Natural Mosquito Repellent - Any Suggestions??
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:09 am

Just wanted to know if any of you could recommend any natural mosquito repellent. I just moved to Hawaii to be closer to my Hubby's family and have been in mosquito hell ever since. I have that "special" scent that mosquitoes are attracted to. I get probably have 10 fresh bites every couple of days. Previously I would just use "Off" or one of those sprays when going camping or where ever I knew mosquitoes would be, but since I have to use it so often (everyday) I don't think all those chemicals are doing me any favors. I'm currently trying one called buzz away, but the citronella smell is extremely overbearing. Any suggestions? I'm open to making any type of lotion or spray too! Thanks All!!

Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:41 am

I've heard that lavender essential oil acts like natural mosquito repellent. You can add few drops to some carrier oil or to your everyday body moisturizer.
Hope this helps!

free skin care · Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:30 am

I just read about this yesterday, but haven't tried it myself so can't guarantee that it's any good: Acqua d'Alfresco

http://www.alfresco.uk.com/

It seems pretty expensive, but is supposed to smell like a nice, slightly spicy perfume. There's an ingredients list, which I've copied and pasted below, so you might like to try and concoct your own version:

Q16: What are the ingredients of Acqua d’Alfresco fragrance spray

A: Alcohol Denat., Aqua (water), Parfum (fragrance), Diisopropyl Adipate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Cinnamal, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, Evernia Prunastri (oakmoss) extract. Includes: Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) oil, Cinnamomum Zeylancium Bark Oil, Pogostemon Cablin (Patachouli) Oil, Melissa Officinalls Leaf Oil.

free skin care · Mon Aug 22, 2011 2:06 pm

I use
Kiss My Face - Sun Care SwyFlotter Insect Repellent
ordered from vitaglo.com, the fragrance is quite pleasant, works well in Florida.

free skin care · Mon Aug 22, 2011 2:30 pm

I use tea tree oil for both: to scare mosquitoes and to cure mosquito bites.

Not everyone loves the smell of it, but it really does help.

I always take it with me on vacation.

Citronella oil is also known as a good mosquito repellent, but i personally find it less effective than tea tree oil.
It definitely smells better though.

free skin care · Mon Aug 22, 2011 3:33 pm

I bought an essential oil blend call "Terra Shield" from my friend and it's so effective. http://everythingessential.me/Blends/TerraShield.html

I gave some to my friend who has 3 young kids and he loved it. I think Tea tree oil is one of the ingredients.

free skin care · Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:48 pm

My friends in Costa Rica just use pure vanilla extract mixed with water.

Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:03 pm

I am the only one in my family who NEVER gets bit-
my doc says it's because I drink about 4 to 6 cups of green and oolong tea every day- the skeets just don't think I smell good!

free skin care · Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:13 am

Garlic! I love to cook with it and have been taking a supplement of it since the early nineties, and I never get bitten. I know supplements scare some people because even when some say "odorless" they still have a very strong garlic smell. Well Garlinase 4000 aka Garlinase Fresh is the brand I take. It's potent but has no smell and you only need one a day.

I have also read that stress can attract mosquitoes. So maybe doing some relaxation exercises and finding ways to have peace and be happy may help.

Here's an article that seems to agree with me on the garlic suggestion : garlic-central.com/mosquito.html

And this one talks about stress and attracting mosquitoes: online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574378933761528214.html

BTW, if you get bitten, a paste of baking soda in water applied to the bite stops itching and helps it heal. I tried this on my hubby after reading it somewhere and he thought I was a genius. This was on one of our first dates after we met and may have been instrumental in his deciding to keep me. J/K Laughing

free skin care · Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:24 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_repellent

Lots of ideas here... Including many natural ones. Personally not big on deet.

I've always used b12 for this...

Also, I'd get more serious about these are known to carry west nile virus. Ick.

Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:27 pm

Badger mosquito balm definitely works. I used in against some pretty aggressive mosquitoes in Montana this summer. The mosquitoes stopped biting my skin and instead tried to bite me thru my socks & pants!

It's citronella & similar, but I found the smell ok. It comes in a small tin and is easy to store in your pocket or purse.

Sat Oct 29, 2011 1:56 am

Loads of B vitamins (if you find a brand that you absorb well) work wonders to keep mosquitos away. Also, I keep a bottle of Dr. Schulze Air Detox by my bed, so if I hear a mosquito buzzing around me at night I just spray above my bed and they completely leave me alone. Such peace of mind!

I wish I had known about these simple remedies when I was a kid...someone actually thought I had leprosy because my bites were so bad. Not a memory I care to revist often.

Best of luck to you!

Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:53 am

I have a friend who move to Hawaii recently and had the same problem. But she wouldn't want DEET on her skin and especially her small kid. I have been using this natural mosquitos repellent gel made of citronella from a website named mosquitosrepellent. No contact with skin as it evaporates at room temperature. Recommended to her and she got it. Check it out.

free skin care · Mon Jul 29, 2013 7:10 am

I still use dryer sheets. It works for me. Not my oldest or DH for some reason. Maybe its a chemistry thing.

I've heard this myth has been proven false, but like I said, it works for me and the baby. I found this...seems there maybe some truth...even if there is no way to test the dryer sheets. lol

Also, I like to put them my packed clothes whenever I go anywhere.

1) It makes my clothes smell better....(and at least hope that the buggies leave me alone)

2) When I can get to a laundry if I'm traveling...I already have a sheet for the dryer!

3) If we do serious camping....like you smell terrible....I will throw the sheets in with the dirty clothes so I don't gag when we get home...was a life saver when my kid feel in lake. The mud and yuck smell was less nasty when we returned home 3 days later with dirty clothes in a plastic bag. Laughing

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2010/12/dryer-sheets-as-bug-repellant/

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