Eco Lips has announced the acquisition of Simply Soothing, a fellow Iowa-based personal care company responsible for bringing Bug Soother Insect Repellent to the market.

Similar to Eco Lips, Simply Soothing’s brand values are centered on using good-for-you, natural ingredients. Founded in 2003, the company started small, but after the introduction of their handcrafted, DEET-free signature Bug Soother in 2008, sales accelerated after the Iowa floods that brought the bugs.

“I know it’s a cliché in press releases like this to say, ‘The two companies complement each other well.’ But, in this case, it really is incredibly true. We’ve been soothing lips for years, especially in the fall and winter. Now, we can soothe the whole body all year-round,” said founder and CEO of Eco Lips, Steve Shriver.

“Eco Lips is perfectly poised to service Simply Soothing’s existing customer base while, at the same time, adding distribution,” Shriver added. “I’ve always had so much respect for Freda [Simply Soothing CEO] and her products. The entire Eco Lips team is honored and excited to carry the Bug Soother brand forward.”

The eighth largest bug repellent brand in the United States, the Bug Soother brand of natural products includes the specialty natural bug repellent in the green bottle as well as a bite soother and outdoor candles. The various products are found across 10,000 retail locations nationwide with growing distribution internationally, including the UK, Europe, Central America, Grand Cayman and Scandinavia.

For more information, visit www.ecolips.com.