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Purple Prairie Bug Stuff Review

By Kristie Turck •  Published 07/21/11 •  3 min read

Last updated on August 19th, 2022 at 11:37 pm

So as you can probably guess, the cheat sheet for bug repellents got back burner this summer.  Seriously, I don’t know how anyone gets anything done in the summertime.  I feel like I am constantly shuttling kids from one place to another and when I’m not, I’m trying to keep them busy with projects so I can work.  Summer is impossible! So in lieu, I wanted to do a quick review of a bug spray that I have been testing out for my friend at Lullaby Organics.  She sent us the Purple Prairie Bug Stuff and Bug Lotion to try out.

I live in Georgia this time of year.  Near Atlanta.  It should just be renamed Hot Swamp because holy, it is hot here.  I’m talking muggy, baking bread on the driveway hot. It’s ridiculous.  So the only time of day we can play with the kids outside is when the sun goes down.  And of course, as many of you can relate, once the sun is out of sight, swarms of mosquitoes and little biting bugs come out to play too.

Since Purple Prairie has such a nice sunscreen I was excited to try their bug products too.  I habitually doused myself and the kids with the spray a few nights in a row and then switched off to the lotion for a few nights.   Most natural bug repellents smell pretty pungent from the oils they use to repel bugs.  The idea is to mask the scent of your CO2 and body scent so that the bugs cannot find you.  Reapplication is key with natural bug repellents.  That said, they are still smelly.  Purple Prairie utilizes a variety of bug-repelling oils instead of chemicals to help scare off bugs. However, they have figured out how to make it a little less smelly than others.  It still has the telltale scent of citronella but it’s not quite as overpowering as some.

We had the most success with the Bug Lotion this year.  Sure it’s a little more of a pain to apply but it seemed to yield fewer bites overall, perhaps because the concentration on the skin is higher than the spray.  Believe me, I know the appeal of a spray since it’s so much easier.  But I had to use a lot to get adequately coated.  The lotion lasts a little longer and I didn’t see as many bug bites on myself compared to the spray.  I also like the price point on these, though again I have to say the lotion is more bang for your buck.  If you live somewhere that doesn’t have a big bug issue in the summer then the spray might work out nicely.

My only gripe with natural repellents is that the ingredients are iffy for use on kids under three.  Though, I’d rather risk an essential oil on my 2-year-old than DEET.

Get Bug Stuff: You can buy both the Purple Prairie Bug Stuff Spray and Lotions online.

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