11 Best Lice Prevention Sprays Proven to Help Avoid Lice in 2024
Look no further, here are the top 11 Lice Prevention Sprays on the market according to a lice expert.
It’s estimated that 12 million kids will get head lice this year. How can you ensure that your child isn’t one of them? The answer is lice prevention spray. This article details the 11 best lice-prevention sprays.
There are lots of myths about what prevents head lice, but if you’re serious about preventing lice this school year then I highly recommend using one of these lice-prevention sprays. Combining a good lice-prevention product with good prevention measures is the best way to keep your child lice-free this year.
Let me introduce myself...
Hi there! I'm Theresa, I'm a lice expert, lice coach, and Registered Nurse. I help people with lice every day! You can get rid of lice in ONE DAY at home by using the same proven professional technique that I use in my lice center.
Just follow the step-by-step videos and be done with lice by the end of the day.
The Best Lice Prevention Sprays
(A quick disclosure: these are affiliate links, and I do earn a commission from qualifying purchases; however, all of my reviews are based on the quality of these products, and the decision to purchase through these links is completely up to you.)
Why Is It So Hard to Get Rid of Lice?
Now that you know what you're looking for I want to talk briefly about your biggest worry (that your child actually has lice) and the question I get asked by parents around the world that have been battling lice….
Parents around the world are all asking me the same question…. "Why is it so much harder to get rid of lice now?"
Lice have become immune to everything that used to work in the past. Perhaps you remember your mom using a typical lice treatment or mayonnaise and that doing the trick. The new strain of head lice is no longer killed by those treatments, that’s why lice today are termed by people, “super lice,” because they are immune to those treatments.
I’ve cured thousands of people of lice in my lice center and let me tell you, I don't do it with over-the-counter lice treatments.
Most people struggle with lice because they focus all of their attention on killing lice bugs and not enough attention on GETTING RID OF LICE!
If you want to get rid of lice you have to address all 3 of the problems of lice:
- Lice Bugs
- Lice Eggs
- Getting Lice Back
The best way to get rid of lice is to tackle all 3 of these problems at the same time, which is what I teach in my step-by-step video system.
So, if you discover your child HAS lice, don't panic. Just head over to the video system. Follow along with the videos and you'll be done with lice by the end of the day.
How do lice prevention sprays work?
Almost all head lice cases are passed by head to head contact. Just like sharks and mosquitoes, lice have a keen sense of smell and are attracted to the scent of your blood. When you’re child’s head is within reach, lice follow the scent and crawl quickly into the hair. Soon, they’ll have a full blown head lice infestation.
Fortunately, there are scents that are proven to prevent lice. If you have them in your hair then lice won’t go near your head. The best lice prevention sprays are packed with the top “lice repellent” ingredients like eucalyptus, citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, lavender, tea tree, geranium, neem oil, anise, and several forms of mint.
Just like you use mosquito repellent when you go camping, using a lice repellent spray every day makes you less desirable to head lice and therefore less likely to wind up with an outbreak!
To be absolutely clear, lice repellents are not “lice killers,” and do not kill lice. If you have lice and you want to get rid of it then check out this page instead.
The Best Lice Prevention Sprays
Smells Like: Citronella
Lice Shield can be good for people on a budget and you can often find it at places like Walmart or Target. It has 5 lice prevention essential oils: citronella, rosemary, lemongrass, cedar, and geraniol.
Why it's not great...
It does a decent job at preventing lice, but the smell is very strong (You get what you pay for). Pretty much you smell like a citronella candle.
Smells Like: Tea Tree and Rosemary
So-Cozy Boo! Lice Scaring Spray is a fresh-scented lice spray with tea tree, peppermint, and rosemary to ward off head lice.
Smells Like: Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon, and Eucalyptus
The Lice Queen Keep Away Spray can be used not only in your hair but also on your items. Spray it in your hair for lice prevention and spray it in your hats, on your backpacks, and anywhere else for further protection.
Smells Like: Peppermint and Lemongrass
Lice Sisters Leave-In Spray combines peppermint, lemongrass, eucalyptus, tea tree and rosemary to ward of unwanted lice.
Smells Like: Peppermint
If you want to keep things simple, the Nit Free Detangler is primarily a scent of peppermint. It is great at detangling hair on a sensitive head.
Smells Like: Peppermint
Lice Clinics PREVENT Conditioning Spray is a simple one, using peppermint alone for lice prevention. It's also a good detangler.
Smells Like: Rosemary and Roses
This is different than the Rosemary Repel Conditioning Spray (keep going, it's #3) This is a hair spray.
Why I like it...
One of the most important prevention measures for preventing lice is keeping hair up in a braid, bun, or ponytail. Rosemary Repel Hair Spray is the perfect way to keep small wispy hairs kept back when styling your daughter’s hair and at the same time protecting her from lice. This hair spray has all of the same preventative scents as Rosemary Repel Conditioning Spray, but instead of conditioning it keeps hair in place all day.
Smells Like: Rosemary and Roses
Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel is likely the most well-known and kid-friendly lice prevention spray out there. It is relatively inexpensive and sold at many standard beauty supply stores.
Why it's better than others...
Although the name is Rosemary Repel, it is actually packed with several preventative scents: rosemary, citronella, cinnamon, peppermint, anise, tea tree, and geraniol. Even with all these scents, it smells primarily like rosemary and roses. For this line, I’d highly recommend getting the shampoo, conditioner, and spray for the added protection.
Smells Like: Spearmint
If you want this level of lice prevention, but don't want the detangler, the also have a Ladibugs Mint Spray is the way to go.
Why it's one of the best...
Similar to other lice prevention products, this prevention spray smells like mint, but this product also contains neem oil. Neem oil is a well-documented bug deterrent and, in my opinion, is one of the better deterrents out there. The Ladibugs line is one of the only prevention products with neem oil in it.
Smells Like: Spearmint
Ladibugs Detangling Spray will help you easily comb through your child’s hair and protect from lice at the same time.
Why it's one of the best...
Similar to other lice prevention products, this detangling spray smells like mint, but this product also contains neem oil. Neem oil is a well-documented bug deterrent and, in my opinion, is one of the better deterrents out there. The Ladibugs line is one of the only prevention products with neem oil in it.
If you want this level of lice prevention, but don't want the detangler, they also have a Mint Spray which is basically the same product, but without the detangler.
Smells Like: Rosemary Mint or Lavender
LiceLogic Conditioning Hair Spray comes in two scents: Rosemary Mint or Lavender. Either scent will effectively repel lice. This product is great for all hair types, but because it contains these enzymes, it is not recommended for children under the age of two.
Why it's the best...
LiceLogic’s lice prevention line is one step above all other lice prevention products. All lice prevention lines contain essential oils that repel lice, but LiceLogic takes it a step further by adding lice-killing enzymes to their prevention line. These all-natural enzymes are actually capable of killing lice on contact but are completely safe for humans (not recommended for those under 2 years old).
For added protection at school and play, spray LiceLogic Clear & Free All Purpose Lice Spray on your child’s backpack, jacket, and other items. This peppermint scented spray will keep lice away from his or her favorite things.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why do some people get lice over and over again?
In cases where lice return within a month or less, the most likely reason for the comeback is that they never really went away. It's fairly common for people to use an over-the-counter treatment and think that they're finished with head lice, but they are very wrong. 98% of lice in the US are resistant to traditional over-the-counter and even prescription lice treatments. Often these treatments will kill the weakest lice, tricking people into thinking they've killed them all. What they don't know, however, is that the strongest lice survive these lice treatments and continue to lay more eggs.
People continue to think they are in the clear for a few weeks because they can’t see the remaining lice bugs, and, with fewer bugs on the head, the itching stops. Within a month, though, those lice eggs hatch and grow into adults, which is when people usually discover that the lice "is back" when the truth is that it never was really gone. People will say, "My child keeps getting lice back from school," but the truth is that their child has gotten lice “back” from themselves because they never got rid of it.
If you find yourself in this situation then lice prevention sprays aren't gonna help you, check out my step-by-step video system instead.
Why do some people get lice frequently? (Like every 6 months-1 year)
Lice simply prefer certain blood over others. Have you ever been out camping with friends, and some friends get eaten alive by mosquitos while others don't get touched at all? Lice are similar; they prefer certain blood over others. Some people's blood isn't appealing to lice, while other people's blood smells delicious.
People that get lice frequently like this should ABSOLUTELY use a lice repellent shampoo and spray in their hair every day.
Which is better: lice prevention shampoo or lice prevention spray?
Using all three of these products together--lice prevention shampoo, conditioner, and spray--is the absolute best preventative measure. But, if you have to choose just one, then pick a lice prevention spray.
Does tea tree shampoo prevent lice?
Tea tree shampoo alone will not be as effective of a lice repellent as any of the shampoos listed here, although it is better than nothing if you either can’t find one of these shampoos or are waiting for it to arrive.
Can I add essential oils to my own lice spray?
You can add these lice prevention oils to your standard shampoos. The essential oils most commonly used for lice prevention are eucalyptus, citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, lavender, tea tree, geranium, cinnamon, neem oil, anise (aniseed), and mint. A combination of any of all of these will help keep lice away! Read my article 19 Essential Oils to Repel Lice to find out more.
The Never-Ending Cycle
Most people that use lice kits and home remedies get caught in the horrible "Never-Ending Cycle of Lice"
First- You Have Lice
When you first discover lice you have adult lice bugs, baby lice bugs, and lice eggs (also known as nits)
You Think You've Gotten Rid of It.
But...
After using an over-the-counter treatment or a home remedy, people think they've taken care of the problem because they aren't finding lice bugs for a while.
But the bigger problem is the lice eggs that are left in the hair. Lice kits and home remedies don't kill eggs, and each of those little lice eggs has a bug inside just waiting to hatch and re-infest your child again.
Then- Those Eggs HATCH!
Just like lice eggs are tiny, when lice first hatch they are teeny-tiny. In fact, they are almost invisible to the naked eye! So, it typically takes a few weeks for them to grow big enough for you to see them.
And by the time you notice your head is infested all over again!
And Lice Is Back Again!
How to Avoid the Never-Ending Cycle
If you want to avoid this never-ending cycle and get rid of lice fast then check out my Step-by-Step Video System. Follow along with the videos and you can be completely done with lice in ONE DAY, no retreatments necessary.
How to be lice-free by the end of the day...
GET THE VIDEO SYSTEM
Get rid of lice the same way the experts do. Your personal lice coach walks you through each step of doing a professional lice treatment at home in a series of videos.
FOLLOW ALONG
Follow along with the videos on your child in your home. No lice kits or toxic chemicals involved!
BE DONE WITH LICE!
When you're done with the videos, you're done with lice. And it's gone permanently!
11 Best Lice Prevention Sprays Quick List
- LiceLogic Repel Conditioning Spray
- Ladibugs Detangling Spray
- Ladibugs Mint Spray
- Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Conditioning Spray
- Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Hair Spray
- PREVENT! Conditioning Spray
- Nit Free Detangler
- Lice Sisters Leave-In Spray
- Lice Queen Keep Away Spray
- SoCozy Boo! Lice Scaring Spray
- Lice Shield Leave-In Spray
Summary
Honestly, I hope you never have to deal with lice, and using lice prevention sprays is just one of many ways you can prevent getting head lice this year, but there are so many other things you can do to prevent head lice as well. Watch the Lice Prevention Video or check out my article 21 Proven Ways to Prevent Head Lice to know how you can keep lice out of your life!
Now if you've had lice then you know how daunting it can be. And for many people they do everything they can think of to get rid of it, but it keeps coming back! If you ever find yourself in that situation then don't panic, I'm hear for you. I have a step-by-step videos that'll walk you through exactly how to get rid of it. And the best part is, you can be done in one day!
All the best!
Theresa is a Registered Nurse and lice expert with years of experience curing children of lice. She owns a lice treatment center in the US which is where she perfected the Step-by-Step Video System proven to get rid of lice. She also works with government agencies and schools helping those with the worst head lice cases in America.
Her greatest passion is empowering parents by teaching parents online how to do a professional lice treatment on their child at home. She is the Lice Coach for the My Lice Advice Step-by-Step Video System.
