As we head into the warmer months, many of us are eager to spend more time outside—but there’s one thing that can quickly ruin a fun evening with friends on the patio, a family hike, or a trip to the park: bugs. Even the solution to the problem—smelly, greasy DEET-filled repellents—can put a major damper on things.

While traditional insect repellent might keep mosquitoes and ticks at bay, that protection often comes at the expense of your skin, your senses, and your peace of mind. Luckily, there’s a new option: Bite, a plant-based bug spray. 

Bite was founded by Jaime Hackett and Erin Prohaska, two Toronto-based founders. We’re super thrilled to be partnering with these two incredible women and their Made in Canada brand.

This natural insect repellent is more than just another bug spray—it's a thoughtful, skin-friendly addition to your daily skincare routine. Here’s why we're excited to offer Bite alongside our lineup of high-performance, plant-powered products—and why it might just become your new summer essential.

Why Jaime and Erin Created Bite: Re-Imagining Bug Spray as Part of Your Every Day Routine

Founders Jaime and Erin created Bite because they love being outside… but hated the experience of using conventional bug sprays. Mosquitoes and ticks were a constant problem, but the repellents available on the market were full of harsh chemicals, smelled like gasoline, and left a greasy residue on their skin.

They didn’t feel good about having to use bug spray every time they went outside—which was often. What bothered them even more was how no one seemed to treat it like actual skincare—something you’re absorbing into your body each time you apply it.

Erin puts the contrast between bug spray and other topical products in perspective: “When you run out of your typical skincare products, do you think about going to Home Depot? Why should it be any different for bug spray?”

With that in mind, Jaime and Erin set out to make something better. They envisioned a product that felt good to use, looked beautiful on a vanity or bathroom shelf, and could be seamlessly integrated into your daily routine.

Sound familiar? That might be because Jaime and Erin’s mission with Bite is perfectly aligned with how we at Graydon Skincare envision how skin products are incorporated into your life.

A Bug Spray That Feels Like Skincare

One of the standout features of Bite is how it fits into your skincare and body care habits—not just your camping kit. With a gentle, non-greasy formula and a soft mist applicator, Bite is designed to feel like a luxurious skincare step rather than a sticky afterthought. The scent? A fresh, lemony aroma thanks to its hero ingredient: oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Many customers have even told Jaime and Erin that Bite has become their new “summer scent”—a bug spray they actually want to wear.

The reason why it’s so important to Jaime and Erin that Bite is an enjoyable experience is because above all, they want to encourage use. Not only can bug bites be itchy and irritating, but some bites (especially from ticks) can be cause for serious health concerns.

That’s why it’s exciting that Bite’s active ingredient, oil of lemon eucalyptus, is effective at repelling mosquitoes for up to 6 hours, and ticks for up to 5! You don’t have to sacrifice efficacy for a more enjoyable, natural experience.

Let’s break down how Bite works a little further, and share why it’s different from your typical DEET bug sprays.

How Bite Works: Fighting Nature with Nature

The large majority of insect repellents approved by Health Canada for sale rely on one pesky ingredient for their efficacy: DEET. Most of us have used a DEET bug spray before and we know what it’s like—it’s smelly, full of chemicals, can stain our clothes, and can cause skin reactions.

Not to mention that the amount of DEET in a bug spray has to be reduced to be safely used on children under 12 because their skin is more permeable—meaning that kids are stuck using a less effective repellent and are at larger risk for skin irritation.

So that’s why having a natural active to replace DEET is so exciting. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is the active ingredient in Bite, and its concentration of 30% is safe for adults, children over 6 months old, and pregnant women. There’s no diluting or decreased efficacy here… Bite is good for the whole family.

Oil of lemon eucalyptus is:

• A 100% natural ingredient
• Approved by Health Canada for mosquito and tick protection
• Gentle enough for infants 6 months+
• Obtained through a process that refines eucalyptus oil to increase its insect-repelling properties
• Able to mask the body scents that attract insects, creating an effective scent barrier

Bonus: Bite Doubles as a Post-Bite Soother

It’s always best to apply bug spray before exposure, but sometimes bites happen. Fortunately, Bite doesn’t just repel insects—it can also help soothe irritation if you've already been bitten. Thanks to the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of oil of lemon eucalyptus, a quick spray can calm swelling and reduce the itch, helping prevent further irritation.

Bite can help soothe irritation if you've already been bitten.

Graydon x Bite: Your New Summer Skincare Routine

We’re thrilled to carry Bite—a bug spray that shares our philosophy of skincare-as-self-care. Our founder Graydon Moffat has always emphasized scent, texture, and feel when formulating her products, on top of her unwavering emphasis on efficacy, gentleness, and naturally derived ingredients.

So for us, Bite ticks (no pun intended) all the boxes of what makes a great skincare product.

We’re proud to offer Bite alongside the Graydon Skincare lineup… because protecting your skin should feel good.

Shop Bite Insect Repellent here. Available to ship anywhere within Canada!

Click here to get answers to the frequently asked questions about Bite.