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If Chagrin Valley bug repellents are organic, why don't they display the USDA Organic logo?

The EPA regulates all bug repellents. According to EPA labeling rules the use of the USDA’s Organic logo is not allowed because a product label may only reference one federal agency. The concern is that consumers will not know which agency to contact if there is a problem with the product.

So, even though our Don't Bug Me products are certified organic, we cannot reference the USDA on our labels since we reference the EPA. 

What is a Minimum Risk Pesticide (Bug Repellent)?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates all bug repellents and has strict protocols for any pesticide. As defined by the EPA, a pesticide is “any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.” Since our bug products are meant to repel insects they are considered as pesticides.

Some pesticides are classified as "Minimum Risk Pesticides" (MRPs) and have been placed in a special class by themselves when it comes to safety. The key is in the natural ingredients that help keep pests at bay but have been proven to be safe for mammals like humans and pets.

The EPA has determined that these “pesticides” like our bug repellents, pose little to no risk to human health or the environment. As a result, these products are exempt from the requirement that they be registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

That is why you see the following statement on our website and product labels:

This product qualifies for exemption from EPA registration under FIFRA

Are your bug repellents tested by the EPA?

Since our bug repellents are classified as “minimum risk pesticides,” they are not required to be registered with the EPA or undergo testing for how effective they are or for how long they last. Which is why they need to be applied more often. 

While we do have anecdotal evidence that our repellents are helpful for at keeping bugs at bay, they will not work as well as commercial repellents containing DEET.

The effectiveness of any mosquito repellent can vary due to conditions such as physical activity, perspiration, water exposure, and how attractive you are to mosquitoes as well as your climate and weather.

If your Don't Bug Me! bug repellents are minimum risk, why do they work?

Many plants produce compounds that help protect them from pests. These same compounds, when extracted as essential oils, can help to keep bugs at bay naturally when applied to the skin.

Pests like mosquitos have very different biological systems than mammals. Our Certified Organic bug repellents work because the active ingredients are plant essential oils known to contain high levels of natural bug deterrents.

Mosquitoes are attracted to people by skin odors and the carbon dioxide from exhaling. These essential oils interfere with and confuse the insect's sense of smell or taste making it difficult for them to locate food (that's you).

Do Chagrin Valley bug repellents protect against disease carrying ticks and mosquitoes?

Chagrin Valley manufactures our "Don't Bug Me" products using natural ingredients intended to help keep pesky mosquitos at bay. Our bug repellents are not intended to control or mitigate specific species of insects that may transmit diseases to humans.

If you are looking for long-lasting protection in severe conditions, such as venturing into areas that are heavily infested with specific species of insects or ticks that may transmit diseases to humans, such as Malaria, Zika, or Lyme disease, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends repellents that contain active ingredients such as DEET or Picaridin.

The CDC website has numerous pages of information concerning insect-borne diseases, the most effective insect repellents, and travel precautions.

Are your bug repellents safe for babies?

The skin of a young infant is ultra-sensitive, thin and fragile and undergoes a physical maturation process for about the first year of life. Since infant skin is more vulnerable to adverse reactions, we don't recommend using products with essential oils on an infants under the age of 6 months unless approved by your health care provider

Babies and young toddlers also put everything in their mouths (including their hands and feet). The concern is that if applied directly to their bodies, especially their hands, there is risk of ingestion. It is best to apply the repellents to the clothing or on areas of skin that they don't explore with their mouths. 

If proper care is taken during application our bug repellents products should be safe for young toddlers. We always recommend checking with a health care provider and that you do a patch test before using. 

Is this product safe if you are pregnant?

Our Don't Bug Me repellents are made using certified organic ingredients and there are no artificial fragrances, dyes, petroleum derivatives, or synthetic preservatives in any of our products. Our repellents are formulated with a skin-safe percentage of essential oils if used as directed.

We always recommend that pregnant or nursing moms check with their health care providers if there are any specific concerns about products made with essential oils. 

As always, if you have sensitive skin or are trying a new product for the first time and not sure how your skin will react, we recommend that you do a patch test before using. 

How Does a Natural Bug Repellant Work?

The whole idea behind the ingredients in an insect repellent is to make folks as unappealing to bugs as possible. Our natural bug repellents use the power of plants as an alternative to chemical-laden insect repellents for every day use. 

Plants have been repelling insects and bugs to protect themselves since the beginning of time.

So why not harness the power of plants?

That’s just what we did at Chagrin Valley. We created a line of safe and effective “Don’t Bug Me!” products that would help repel insects—Naturally!

There is clinical research showing that you can minimize bug bites with the natural repellents present in plant essential oils. Plants produce their own natural pesticides as a chemical defense against being eaten. 

Pests like insects have very different biological systems than mammals. Our Certified Organic bug repellents work because the active ingredients are plant essential oils known to contain high levels of natural bug deterrents.

Mosquitoes are attracted to people by skin odors and the carbon dioxide from exhaling. These essential oils interfere with the insect's sense of smell or taste making it difficult for them to locate food (that's you).

Our special blend of organic essential oils in our natural bug repellents includes Citronella, Cedarwood, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Thyme.

Although the EPA has evaluated the biochemical active ingredients in natural products, like Chagrin Valley’s natural organic bug repellents for safety, products made from these ingredients have not been evaluated for effectiveness.

If you live or hike in areas that do not have a high risk for bug-borne diseases, natural repellents can offer good every day protection.

If you are looking for long-lasting protection in severe conditions, such as venturing into areas that are heavily infested with specific species of insects or ticks that may transmit diseases to humans, such as Malaria, Zika, or Lyme disease, the CDC recommends repellents that contain active ingredients such as DEET or Picaridin.

For more information please read our blog, "Natural Insect Repellents: The Power Of Plants."

What Are Pure Essential Oils?

Have you ever enjoyed the scent of a fragrant flower or herb? The fragrance comes from potent, aromatic compounds called essential oils found in the flowers, stems, seeds, bark, roots, fruits, and other parts of plants. It often requires several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil.

Essential oils not only give plants their unique scents but also help lure plant pollinators and protect plants from insects and other predators.

The chemical composition of essential oils may provide valuable psychological and physical aromatherapeutic benefits for some people.

It is important to note that to be a true essential oil, the oil must be isolated from the plant material by physical means only. Essential oils are NEVER extracted using solvents.

Although synthetic fragrances or "nature identical" oils are available at a much lower cost, only natural plant essential oils will provide any aromatherapeutic benefits.

What Are Essential Oils (Much more detail)

How Essential Oils Are Extracted

Why We Use Only Real Plant Essential Oils?

What is Aromatherapy?

If you are pregnant or under a doctor's care for any medical condition, please consult your healthcare provider before using essential oils.

Pregnancy & Children: We do not provide information on the safety of essential oils during Pregnancy or for use in Children because the available information is very ambiguous and often contradictory. If you’re interested in using essential oils during pregnancy or with young children please do your own research and consult your doctor, midwife, or health care professional before use.

Product Expiration Dates

We hand make all of our own products in small batches to ensure freshness, consistency, and perfection.

Our products are not made to sit on store shelves for years and years.

Although there are natural preservatives within the chemical structure of many natural ingredients, they not as potent as the synthetic preservatives used in commercial products to prolong shelf-life.

Other than soap, our products are remade every few weeks and none are very old when they are sold. Our non-soap products should be opened within 6 months of purchase.

Since we use no preservatives or chemical stabilizers, the more important question is, "how long will the product last once it has been opened?

Once opened, skin care products become exposed to dirt and microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, and molds) that are found in the air and on the skin.

As soon as you open and begin to use any product, simply the way in which you use it will affect its lifespan.

So, we use the PAO (period-after-opening) symbol. These symbols are already available on the product pages of our website and we are in the process of adding them to all of our labels.

The POA symbol is a standard symbol that identifies the useful lifetime of a skin care product after it has been opened for the first time.

As you can see from the picture, the symbol is an open jar with a written number and the letter "M" for the word "months."

A product with a "9M" would mean that it is good for 9 months after opening.

Tip: write the date you open a product for the first time on its label so you can keep track of the period after opening.

Our POA number represents our best suggestion. There are many factors that can affect the lifespan of a product. If a product is discolored, has an unpleasant smell or looks odd, the product should not be used and should be discarded.

• Each time you place your warm fingers into a tin or jar, you melt some of the butter which can change the consistency of the product.
• Fingers also introduce bacteria and other contaminants into the product.
• If a product has not been stored properly, for example, if the lid has been left off for long periods of time, the product may ‘go off’ before the period after opening has passed.
• As scented products age, some of the natural essential oil scent may be lost. Pure essential oils just do not have the staying power of synthetic fragrance oils.
• Over time, natural colors may also fade.

If you’re like me, and you find an old dusty product hiding in a drawer, makeup bag, or even a suitcase from your last trip, you can call us with the lot number and we can verify its age. Obviously, if it seems off in any way, toss it!

Please note: This PAO symbol is widely used in Europe to recommend the length of time a product remains usable after opening, for products that have a shelf-life of at least 30 months. Our products do NOT have a shelf-life of 30 months before opening.