Effective mosquito repellent

SuzySu

I am travelling to Hong Kong in a few weeks and need to find an effective mosquito repellent. I am very fair skinned and mossies eat me alive and I react quite badly to the bites.

I think I remember reading that Avon sell something that even the army recommends (unless I am completely losing the plot :rotfl:).

Does anyone have any ideas for products that actually work as the ones I have used before (Autan etc) don't seem to work that well on me.

globalds

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=67182

globalds

That thread is quite old so hope the information is still relevant.

pennylane99

the Avon Skin so Soft is supposed to work...

http://avonshop.co.uk/product/bath-and-bodycare/skin-so-soft/skin-so-soft-original-dry-oil-body-spray.html

SuzySu

Thanks both....there are 'for' and 'against' SSS so will perhaps try a bottle and take something specialised just in case.

Incapuppy

Deet. Lots of.

cubegame

There are four main repellent types out there. The effect will vary from person to person. Avon Skin So Soft is NOT a repellent, you might as well coat yourself in baby oil as it will have the same effect which is based on an oily barrier.

The types are:-

Icaridin - chemical repellent, used in Autan so not much use for you.
IR3535 - chemical repellent, used in mostly sunscreens and cheaper supermarket brands.
DEET - chemical repellent, probably the most effective but horrible stuff. Disolves plastic, smells horrible and linked to nasty health problems. Used in a wide range of products. The Lifesystems ones are the strongest.
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus/Citriodiol/PMD - The only recognized effective natural repellent. Nicer smell and meant to be effective as about 20% DEET (which is the same as most DEET products). Seen in the Nikwax SkitoStop and Mosi-guard brands.

Incapuppy

cubegame wrote: »

DEET - chemical repellent, probably the most effective but horrible stuff. Disolves plastic, smells horrible and linked to nasty health problems. Used in a wide range of products.

Could you please provide some more info re: the health problems?

cubegame

Incapuppy wrote: »

Could you please provide some more info re: the health problems?

Loath to quote Wikipedia but it's a good source of links. I personally would not have an issue with using DEET though.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET#Effects_on_health

Pollycat

Suzysu
I'd never use the Avon Skin-so-Soft as my only mozzie protection.

I use it after my after-sun but before I put on PROPER mosquito repellant.
Make sure you get the 'original' one (used to be called 'Soft & Fresh'.

I've used it for years, in fact I have a book sent to us by Thomson dated 1996/7 which states:
"An excellent mosquito repellent (believe it or not) is Avon's skin-so-soft bath oil spray. It's highly effective. Even sand flies will keep their distance."

It was, at that time, very oily and they've changed it since then into the dry oil spray.

We use tropical strength Autan as a mozzie repellant and it's always worked for us.

mandragora_2

DEET is the only thing that really works for me - the other thing that's good if (or in my case when!) you do get bitten is an aspivenin - great piece of kit - this is the best online price I can see - Boots also do it for £16.99:
http://www.first-rescue.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=146