If you live in an area with mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects, you understand the struggle. To enjoy the outdoors, you either have to cover up to avoid bites, use chemical-heavy sprays that sting your eyes and irritate your skin, or use the only semi-effective natural sprays that leave you smelling like an essential oil diffuser.
Thankfully, there is a better option now. There’s a new insect repellent on the market, Mimikai, that not only works, but is also natural and backed by science. In fact, Mimikai Insect Repellents are one of the first new bug sprays to earn an EPA registration in 25 years. That means they are scientifically tested and proven to protect against mosquito and tick bites without harming your health.
We sat down for a chat with the co-founder and CEO of Mimikai, Michelle Arnau, to learn more about how the brand got started, why these insect repellents are so effective, and what it means for a product to be EPA-registered.
How Did Mimikai Get Started and What is Your Mission?
Mimikai began with a personal frustration. I have always loved traveling and spending time outdoors, but I never felt good about repeatedly applying conventional insect repellents to my skin. As a cancer survivor and a longtime consumer-products innovator, I have become especially thoughtful about the ingredients we use on our bodies. Yet the natural repellents I tried simply did not provide the protection I needed.
My co-founder, Stephanie Watson, shared that frustration. Together, we saw an opportunity to create something that was missing from the market: a highly effective, plant-based insect repellent that people would genuinely enjoy using.
We partnered with scientists at North Carolina State University and spent seven years developing Mimikai. Our mission is to eliminate the need for DEET by giving people a proven alternative that combines effective protection with clean ingredients and an elevated skincare experience. Ultimately, we want to help people feel confident spending more time outdoors without having to compromise between performance and the products they feel comfortable putting on their skin.
How Does Your Bug Spray Work Without Chemicals Such as DEET? What is the Science Behind it?
Mimikai is powered by undecanone, a repellent active ingredient that occurs naturally in wild tomato plants. Tomato plants produce it as part of their natural defense system against insects.
Undecanone works by creating a barrier above the skin that mosquitoes and ticks find difficult to tolerate. This discourages them from landing and biting. It is a different active ingredient from DEET, but it has undergone rigorous laboratory and field testing to demonstrate its effectiveness.
We paired that proven active ingredient with a thoughtfully formulated base that feels more like a personal-care product than a traditional bug spray. Mimikai is non-sticky, has a light and pleasant scent, and is designed to feel good on the skin. We believe people are more likely to protect themselves consistently when they actually enjoy using the product.
Mimikai is One of the First New Bug Sprays to Become EPA-Registered in More Than 25 Years. What Does this Mean, and What Was the Process Like?
EPA registration means that Mimikai underwent a rigorous scientific review to substantiate its safety, effectiveness, formulation, labeling, and manufacturing processes. Unlike many essential-oil products that are exempt from EPA registration, we are permitted to make efficacy and disease claims because those claims are supported by the data submitted to and reviewed by the EPA.
The process was extensive. We spent seven years working with scientists at North Carolina State University on the formula and testing, followed by years of regulatory work and advocacy. This included laboratory studies, field trials, and an enormous amount of documentation. We also had to secure individual registrations across the states before we could sell nationally.
Bringing a new EPA-registered repellent to market is exceptionally difficult, which helps explain why there has been so little innovation in the category. There were many moments when the easier decision would have been to stop, but we knew consumers deserved another proven option. Receiving our registration was an extraordinary milestone and validation of years of persistence by our team.
Why Do You Feel it is Important for Families to Get Outdoors?
Time outdoors is incredibly valuable for both physical and emotional well-being. It encourages movement, curiosity, and confidence while giving families a chance to step away from screens, reconnect with one another, and experience the natural world together.
Some of my happiest and most meaningful memories have come from outdoor adventures and travel. We want more families to create those experiences without insects—or concerns about the products they use for protection—getting in the way.
For us, Mimikai is about more than preventing mosquito and tick bites. It is about removing one of the barriers that can keep people indoors and helping families explore more freely and confidently.
Is there Anything Else You Would Like to Share?
I would encourage families to remember that insect protection is an important part of preparing for time outdoors, just like applying sunscreen, packing water, or wearing the right clothing. Choose an EPA-registered repellent, follow the directions on its label, and remember to reapply as instructed.
I am also incredibly proud that Mimikai is helping bring meaningful innovation to a category that has remained largely unchanged for decades. We set out to prove that effective protection, thoughtful ingredients, and a beautiful user experience do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Building Mimikai has required years of science, perseverance, and belief, but every time we hear from someone who says they finally found a repellent they trust and enjoy using, we are reminded why we started.
Ready to switch to a more natural, family-friendly insect spray that actually works and is backed by real science? Mimikai Mosquito and Tick Spray is now available in two different sizes in our online shop.
