Is Ivy Block Discontinued? What Happened, and What Works Now

Short answer: The original IvyBlock lotion is no longer sold. Its maker, EnviroDerm, went out of business. I.C. Ivy Block from R&R Lotion is a different product, and it’s available today: a pre-contact poison ivy, oak and sumac skin protectant made in Scottsdale, Arizona.

What happened to the old IvyBlock

For years, IvyBlock was the go-to lotion for line crews, tree crews and anyone clearing brush. You put it on before you went into the poison ivy. Its active ingredient was bentoquatam 5%. When EnviroDerm, the company that made it, went out of business, the product disappeared from shelves. That’s why so many people still search “why was Ivy Block discontinued” and “where to buy Ivy Block.”

What I.C. Ivy Block is

I.C. Ivy Block is R&R Lotion’s own formula, developed in 2020 for the same job: putting a barrier between the plant oil and your skin before you’re exposed.

• Active ingredient: zinc acetate 0.1%, a skin protectant (Drug Facts).
• Bentonite clay helps absorb urushiol, the oil in poison ivy, oak and sumac.
• A film former and dimethicone form a light layer that seals the skin.
• Alcohol free, and it dries quickly.

It is not bentoquatam and not the old IvyBlock formula. It’s a different product built for the same work.

How to use it on the job

1. Before: apply I.C. Ivy Block generously to dry, exposed skin 15 minutes before you go into the brush. Let it dry.
2. During: reapply every 4 hours, or sooner if needed.
3. After possible exposure: wash it off with I.C. Ivy Cleanse. Wet the skin, rub the cleanser in for at least 15 seconds, then rinse and pat dry.
4. If a rash shows up anyway: I.C. Ivy Relief temporarily relieves the itch and helps dry oozing and weeping.

Ivy Block is a pre-contact protectant. It won’t treat a rash you already have.

Will it hurt my gloves or FR clothing?

• Lineman’s gloves: Glove-tested: Class 2 rubber insulating gloves passed the ASTM D120 proof test after contact with the product.
• FR clothing: FR-compatible when rubbed in. Tested on FR fabric (ASTM F2621) and flame tested (ASTM D6413) with no melting or dripping. Rub it fully into your skin, let it dry, and keep it off your FR clothing.

What the glove and FR testing means

Where to buy I.C. Ivy Block

Order it here at rrlotion.com, on Amazon, through your safety distributor, or on GSA Advantage. It comes in 2, 4 and 8 oz bottles, 16 and 32 oz pumps, a gallon pump, and 7 ml single-use foils for the truck.

Quick answers

Is I.C. Ivy Block the same as the old IvyBlock? No. Different maker, different formula. Ours uses zinc acetate 0.1%, not bentoquatam.

Can I still buy bentoquatam? Bentoquatam lotions are no longer sold in the US.

Does it work after I already have a rash? No. Use I.C. Ivy Relief for the itch.

Can I wear it with sunscreen and bug repellent? Yes. Put on Ivy Block first and let it dry, then sunscreen, then repellent, following each label.