Lyme Prevention herbs/sprays and safe pesticides?

Some outdoors people (outdoor workers, guides ect)now make their own permetherine spray (splg?). Its available in concentrate at some feed and seed / farm / ranch type stores.

The consumer brand Repel makes two tick products:
1) One with the Permetherine insecticide chemical for clothing.
2) and one that is a non-deet replant, supposedly safe for skin.

Its common for stores to stock these up here.

I've read rose essential oil works

I second what astroman has said. Though permethrin is still a chemical it is significantly less toxic then DEET and actually works. The only other thing that has worked for me is Avon Skin So Soft.

Bummed because I've tried every natural thing and it never repels mosquitos in our area and I really need that as much as I need the tick repellent. Especially with that nasty chikungunya spreading our way!

What about neem oil? I remember reading a blog where the blogger had done some experimenting with different essential oils and ticks in glass jars. neem was the most effective in terms of killing the ticks in the shortest amount of time so the postulation was that it might repel ticks as well. Has anyone else heard of this?

LOL! Not only do I use neem oil in my garden, but neem leaf is in my Lyme treatment!