PureGard Botanical Repellent

Product Notes:

PureGard was founded by Lisa Learning, a Nova Scotia Indigenous woman who sought a safer, science-backed natural alternative to DEET or other pesticides or repellents after her sons contracted Lyme disease from tick bites. She partnered up with Dr. Nicoletta Faraone, a chemistry professor at Acadia University well versed in both aromatherapy and ticks to bring the latest academic research to bear on the problem.

The result is a Lemon Eucalyptus-based personal spray that can effectively deter both mosquitoes and ticks from latching onto surfaces it's been sprayed on (whether your clothing or skin, or the fur and skin of a dog or horse - but NOT cats) for up to six and five hours before reapplying, respectively. (Stay tuned: they are also developing a 'stickier' version for campers and outdoor workers to soak into their tents and work clothing that can stay effective for up to 30 days!) It's a popular product not only for parents like her, but also for avid hikers, off-road cyclists or motor vehicle users, and dog owners.

Its active ingredient (which makes up 30% of its volume, with the rest being purified water and ethanol) is derived from the leaves of sustainably harvested trees formerly known as Eucalyptus citriodora (recently reclassified as Corymbia citriodora). But it's more than just a rapidly evaporating steam-distilled essential oil: it's been refined to have a 60% concentration of PMD [P-Menthane-3,8-Diol], in addition to other aromatic constituents such as citronellol, limonene, and linalool, for a far more potent and lingering lemony aroma (which is fairly pleasant for people and animals, but not for bugs).

This active ingredient has been officially recognized and regulated and approved for consumer sales as a safe and effective mosquito and tick repellent (including for mosquitoes carrying the Zika and West Nile viruses) not only by Canada (PCP number 35851) but also by the USA and many European countries, under its trade name, Citriodiol®. It's also biodegradable, and is safe on nearly all wildlife (except for cats, who lack an enzyme to break it down if they ingest it while licking it off their fur), as well as on nearly all fabrics and surfaces (unlike DEET, which acts like a solvent that can damage plastics, paints and synthetic fabrics).

* AtlanTICK, which has been in business on the East Coast since 2017, was relaunched in April 2026 to broaden both its geographical reach (to across Canada and beyond) and its application, by underscoring the fact it works even better at repelling mosquitoes (providing 6 hours of deterrence per application for them, compared to five for ticks).