Lavender mosquito repellent is a popular idea for good reasons: lavender is gentle in the popular imagination, it smells lovely, and plenty of people grow it by the back door. The question is whether a bottle of lavender oil does anything useful to a hungry mosquito. The published research says "yes, for a while, in the lab" far more clearly than it says "yes, on your holiday". Below is what individual studies found, with the numbers where the papers give them, what a US regulator says about the status of lavender, and how to think about essential oils on your skin.
What lavender oil is, and what the studies tested
Lavender oil is a mixture, not a single ingredient. In one chemical analysis of English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) oil, the main components were linalool (about 37 per cent) and linalyl acetate (about 62 per cent) (Sousa et al., ACS Omega, 2026). Other lavender species and varieties, such as spike lavender, lavandin and the wild lavenders of North Africa, have different profiles. That matters, because when a headline says "lavender repels mosquitoes", the paper behind it usually tested one species, one mosquito and one method.
The methods differ too. Some studies put oil on a volunteer's arm and count landings or bites over time. Some use a chamber where the oil only has to push mosquitoes away at a distance (a spatial repellent). The two are not interchangeable, and neither is the same as spending an evening outdoors.
What the studies actually found
We read the following papers through Europe PMC and PubMed this run. Each is attributed to its authors and quoted where the paper's wording matters.
Arm-in-cage, wild lavenders (2026). Researchers in Algeria tested oils from two wild lavenders, Lavandula latifolia and L. stoechas, alongside mint and another plant, against Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, using volunteers' forearms in a cage. They report that L. latifolia oil at 10 per cent "exhibited 95.2% repellency after 30 min, which subsequently dropped to 74.3% after 60 min" against Aedes albopictus, and that a spearmint oil was the strongest of the five (Meghazi et al., Insects, 2026). The pattern to notice is the drop within an hour. Protection that fades that quickly is a very different thing from a repellent you apply once and forget.
Volunteer tests of lavender against Anopheles (2014). An Iranian team followed the World Health Organization's skin-test guidelines with oils from four plants, including lavender, diluted in ethanol at 10, 20 and 40 per cent. They report that "in all time points, minimum bites were observed in traditional repellents" (DEET at 50 and 33 per cent) and that this was significantly lower than the essential oil groups. Bites on the lavender groups rose over the five hours, to an average of 9.8 bites by hour five. The authors still conclude that lavender, myrtle and clary sage oils "have repellency effect, even with 10% concentration" (Kayedi et al., Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases, 2014). So the same paper supports both a modest "yes" and a clear "less than DEET".
Lab comparison of many oils (2006). A German study tested 41 plant oils against three mosquito species on volunteers' skin. Its five most effective oils, each giving 100 per cent repellency for up to eight hours, were litsea, cajeput, niaouli, violet and catnip, and lavender was not among them. The authors add that the effect "needs, however, a peculiar formulation to fix them on the human skin" (Amer and Mehlhorn, Parasitology Research, 2006). A later systematic review of plant-based repellents against Anopheles mosquitoes lists lavender oil from that study (20 per cent solution, Anopheles stephensi) at 80.9 per cent repellency with an 8 hour protection time in its summary table, and groups lavender among plants that "showed good repellency" (Asadollahi et al., Malaria Journal, 2019). Notice that 80.9 per cent is not complete protection, so the review's table and its summary sentence do not line up neatly. We report both and make no claim beyond them.
Spatial repellency screen (2026). A Brazilian team screened 36 commercial essential oils against Aedes aegypti in a high-throughput chamber. Of the 36, 30 showed significant spatial repellency, and they classed English lavender and lavandin as medium repellents. They write that "Both Lavandula species demonstrated medium Ae. aegypti spatial repellency in our study" (Sousa et al., ACS Omega, 2026). That is a screening result for oils in a chamber. It does not show that lavender on skin or in a candle would keep bites down outdoors.
Does lavender mosquito repellent work? The honest summary
Taken together, these studies suggest lavender oil can have measurable repellent effect in controlled tests, mostly short-lived and generally weaker than DEET. The wider literature carries the same caveat. A 2026 systematic review of 33 experimental studies on essential oils and mosquitoes notes that the evidence "is based on controlled laboratory conditions rather than field trials", which "may affect real-world effectiveness" (Rabelo et al., Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo, 2026). That review did not single out lavender as a standout, so any claim that lavender is "as good as" a registered repellent remains unproven.
A 2011 review in Malaria Journal adds that commercial repellents with plant-based ingredients are "commonly perceived as 'safe' in comparison to long-established synthetic repellents although this is sometimes a misconception", and that too few studies have followed standard WHO testing guidelines (Maia and Moore, Malaria Journal, 2011).
For the wider evidence on natural options, our guide to natural bug repellent for skin goes through what the research supports across several plant ingredients.
What the US regulators say about lavender
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells people to use EPA-registered repellents with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, PMD or 2-undecanone, and says: "We do not know the effectiveness of non-EPA registered insect repellents, including some natural repellents" (CDC, Preventing mosquito bites, page dated 28 August 2024).
The EPA's own list of active ingredients in EPA-registered skin-applied repellents names catnip oil, oil of citronella, DEET, IR3535, PMD, oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin and 2-undecanone, and does not include lavender (EPA, Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients, last updated 23 January 2026). Lavender oil is also absent from the EPA's list of minimum-risk active ingredients that are exempt from registration (eCFR, 40 CFR 152.25, which names citronella oil and clove oil but not lavender). We did not look at UK or EU biocide registers for this guide, so this is a statement about US lists only. The EPA also says a registration number means the company supplied information on a product's safety and its effectiveness against mosquitoes and/or ticks (EPA, Find the Repellent that is Right for You, last updated 8 September 2026). A lavender product with no such number has not been through that process, so the label cannot point to an EPA-reviewed protection time.
We have a separate piece on which scents mosquitoes are said to dislike. See what smell mosquitoes hate for the scent angle, and botanical mosquito repellent ingredients explained for how other plant oils compare.
Putting lavender oil on skin
Essential oils are strong. A 2026 paper in Contact Dermatitis reports that linalool, a common fragrance component in cosmetics, forms sensitising hydroperoxides when exposed to air. In the study, repeat-application tests produced reactions in sensitised people at 0.163 per cent of the hydroperoxide in 4 of 12 patients, 0.054 per cent in 2 of 12, and 0.018 per cent in 1 of 12, with no reactions in controls (Botvid et al., Contact Dermatitis, 2026). Linalool is a major component of lavender oil (see the analysis above), so people who already react to fragrance have a reason to be careful with undiluted lavender oil. That is a general caution about fragrance allergy, not a finding that lavender oil is unsafe for everyone.
The EPA's safety page for repellents says to apply them only to exposed skin and clothing, never over cuts, wounds or irritated skin, and not near eyes and mouth (EPA, Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively, last updated 10 November 2025). Our note on mosquito repellent for sensitive skin covers patch testing and the usual cautions in more detail.
Where Misaj fits
Misaj, a Paris based skincare brand, makes Glow Protect, a daily skincare cream. On the Glow Protect product page, the active ingredients include "Eucalyptus Citriodora, Geranium, Atlas Cedar & Clove", described there as "a natural aromatic blend that helps deter mosquitoes." Lavender does not appear in that list or in the full ingredients list on the page, which we checked on 26 October 2026, so none of the lavender research above is a claim about Glow Protect.
The takeaway
Lavender oil has some evidence behind it as a short-acting mosquito repellent in lab and arm-in-cage tests, and the same studies show it fading within an hour or two and trailing DEET. The regulators the CDC and EPA point to list other ingredients for registered skin repellents. If you like lavender for its scent, there is nothing wrong with that, but do not rely on it for a trip where mosquito bites matter. Pick a repellent whose label tells you what it protects against, and patch test anything with a lot of fragrance in it.
Frequently asked questions
Does lavender repel mosquitoes?
Some studies say it does for a short time. In an Algerian arm-in-cage study, 10 per cent spike lavender oil gave 95.2 per cent repellency at 30 minutes, falling to 74.3 per cent at 60 minutes against Aedes albopictus. Evidence from outdoor trials is limited.
Is lavender as good as DEET?
No study we read says so. In a volunteer test of lavender oil against Anopheles stephensi, the DEET groups had significantly fewer bites at every time point.
Is lavender approved as a mosquito repellent?
In the US, the EPA's list of active ingredients in registered skin-applied repellents does not include lavender, and the CDC says it does not know how effective non-registered natural repellents are. We did not check UK or EU registers.
Can I put lavender oil directly on my skin?
Essential oils can cause skin reactions in some people, and linalool, a major lavender component, can form sensitising compounds on exposure to air. Patch test first, and follow the EPA advice not to use repellents on cuts or irritated skin.
Does Glow Protect contain lavender?
Lavender does not appear in the active ingredients or full ingredients list on the Glow Protect product page, checked on 26 October 2026.
Sources
Fetched 2026-10-26. Abstracts and open-access full texts were retrieved through the Europe PMC REST API.
- Meghazi N et al. Repellency of Selected Algerian-Origin Essential Oils and Hybrid Formulations Against Two Arbovirus Vectors, Culex pipiens s.l. and Aedes albopictus. Insects, 2026. doi:10.3390/insects17080823 (PMC13512987, full text). Note: the study discloses part funding from an Algerian pest management company.
- Kayedi MH et al. Evaluation of Repellency Effect of Essential Oils of Satureja khuzestanica (Carvacrol), Myrtus communis (Myrtle), Lavendula officinalis and Salvia sclarea using Standard WHO Repellency Tests. Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases, 2014 (PMC4289512, full text).
- Amer A, Mehlhorn H. Repellency effect of forty-one essential oils against Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex mosquitoes. Parasitology Research, 2006. doi:10.1007/s00436-006-0184-1 (PubMed 16642384, abstract).
- Asadollahi A et al. Effectiveness of plant-based repellents against different Anopheles species: a systematic review. Malaria Journal, 2019. doi:10.1186/s12936-019-3064-8 (PMC6925501, full text, Table 1).
- Sousa JPB et al. Essential Oil Composition and Spatial Repellency against Aedes aegypti Using a High-Throughput Screening System. ACS Omega, 2026. doi:10.1021/acsomega.6c04497 (PMC13470846, full text).
- Rabelo AP et al. The potential of essential oils as mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) bio-repellents: a systematic review. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo, 2026. doi:10.1590/s1678-9946202668039 (PMC13336775, abstract).
- Maia MF, Moore SJ. Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing. Malaria Journal, 2011. doi:10.1186/1475-2875-10-s1-s11 (PMC3059459, abstract).
- Botvid S et al. Repeated Exposure to Hydroperoxides of Linalool Induces Immunologically Verified Allergic Contact Dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis, 2026. doi:10.1111/cod.70119 (PMC13139705, abstract).
- CDC, Preventing mosquito bites, page dated 28 August 2024 (registered ingredients; statement on non-registered natural repellents). https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/index.html
- EPA, Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients, last updated 23 January 2026. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/skin-applied-repellent-ingredients
- eCFR, 40 CFR 152.25 (minimum-risk exemptions), fetched 2026-10-26. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-152/subpart-B/section-152.25
- EPA, Find the Repellent that is Right for You, last updated 8 September 2026. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-insect-repellent-right-you
- EPA, Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively, last updated 10 November 2025. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/using-insect-repellents-safely-and-effectively
- misajskin.com, Glow Protect product page (brand wording quoted verbatim, ingredients checked 2026-10-26). https://misajskin.com/products/glow-protect
The CDC page returned HTTP 403 to curl this run and was read through a fetch tool that returned the page text. The 2006 Amer and Mehlhorn paper was read as an abstract only; the 80.9 per cent and 8 hour figures come from Table 1 of the 2019 systematic review, not from the original paper.