)

· Lavender

· Rosemary

· Peppermint

Tested in the Northern Territory

During the development of the Good Riddance insect repellents, Jeannie tested the products with local fishermen in some of the most mosquito and midge-prone areas of the Northern Territory. It worked a treat, even out at Shady Camp, a billabong well known for having plenty of insects that want to bite you. The Good Riddance insect repellent was a roaring success – it gives fantastic protection, smells great and feels good on your skin – even when you get all hot and sweaty.

We have more information available,

And if you’re still wondering how does mosquito repellent work, we have some more information on that as well.

Does mosquito repellent work?