Tick Me Off Tick Repellent Soap is formulated in Connecticut by a Ph.D. pharmaceutical chemist with 30+ years of experience in the fields of organic and medicinal chemistry. Soap bars come shrink wrapped for protection on your fishing or camping trip. Look for the green accents and textured top as an indication of hand-made quality and a reflection of Turkeywoods Farm's appreciation for our environment and the great outdoors. Note that the green accent is purely aesthetic, may differ in appearance from bar to bar, and has no effect on soap quality. We usually pour the soap with a green top but occasionally experiment with different effects such as swirls or even straight green. Regardless, each bar of soap contains the same natural tick repellent oils in the same percentages.
Background: Ticks are known vectors of human and pet diseases including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) (1). Untreated Lyme disease leads to persistent chronic illness, and severe cases of RMSF can lead to limb amputation. Recent research has proven that essential plant oils are effective tick repellents. These natural products are plant defense biochemicals believed to act through blockade of the invertebrate octopaminergic receptor, which is critical for normal invertebrate cellular functions including the beating of the insect heart (2). Turkeywoods Farm Tick me Off Tick Repellent Soap (TM) was designed by a Ph.D. pharmaceutical chemist based on these principles. Safe for children and pets, Tick me Off Tick Repellent Soap comprises a pleasantly aromatic blend of farm-grown mugwort with additional citronella, thyme, and lavender essential oils. While approved for safe human use, the all-natural combination provides a potent punch against nefarious crawling parasites (3).
Usage Instructions: Ticks will often hide on the skin beneath clothing or within the hair, saving their dangerous bite for later, often while one is asleep. For this reason, the USFDA recommends showering shortly after exposure to tick infested environments to remove these disease-ridden pests before they make their blood-sucking attachment. Tick me Off Tick Repellent Soap is designed to increase the effectiveness of the shower. Note that the soap can be used as a shampoo, and some customers state they like the moisturizing effect the soap has on their hair and skin. The base ingredient of Tick me Off tick repellent soap is organic mugwort extract harvested from wild plants growing naturally and organically on Turkeywoods Farm. Additional ingredients include thyme, lavender, citronella, and geranium essential oils. Each of these natural ingredients have been shown to repel ticks and insects while being approved for safe human use. Tick Me Off tick repellent soap is perfectly suitable for daily cleansing, and many use it this purpose because of the pleasing, uplifting scent. Others have commented on beneficial effects on the skin and hair. For further reading, see this link: Tick Repellent Essential Oils: Which Ones Work Best (healthline.com) and the references below. Thank you for reading.
The following is provided to comply with federal requirements with respect to insect repellents:
Citronella, thyme, and geranium oils belong to the list of minimum risk active ingredients that are exempt from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) under the Minimum Risk Exemption regulations in 40 CFR 152.25(f), and all other oils used in this formulation including lavender essential oil are classified as edible oils. To comply with US federal labeling guidelines, we declare that Tick me Off Tick Repellent Soap is made with the following ingredients: olive oil, 30%; palm oil, 30%; coconut oil, 30%, sweet almond oil (2.5%), castor oil (2.5%), citronella (lemongrass) essential oil, 2.3%, lavender essential oil, 1.0%, thyme essential oil, 0.6%, geranium essential oil, 0.1%.
(1) Recent progress in Lyme disease and remaining challenges. Bobe, J. R. et al. Frontiers in Medicine 2021, 8, 1-25.
(2) Insecticidal activity of essential oils: octopaminergic sites of action. Enan, E., Comp. Biochem. Phys. Part C 130, 2001, 325-337.
(3) Tick repellent efficacy of eleven essential oils against adult Dermacentor reticulatus ticks. Stefanidesova, K. et al. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 2017, 8, 780-786.