186. What to Put on Your Skin This September — And What to Reach for When the Sun or the Bugs Win

Written by Clinical Herbalist Donna Cleary for Spiral Herbal Remedies, September 1, 2026

Summer may be winding down, but September has its own agenda. The sun is still strong, the mosquitoes haven't gotten the memo, and your skin has been through a lot. This is actually the best time to double down on botanical skin care — to repair what the season did and protect what's left of it.

At Spiral Herbal Remedies, everything we make is Organic, handcrafted in small batches, and formulated by someone who spent 13 years as a Registered Nurse at a Harvard teaching hospital before dedicating her practice to Clinical Herbalism. We know what the body needs. We know what plants can deliver.

This is our late summer skin guide — what to reach for before, during, and after the season does its thing.

When the Sun Gets the Better of You

We are not going to call our products sunscreen, because they are not. Sunscreen is an FDA-regulated category with specific SPF testing requirements, and we respect that line. What we make is something different and something the dermatology aisle doesn't offer: organic botanical support for skin that has already taken a hit.

After unintentional sun exposure — the afternoon that went longer than planned, the walk home that turned into a burn, or just that mild redness — your skin needs cooling, calming, and nourishment. That is where plants have always excelled.

First and foremost is our Lose The Itch Plantain Salve — the one we'd tell you to keep in your bag all season long.

Formulated with organic plantago, rosemary, peppermint, olive oil, and beeswax, Lose The Itch is what you reach for when skin feels irritated, reactive, hot, or just done after time outdoors. Two varieties of plantain — among the most celebrated botanicals in herbal tradition across cultures — work together to soothe and calm reactive skin. Rosemary is traditionally valued for its antimicrobial and skin-supportive properties. Peppermint delivers immediate cooling relief to skin that is begging for it. Beeswax seals it all in with a natural protective barrier that locks in moisture while the plants do their work.

Bites, rashes, sun-stressed skin, mystery irritations that appear after a day outside — this salve handles all of it. Keep it in your purse. Keep it on your nightstand. Keep one in the car.

Then there's the daily rehab:

Beyond The Sea | Botanical Face Serum brings nine botanicals to skin that has been through a summer — wakame for deep hydration, moringa and red grape for antioxidant protection, calendula, plantain, and chickweed for cooling and soothing, licorice root for an even complexion, wild carrot seed for revitalization, and organic olive oil to carry all of it into skin tissue. Three to four drops cover your entire face. No water, no fillers. Applied daily, it is a maintenance ritual. Applied after too much sun, it is exactly what your skin is asking for.

Lighten Up | Organic Skin Brightening Oil is what we reach for when sun exposure has left its mark over time — uneven tone, dark spots, the kind of skin story that accumulates over time. Meadowsweet, Skullcap, Calendula, Rose Hip, Plantain, and Red Grape, each traditionally valued for their brightening and skin-revitalizing properties, work together to support a more even, radiant complexion going into fall.

The Truth About Bug Repellents — and the Plant That Outperforms DEET

Here is something most people don't know: one of the most effective mosquito repellents ever studied is not synthetic. It grows in your garden. Your cat goes wild for it.

Catnip — specifically its active compound nepetalactone — was found in a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology to repel mosquitoes ten times more effectively than DEET. Ten times. Read the study here and here

Shoo! | Organic Botanical Bug Spray is built on this. The full formula: organic witch hazel, catnip, cedarwood, lemongrass, sage, lavender, peppermint, and grain alcohol — and every plant in this formula earns its place.

Catnip is just the beginning; its nepetalactone has been shown in peer-reviewed research to repel mosquitoes ten times more effectively than DEET. Published research. Not marketing copy.

Every plant in Shoo! Organic Bug Spray adds a layer of protection against other flying, crawling bloodsuckers. Cedarwood and peppermint are among the most studied natural repellents for ticks. Cedarwood, peppermint, lemongrass, and lavender help mask the scents that draw flies, gnats, and fruit flies. Lavender and sage round out the formula with broad-spectrum protection against mosquitoes and chiggers.

This is a full-spectrum botanical defense against everything that bites, buzzes, and ruins an evening outside — in one organic spray.

Spray it on before you head outside. Reapply as needed. Smell like a garden instead of a chemical plant.

September mosquitoes are hungry and the evenings are still warm. Shoo! belongs in your bag right now.

After the Bite

The bite happened. Now your skin is hot, itchy, and impossible to ignore.

Reach for Lose The Itch Plantain Salve (remember I told you to keep it in your bag). Peppermint delivers immediate cooling. Plantain soothes and calms. Rosemary supports the skin's natural recovery. Apply directly to the bite, rub in gently, and let the plants work.

It is the kind of remedy that makes you wonder why you ever reached for the chemical alternative. For any red, dry, itchy skin.

When the bites cause difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, faintness, or a widespread rash, seek urgent medical attention immediately.

Why Organic Matters Here

Everything we make at Spiral Herbal Remedies is Organic. That is not a marketing claim — it is a formulation decision with real consequences.

When you apply something to your skin, a significant portion is absorbed into the bloodstream. What goes on your skin matters as much as what goes in your body. Conventional bug sprays and after-sun products are usually loaded with synthetic ingredients, preservatives, and stabilizers that you would never knowingly ingest.

Our products contain none of that. Every ingredient is organic, chosen for a specific botanical purpose, and handled with the care of a small-batch apothecary run by a Clinical Herbalist and Registered Nurse with over a decade of clinical experience.

You deserve to know exactly what is on your skin. We make that easy.

The Spiral Herbal Remedies Late Summer/Fall Skin Care Kit

If we were packing a September bag from our own shelves, here is what would be in it:

• Shoo! | Organic Botanical Bug Spray — before you go outside

• Lose The Itch Salve — bites, rashes, irritated skin, mystery itches

• Beyond The Sea | Organic Marine Botanical Face Serum — three to four drops on the face every morning, and the first thing we reach for after unintentional sun exposure. Nine botanicals, no water, no fillers.

• Lighten Up | Organic Skin Brightening Oil — repairing summer's marks going into fall

• Botanica Bliss | Organic Botanical Body Lotion — eleven botanicals, no synthetics, lightweight enough for every day

• Nectar of Nervana | Organic Luxury Botanical Body Oil — for when your skin needs something deeper after bathing

Beyond The Sea on the face every morning. Botanica Bliss or Nectar of Nervana on the body. Lose The Itch and Shoo! in your bag. Lighten Up daily. Your September skin routine in six products.

Grab the full collection at Spiral Herbal Remedies.

Use the code BUGSANDBURNS on your next order for 10% off. Good through September 15th.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding any skin concern or condition.