Ask ten people if natural insect repellent works and you'll get ten different answers, most of them based on one bad camping trip or one miracle story from a mate.
The honest answer is more useful than either. Some natural ingredients genuinely help deter insects. None of them work like a chemical repellent.
This is the long version of that answer. What natural repellent balm can do, what it can't, and where Bush Balm and Bite Balm actually fit into a day outside.
Bush Balm vs Bite Balm at a glance
| Bush Balm | Bite Balm | |
|---|---|---|
| What it's for | Before outdoor activity | After a bite or skin irritation |
| When to use it | Before heading outside and reapply as needed | When irritation has already appeared |
| Key oils | Citronella, neem and lemon eucalyptus | Lavender, lemon eucalyptus and lemongrass |
| Main job | Helps naturally deter insects | Helps calm and comfort irritated skin |
| Packaging | Plastic-free, home compostable tube | Plastic-free, home compostable tube |
Does natural insect repellent really work?
"Does natural work?" is actually too broad a question to answer.
"Natural" covers a huge range of ingredients and concentrations, and "work" means different things depending on what you're asking a product to do.
The better question is:
What does this specific product do, at this concentration, and for how long?
Bush Balm is built around citronella, neem and lemon eucalyptus oils, three ingredients with a long traditional history of use in natural insect deterrents.
It's applied to exposed skin before you head outside and helps naturally deter bugs while it's on you.
It's also a smaller claim than "repels bugs for eight hours," which is the kind of efficacy claim a registered repellent may be able to make based on appropriate testing, and one a natural balm shouldn't make without equivalent evidence.
What's actually in Bush Balm and Bite Balm?
Bush Balm's full ingredient list is cocoa butter, rice bran wax, shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, citronella oil, neem oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, vitamin E, rosemary leaf extract and sunflower oil.
Citronella gives it the fresh, uplifting citrus aroma it's known for, while cocoa butter, shea butter and neem oil nourish skin and support its natural barrier underneath.
Bite Balm is a different formula for a different job.
There's no citronella or neem in this one. It's built around lavender, lemon eucalyptus and lemongrass oils instead, chosen to calm rather than repel, with the same cocoa butter, shea butter and vitamin E base doing the nourishing work.
Both are vegan, palm oil-free, paraben-free, sulphate-free, silicone-free and free of synthetic fragrance.
Neither is tested on anything but the people willing to volunteer their arm.
What natural repellent balm can't do
It can't match the multi-hour, laboratory-tested efficacy of a registered chemical repellent like DEET. Nothing "natural" really can, and any brand implying otherwise is probably stretching the truth. We've written a full, honest comparison in Bush Balm vs DEET: What Natural Repellent Can and Can't Do if you want the specifics.
It also can't do its job from the bottom of your bag. The aroma from Bush Balm typically lasts between one and two hours, depending on your environment and individual body chemistry, which means it needs reapplying more often than a chemical spray. That's not a flaw to hide, it's just how natural insect deterrents work, and it's worth knowing before you buy it.
Meet Bush Balm and Bite Balm
Bush Balm = before. Bite Balm = after.
Bush Balm goes on before you're outside.
Swipe it onto exposed skin when you're camping, hiking, fishing, gardening or just sitting in the backyard as the sun goes down, and reapply as your environment and activity demand.
Bite Balm is there for when you forgot to apply, forgot to reapply, or something still managed to have a go at you.
If your skin is irritated from a bite, scratching, gardening or simply being outside too long, Bite Balm helps calm and comfort it with lavender, lemon eucalyptus and lemongrass.
Both come in compact, plastic-free, home compostable push-up tubes.
Once the tube is empty, it can go in your compost or garden rather than landfill.
If you want both without buying them separately, The Full Collection: Natural Bush Range 2 Pack puts one of each in your outdoor kit.
You can also read more about the launch in Bush Balm and Bite Balm: Our New Outdoor Duo Has Landed.
How to actually get the most out of it
Push the base of the tube up slightly to expose a small amount of balm, then swipe it directly onto exposed skin and massage until absorbed.
Reapply as needed. You may need to reapply more frequently in humid conditions, after swimming or after heavy sweating because water and perspiration can reduce how long a topical product remains on the skin.
Avoid broken skin and the eye area, and store the tube somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.
Both balms are suitable for ages two and up. A patch test before first use is a sensible move for anyone with reactive skin.
If you're pregnant or have particular skin sensitivities or health concerns, check the ingredient list with an appropriate healthcare professional before using a new topical product.
Common myths about natural bug repellent
Myth: if it's natural, it must be weaker.
Not necessarily.
Strength depends on the specific ingredient, concentration and intended use, not simply whether an ingredient is synthetic or plant-derived.
The practical limitation with many natural deterrent products is duration and consistency, which is why they may need more frequent reapplication.
Myth: essential oils in a repellent are just there for scent.
In Bush Balm's case, citronella, neem and lemon eucalyptus are included specifically for their traditional use as insect deterrents, not purely for how they smell.
The scent is a side effect of ingredients doing a job, not the point of them being there.
And guess what? It smells AMAZING. Just not to bugs.
Myth: a soothing balm and a repellent balm are interchangeable.
They're not.
That's exactly why Bush Balm and Bite Balm are two different formulas.
Bush Balm is preventative: it's designed to help deter insects before they bite. Bite Balm is aftercare: it's designed to help calm and comfort skin once irritation has appeared.
Using one for the other's job won't get you the result you're after.
Who is natural insect repellent right for?
If you want a plastic-free, plant-based option to add to your everyday outdoor kit, and you're realistic about reapplying it, Bush Balm and Bite Balm are built for exactly that.
Think camping, gardening, fishing, hiking, backyard evenings and everyday outdoor life.
If you're travelling somewhere with a significant risk of mosquito- or insect-borne disease, choose protection recommended by the relevant health authorities for that destination. A registered repellent may be the more appropriate choice when maximum, tested protection is required.
We'd rather tell you that upfront than sell you a balm for a job it isn't built to do.
If you're unsure about the protection required for your destination, seek appropriate medical or travel-health advice.
Keep reading
This is the overview. If you want to go deeper, we've also covered:
-
What's Actually in Bush Balm and Bite Balm (And Why It's There)
-
The Camping, Hiking and Fishing Kit Nobody Tells You to Pack
-
Is Natural Bug Repellent Safe for Kids? What to Know Before Your Next Family Trip
Frequently Asked Questions
Does natural insect repellent actually work?
Yes, some plant-derived ingredients can help deter insects. However, natural insect deterrents generally shouldn't be expected to provide the same duration or consistency as registered repellents such as DEET.
Bush Balm uses citronella, neem and lemon eucalyptus oils and is designed for everyday outdoor use with regular reapplication.
How long does Bush Balm last once applied?
The aroma from Bush Balm typically lasts around one to two hours, although this varies depending on your environment and individual body chemistry.
Reapply as needed and consider applying more frequently in humid conditions, after swimming or after heavy sweating.
What's the difference between Bush Balm and Bite Balm?
Bush Balm is the before balm; Bite Balm is the after balm.
Bush Balm is applied before heading outside and is built around citronella, neem and lemon eucalyptus oils to help naturally deter insects.
Bite Balm is for when irritation has already appeared and uses lavender, lemon eucalyptus and lemongrass to help calm and comfort the skin.
Is natural repellent as effective as DEET?
No. Natural insect deterrents shouldn't be assumed to provide the same duration or consistency of protection as registered DEET repellents.
Natural options can be useful for everyday outdoor activity where you're happy to reapply, while situations involving significant insect-borne disease risk call for protection recommended by the relevant health authorities.
What's in Bush Balm and Bite Balm?
Bush Balm contains cocoa butter, rice bran wax, shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, citronella, neem, lavender, peppermint and lemon eucalyptus oils, plus vitamin E and rosemary leaf extract.
Bite Balm contains cocoa butter, rice bran wax, shea butter, lavender, lemon eucalyptus and lemongrass oils, plus vitamin E and rosemary leaf extract.
Are Bush Balm and Bite Balm safe for sensitive skin?
Both are formulated to be gentle and are free from synthetic fragrance, parabens, sulphates and silicones.
Because everyone's skin is different, we recommend patch testing before first use if you're prone to skin reactions.
Can I use Bush Balm and Bite Balm together?
Yes. They're designed for two different moments rather than as substitutes for one another.
Bush Balm is your before balm: apply it before heading outside and reapply as needed.
Bite Balm is your backup for when you forgot to reapply, something got a sneaky nibble in, and the irritation has already shown up.
Is the packaging plastic-free?
Yes. Both Bush Balm and Bite Balm come in plastic-free, home compostable push-up tubes.
Once empty, the tube can go into your home compost or garden rather than landfill.
The bottom line: does natural insect repellent work?
Natural repellent isn't a scam and it isn't a miracle.
Some natural ingredients can help deter insects, but the trade-off is that natural deterrents generally need more frequent reapplication and aren't the right choice when you require maximum, tested protection against insect-borne disease.
For everyday outdoor life (camping, gardening, fishing, hiking or backyard evenings) Bush Balm is designed to help naturally deter unwanted bugs, while Bite Balm is there to help calm and comfort skin when something still manages to get a sneaky nibble in.
Bush Balm before. Bite Balm after. Nothing more, nothing less.