Repel Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent 4 Ounces, Repels Mosquitoes Up To 6 Hours, Oil,Spray

Update 11/10/2014:Executive summary or tl;dr: When applied correctly, this works as well as DEET on mosquitoes. Approved by governmental agencies for use in malaria-prone areas. EXTREMELY SMELLY. Buy and use it with confidence.I have been using this product to repel mosquitoes exclusively for seven years. I became so confident in it that I volunteered to survey wildlife in New England bogs and swamps for six years running. I can't think of a better test than standing around in prime mosquito territory for four hours at a time just daring them to bite. It works every time and they don't get their free lunch. I also used it in Alaska, Kenya, and India and was NEVER BITTEN.This is the only non-DEET product that the International Travel Clinic at Dartmouth-Hitchcock recommends to those with destinations in malaria-prone countries, and oil of lemon eucalyptus is one of only two non-DEET chemicals approved by the CDC.There are many reviews here that say this product didn't work well for them. I wonder if it may be that some people are not applying it correctly. This is an oil, not an aerosol, and it must be applied like sunscreen. The pump is merely for convenience. You spray some on, and then rub it over the entire area to be protected. If you fail to cover everything, the mosquitoes will home in on the uncovered area and bite there instead. You must apply this to your skin UNDER your clothes! Mosquitoes can bite through jeans, so thin summer shirts and shorts are no barrier to them.You must also apply enough of the oil. If you stretch it too thin, it will not protect you. I cannot overstate how PUNGENT this stuff is; I wonder if some people don't apply enough because of the strong smell. You may have to try different amounts a few times until you find the amount that works right for you. Still, you don't have to slather on half a bottle or anything. The quickest I've ever gone through a supply was the one summer where I spent four days a week of swamp slogging with eight hours logged each day, and that only used one bottle. I'm pretty sure most people won't need nearly as much.You must re-apply the oil at regular intervals. The effectiveness will wear off long BEFORE the smell does, so many people may think they are still protected when they are not. Re-apply every four to six hours. As an oil, this stuff is somewhat water resistant, but you will have to reapply sooner if you are swimming.Another reason why people may think this isn't working is because it only keeps the mosquitoes from biting. It won't keep them from seeking you out. This is because it does not jam their long range radar, only the short range. A mosquito tracks potential prey using different senses when hunting for a potential lunch, than when it is looking for the safest place to bite an already discovered one. What happens with this stuff is they get close, and then get really confused. It's like they can see you until they get within a foot, and then you disappear. You can have several mosquitoes hovering around you, but none of them can find a good place to bite. They eventually give up and look for a less confusing blood source.Lemon Eucalyptus will NOT work for you if you primarily want to repel black flies, ticks, or chiggers. In my experience, it is only so-so in repelling deer flies.Finally, this stuff is AMAZINGLY SMELLY. In outdoor environments, this usually isn't a problem. But you really, really, really don't want to apply it before getting in a small enclosed space like an elevator or a car. Even outside, some people will hate the smell, others like it better than the DEET spray alternatives. It kinda smells like cough drops mixed with citronella. Unlike most repellents, the smell does not fade much with time. You are going to smell like this until you shower. If you wore clothes over it, they will smell of it until they are washed. But I think the smell is a small price to pay to stay bite-free.Original review from 2007:I am allergic to Deet. I've been the one at the back of the camping/hiking/fishing trips silently feeding millions of mosquitoes and other biting insects in misery for years- until now. I've tried everything on the market and was always disappointed, since all the deet free products I tried either triggered my allergies or just plain didn't work. This year, my doctor recommended I try the deet-free Repel, and I am sold. The difference is like night and day. We took it on a trip photographing butterflies and dragonflies in swamps in the Rio Grande Valley, TX, and came away bite free. Didn't work on chiggers, but I don't think it's supposed to. I'm not sure it lasts as long as the deet-containing products- my husband started using it exclusively as well, and he has to apply it more often than the Off or Cutter products he used to use. But I'm talking a drop from six hours of effectiveness to four, hardly a problem if you have room in your pack to carry the stuff. Also, it smells like Eucalyptus, which some people don't like, and you will smell of it for HOURS, even after it has lost it's effectiveness or until you take a shower.

This stuff works great. No bites from mosquitoes nor gnats. Aug. 1, 2018 - Upping from 4- to 5-star review.*** Is there a place I can live to avoid mosquitoes?! I REALLY don't like mosquitoes. But I love being outdoors. ***As I understand it - ? - these repellents work by smells mosquitoes don't like, and also by hiding/overpowering the carbon monoxide "smell" that emits from your skin/sweat and breath as well as other skin odors that attract mosquitoes.>>>> How I use it and what info I can give:~ I do need to ** spray most all exposed skin,** but I don't usually spray and apply to my face, and haven't had bites there. This might be because the spray's smell from other body areas is enough to deter the biting bugs, or might be because I've not tested it long enough when mosquitoes are "bad."~ I do hold my breath while spraying it; not pleasant to inhale. After it's sprayed on, though, ** the smell isn't bad to me. Eucalyptus and lemony.**~ I can't say DEFINITELY how long it works without reapplying, as I've not been out for extremely long periods. ** Yet, I sweat. And when I've been out for … oh, a couple of hours, sweating … I've not had to reapply.** I'll update if that changes or if I test it for longer periods of time.~ ** It does not leave me sticky or otherwise icky.** However, I like to shower at some point after using it and before going to bed. :) I just tend to want my own choice of skin care on, and not sure how much my spouse would like the smell. If I'm outside using this, it's often when I'm getting dirty, anyway, like when gardening.~ ** It's not a bunch of chemicals! ** 'Just don't see any sense in adding chemicals to my body without reason and without it being worth the possible problems caused by the chemicals.~ ** No skin reactions ** - and I have fairly sensitive skin.~ I haven't noticed it repelling hummingbirds, other birds, and butterflies (as they feed nearby). :)My input for what it's worth, on a few other "methods to avoid mosquito and gnat bites" --- I also sometimes use a certain *liquid soap that's pH-balanced* and keeps mosquitoes from biting. But I've been reaching for this more, since it's a quick spray.-- As for *plants* repelling mosquitoes, I've found that *catnip* does so better than others I've had growing. However, it seems the leaves/stems must be crushed or broken to release the "repellent." So before this stuff, I used to break off pieces of the catnip plant and tuck it here and there - under sandal straps, bra straps, waistband, … ;) That really helped, but not as well as this or my soap method. I'm not sure that the catnip plant helped by being near the doorway unless I had just mashed a few leaves.-- I don't believe that bug zappers kill as many mosquitoes as other bugs, including "good bugs," even lightning bugs.-- I've not yet tried other "natural" bug repellent sprays, like Buzz Away Extreme. That one's ingredients might work well, too. If anyone's compared it to this one, and if you're still reading at this point ;) … please comment and let me hear.

Works great against mosquitoes, the only thing is that it smells really strong so I don’t recommend to use with kids or if u are sensitive to smells. The first time I used I had a light headache, second time I applied less and I was ok with it.

This has prevented me from being bitten. The fragrance is nice too.

Somewhat strong smell that lingers but this product works very well , just as advertised. This review and endorsement comes from a customer with a long history of being a mosquito magnet and trying other products. Oh and it does feel a bit thick on your skin as well.

While the Repel Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent works as well as any other insect repelleant I've tried and smells better than most, all four 4-ounce spray bottles stopped working about halfway through the products use. It just quit spraying when I pressed the nozzle so I had to use other means to apply the product. So the product works well but the spray bottle they use to administer the product are cheap and quit working easily.

I like this spray. It smells good and isn't oily or sticky. It seems to work so far.

Very pleased with this bug spray! Bought it for an outdoor wedding and have used it several times since. It keeps the bugs away and doesn’t feel gross on your skin. It has a very strong scent (a very pleasant but strong lemon scent).