Insect repellent (face and body) recs
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free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2007 11:29 am

I'm looking for an insect repellent that's suitable for use on the body AND face.
Last year, I tried an extra strength Boots insect repellent spray on my face and had to see the docs cos it irritated my skin really badly (but it says its suitable for the face on the bottle Confused

)

I want to order Insect Ecran's spray....but not sure whether it contains DEET. The website lists these ingredients:
AQUA, MONOPROPYLENEGLYCOL, ETHYLHEXANEDIOL 30%
But on another website, I found that Insect Ecran contains DEET. For those who use this spray, can you please list the correct ingredients Smile

And are there other insect repellents that you recommend that can be bought in Europe?

Thanks!

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:07 pm

I bought Avon's Skin So Soft BUG GUARD with SPF30 to try for my trip to Thailand next week. I'll let you know how it goes. I bought the lotion and the spray ones. I hope it works. I hate DEET, and this doesn't have DEET.

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:39 pm

Thanks bkkgirl

I searched on the avon UK website and they dont have this product...then did a google search and avon does a dry body spray but its not marketed as an insect repellent, just a bath time use product. But I read that the armed force in Scotland uses this as an insect repellent Shock

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:36 pm

I've heard this too, that Avon has a product that works as a repellent but isn't marketed as such. I hate getting bitten, but I worry about spraying repellents on my skin. I wonder if there are more natural options?

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:41 pm

I have a question, do you apply ss first, or do you apply insect repellent spray first?

free skin care · Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:59 pm

I would think you apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:09 am

i usually will use the OFF lotion on top of my SS.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:36 am

schang wrote:

I've heard this too, that Avon has a product that works as a repellent but isn't marketed as such. I hate getting bitten, but I worry about spraying repellents on my skin. I wonder if there are more natural options?

Lemongrass is a great insect repellent. If you don't want to mix your own, I just read about Burt's Bees Herbal Insect Repellent which got splendid reviews. It's ingredients are all natural (Castor Oil, Rosemary Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Cedar Oil, Peppermint Oil, Citronella Oil, Clove Oil, Geranium Oil, Soybean Oil, Vitamin E).

HTH Smile

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:28 am

Carekate does a insect repellent spray too and its 100% natural too, containing essential oils. I recently ordered from her but forgot to get it to try it out...maybe another time!

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:03 am

I purchased some Citronella Essential Oil and mix ith with my moisturiser, it works better than the over the counter stuff.
Also taking B Vitamins is good.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:33 pm

rosebud wrote:

I purchased some Citronella Essential Oil and mix ith with my moisturiser, it works better than the over the counter stuff.
Also taking B Vitamins is good.

Taking garlic pills orally is also good because the mosquitoes don't like the taste -- apparently they can smell it on your skin (but humans can't, you're not going to walk around stinking like an Italian restaurant!) so they veer off when they catch the scent. (That also works for fleas on your pets, but if your animals are like mine, they don't care for the taste of garlic powder on their Fancy Feast!! Wink

)

Also, you can repel both mosquitoes AND bees/wasps if you simply rub your exposed skin/clothing down with a *used* fabric softener dryer sheet Shock

Try it, it really works!! If you don't want to rub the used dryer sheet on your skin, then just tie a fresh dryer sheet onto your belt loop or tuck one in your pocket with a bit of it hanging out like a hankerchief in a man's suit pocket!

If that doesn't float your boat, then check the DIY thread for a recipe on all-natural insect repellent, or -- as Rosebud suggested -- you could mix a few drops of those EOs into your face/body moisturizer instead of making a separate repellent spray. Off the top of my head, the EOs you want are citronella, clove, bergamot, ecalyptus, and cedarwood but doublecheck the DIY Recipes thread to be sure.

They just issues a "West Nile Virus Warning" yesterday for Central TX because we've had so much rain in the past 6 weeks that we're currently experiencing a bumper crop of mosquitoes so it's extra important to take mosquito precautions in areas that have received a lot of rain during the spring/summer because West Nile can be a deadly virus!

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:13 pm

That's a unique tips - *used* fabric softener dryer sheet. I am going to save used sheet from now on. Razz

Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:51 pm

I second the AVON product!! I swear by it! It's the green bath oil SKIN SO SOFT! I use it everywhere and I swear I never get bit when i go camping in the woods! It isn't marketed as insect repellant but it's truly amazing as it works!!!

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:55 pm

iaimei wrote:

That's a unique tips - *used* fabric softener dryer sheet. I am going to save used sheet from now on. Razz

Here's another:

If you want to prevent soap scum and/or lime-scale buildup on your bath or shower door/curtain/tiles, start off with a super-clean shower/tub, then wipe all the surfaces down with a FRESH dryer sheet. Repeat this every month and you’ll never have to scour those surfaces again! Smile

Check this thread for more amazing uses for everyday items: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=8834

free skin care · Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:14 am

rosebud wrote:

I purchased some Citronella Essential Oil and mix ith with my moisturiser, it works better than the over the counter stuff.
Also taking B Vitamins is good.

only thing about the citronella Rosebud is that you should watch out wearing it in the sun!! like all Citrus EO's it makes you photosensitive! But of course you're right - the mozzies don't like the citronella!

If you can be bothered mixing several EO's a "recipee" for a mosquito repellent is:

about 13 ml Organic Extra Verigine Olive Oil
7 drops Lavender EO
2 drops Rosemary EO
3 drops Peppermint EO
3 drops Eucalyptus EO.

mix in a brown or blue 15 ml glass bottle. Shake before use.

It works - it's been field tested in the Swedish woods where there are gazillions of mosquitos and those horrible "no-see-ums"

HTH

Edited to say - it's good for dry and flakey skin too!

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:16 am

I wanted to buy all my hol necessities by the end of the month...even though I'm not going til mid-August Rolling Eyes

. But its just in case the shipping takes a while and cos of the Royal Mail strike and the delays of the post.

So I went ahead and bought Burts Bee's insect repellent spray AND California Baby bug spray---both natural. I'm not sure if the Burt's Bee's one is suitable for the face but the California Baby's one definately is. It says its for sensitive skin, babies and for the face and body. A description on their website:

"A safe and natural alternative to toxic bug repellent chemicals. Non-toxic, DEET free, non-chemical, hypoallergenic formula repels bugs while it soothes existing bites with organic aloe vera, yucca, Irish moss and herbs that are specific to the healing of the skin. Lemon eucalyptus and citronella do not cause harm to humans, pets or the environment. California Baby® uses only the finest quality, traditionally recommended oils that are safe, gentle, and effective. California Baby®'s essential oils are guaranteed pesticide free and sustainably grown."

Ingredients:
Purified Water, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Hi-olec safflower oil, Aloe Vera (organic or sustainable), Our Special Proprietary Essential Oil Blend (organic or sustainable), Calendula (organic or sustainable), Yucca (organic or sustainable), Rose Water (organic or sustainable), Rose Hips (organic or sustainable), Cactus (organic or sustainable), Acacia (organic or sustainable), Irish Moss (organic or sustainable), Vitamin E, Our Proprietary Broad Spectrum Preservative System*

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:25 am

My friend he always go to jungle for herb researching. He told me the best way for Insect repellent is taken the garlic tablet or capsule.

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:28 am

I've never taken them before...but do they smell? And does it really repel insects as good as topicals?

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:37 am

yeahyeah , actually i have never try yet Laughing

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:29 pm

yeahyeah wrote:

I've never taken them before...but do they smell? And does it really repel insects as good as topicals?

It depends on the type of garlic pills that you take. Some of them *do* cause you to emit garlicky order when you sweat and/or cause you to have TERRIBLE indigestion (i.e.: you burp constantly, and it ALWAYS tastes like garlic Confused

).

But there are specific garlic supplements you can buy that don't cause any of those "side effects."

What you need to look for is those that say "odorless" and "tasteless." It's usually the cheap-o supplements that give you problems.

A specific brand that I can recommend is "Garlique" which doesn't cause any unwanted smell/s or indigestion.

As I said previously, garlic pills really DO work to repel mosquitoes (and fleas, if you've got pets and the little blood-suckers like to bite you or your furry-darlings) -- the bugs don't like the taste of garlic in your blood so they leave you alone.

If you're going to try the garlic pills, though, you need to start taking them at least 2-3 weeks (ideally one month) BEFORE you plan to go tromping around outside so the garlic has a chance to build up in your blood (i.e.: the effects are cumulative).

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:23 pm

Thanks Carrie!

Eeek, a month before going away. I think I'm going to give them a miss---too many pills I'm taking right now and I'm only going away for 3 and a half weeks, so the sprays will do.

But I'll keep that in mind for when I'm going to live permanantly in HK Razz

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:54 pm

Thanks Carrie for posting more detail Smile

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:29 pm

carekate wrote:

yeahyeah wrote:

I've never taken them before...but do they smell? And does it really repel insects as good as topicals?

It depends on the type of garlic pills that you take. Some of them *do* cause you to emit garlicky order when you sweat and/or cause you to have TERRIBLE indigestion (i.e.: you burp constantly, and it ALWAYS tastes like garlic Confused

).

But there are specific garlic supplements you can buy that don't cause any of those "side effects."

What you need to look for is those that say "odorless" and "tasteless." It's usually the cheap-o supplements that give you problems.

A specific brand that I can recommend is "Garlique" which doesn't cause any unwanted smell/s or indigestion.

As I said previously, garlic pills really DO work to repel mosquitoes (and fleas, if you've got pets and the little blood-suckers like to bite you or your furry-darlings) -- the bugs don't like the taste of garlic in your blood so they leave you alone.

If you're going to try the garlic pills, though, you need to start taking them at least 2-3 weeks (ideally one month) BEFORE you plan to go tromping around outside so the garlic has a chance to build up in your blood (i.e.: the effects are cumulative).

Carrie,

I was taking 6 of the supposedly "odorless" garlic supplements from Nature Made (2 with each meal) daily to repel mosquitoes, but after 2 weeks, my husband said I had bad garlic breath, even though I couldn't tell .... so I stopped. Maybe I was taking too many or the wrong brand? I want to try the Garlique. How many do you take and where do you buy it?

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:48 pm

boski wrote:

I want to try the Garlique. How many do you take and where do you buy it?

Here's their website: http://www.sunsource.com/garlique/garlique.htmlwhich also has a store locator feature link, but I'm pretty sure you can find Garlique at major supermarkets and pharmacies....

I think you might have been trying to build-up the garlic-level in your blood too quickly by taking mega-doses. Yeah, it'll make the bugs leave you alone faster, but so will your man! Embarassed

Because the effective is cumulative, it takes a while to build up the level in your blood if you don't want the icky side effects.

If you take Garlique, start out with their recommended daily dose (or no more than 2 tabs a day). In the meantime, just rub yourself down with a used fabric softener dryer sheet for about a month until the garlic has had time to build up in your blood.

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:11 pm

Thanks Carrie. I think I was overdoing it, but those mosquitoes just LOVE me. I got bit on my face 5 times last weekend. One on the eye, which made my eye swell up. Really attractive Sad

.

I picked up some Garlique at Target. I'll start up again and see if my husband notices. I've tried the dryer sheet thing. It didn't do it for me. I've tried every imaginable spray, wristband, and patch. So I hope this works. I'm also taking B complex every day.

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