Side by Side Comparison of: Eco Defense vs Repel

I cannot live without this. I put this on my toddler everyday. Either while she's splashing in her pond, running through the grass or relaxing at the pool, this is definitely a must have. I regrettably had went a couple of days without it and my toddler had aqcuired a few mosquito bites. I felt terrible! Needless to say, I am in love with how natural this product is and I find its smell to be quite pleasant. I'd say it's a charming lemon scent! Not overwhelming for me nor my toddler. She cannot go outdoors this summer or any other summer for that matter unless she has this on and her spf. A true life saver. Thank you very much, I am very pleased with my product and this purchase.

I have sensitivity problems with all mosquito repellents (with just about anything...soap, shampoo, conditioners, creams; you get it). When I purchase a mosquito repellent for people with sensitivities, I find they don't really work. HOWEVER, THIS ONE DOES!! We were swarmed this morning and the critters were clinging to my husband's and my clothes--but nothing touched either of our faces or hands (we were wearing the repellent). I usually get bitten several times on my face during our dog walks (which causes my eyes to swell for days) but--nothing this morning, and there were so many mosquitoes. I wiped some of the repellent around our dog's nose and eyes...just a tiny bit as I don't know how safe this is for dogs but the mosquitoes were after him too (his thick fur protects the rest of him). The dog wanted to lick the stuff off my hands--he didn't mind the smell (and I didn't let him lick). The smell is a bit funky but sort of flowery--but I know enough about repellents to know that smells have to be strong to confuse the mosquitoes.

Living in Florida you need good insect repellent. I thought I would try this based on the reviews and I wanted something natural.This product seems to work well, I have been using it for several months now and I haven't been bitten once.To use this product you must spray it on your hands first and rub it on your skin, I thought it was a normal spray type that you can use directly but you can't. It has a strong plant smell at first but goes away quickly and dries fast too.

I practice backyard astronomy in local parks in Florida. Needless to say we are normally a buffet for the mosquitoes. After using this bug spray I was one of the only members of our club not to get eaten alive. I was a little scared at first because you're still here all the buzzing of the insects but not a single bite by the time the night was over. The only real negative I can say about this bug spray is you smell like a lemon household cleaner but that is still much better than smelling like DEET. I will definitely be buying this again when I run out.

I was highly skeptical but based on reading the reviews and sitting here in Thailand I can tell you it works. I bought both the DDT slimy crap spray that was like coating myself in nasty oil. Sure it worked but I did not want to walk around Ko Samui for a week looking like a greased up moronic tourist. So I also bought a bottle of the Eco Defense. I put it on and yes it does have a weird scent but it dried quickly and has worked great since I started using it. The DDT bug spray is going in the garbage can. While it also worked I was grossed out by the sheer coat of oil from the spray. This stuff was much better and since the mosquitos are really bothersome at sunrise and sunset I put it on before I went out for breakfast and now before I head to the beach for a BBQ at dark. Enjoy

Absolutely LOVE this spray. It smells like roses. Which is so different than other repellents. I mean it makes me happy too. Hehe. Oh and it works well. I live in good old mosquito infested Florida with a dog that comes in and out with mosquitos. I have used tea tree oil Bc I can handle that scent and put it on before I go to bed...but it wears off after a while. This lasts longer and I'm not in survivor mode in the comforts of my home because I see those nasty little mosquitos flying by on a mission. My doggie loves to give me kisses and this hasn't had a negative reaction with him. I will be purchasing this over and over again

My name is P.K. and I am a mosquito magnet. I get bit if I don't move fast enough from the car to the front door. The Repel Lemon Eucalyptus oil works as well as the Cutter's and Ben's that I have strategically placed around the yard. This is just a safer option. We use it every day. It even repels those nasty, tiny Asian Tiger mosquitoes that are out and silently biting 24/7. I am careful about how much I put on my forehead because when I sweat it can carry any excess down to my eyes and it stings. It is effective for as long as you can smell it - 6-8 hours if you put a lot on. We have almost finished the first bottle, so I am ordering a twin pack. I originally ordered the 4 brands recommended by consumer reports and all were good. This is the safest health-wise.

I am an outright magnet for mosquitoes and have been my entire life. I can be with 10 people-9 won't get bit, and I'll get bit 20 times. I was looking for a more natural alternative as I wanted to avoid Deet and others. I can honestly say, that unlike citronella candels, arm bands and other methods, this is the only thing that protects me. I give myself a good coating before going outside to garden or cut the lawn, and I am rarely if ever bitten. It's literally a difference between day and night and it's re-assuring to know that I am not absorbing harmful chemicals.

I live in Middle Georgia, and the gnats are really, really bad this year. This stuff keeps all the little flying things away from me.Con: Doesn't last as long as DEET (if I'm sweating, which I always am here, I have to reapply after about 30 minutes).Pro: Actually works BETTER than DEET; I have alternated on different days, and this keeps everything away (except those dadgum wasps; nothing scares them away). With DEET, I still had a few things buzzing around me.Pro: No nasty chemicals. DEET has melted my watch faces before; this stuff is almost harmless.

Just don't forget you sprayed it all over then wipe your brow. It will wick along your skin, and it burns like crazy. Almost as bad as fire ant bites.I use it to stave off mosquitoes and ticks, but it also seems to be somewhat effective at keeping $#!* flies out of my mouth/nose if I _carefully_ daub it around my ears.I'm trying Cutter's version this year (cheaper), but definitely vouch for Repel's efficacy.

This stuff works fantastic. It lasts for hours and no chemical smell. It has a definitely lemon smell but not like furniture polish lemon smell. No bites and I was out for about 3 hours. Bugs didn't bug me at all and no deet. Would need to reapply if your getting in an out of the water just keep that in mind. Mosquitos LOVE me so if it works on me it should work on anyone.

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.

Works pretty good for not having Deet in it! :)

good

But can sting a little and has a strong smell. The most annoying thing is hearing people around you go "do you smell lemons?". To me, it's worth it to not get bitten by mosquitoes. But I've been told it smells like rotten lemons. It clearly works though.

Great for kids. Didn't mind the smell but it affected my husband's allergies. Worked really well as we were hiking and camping in black hills SD. Normally we get bitten but stayed bite free with this product for whole week+ long trip. Only complaint is that the spray comes out in a steady stream as opposed to a mist so you have to use your hands, more than I was expecting, to rub the spray in. I would recommend and would buy again.

Used it in Costa Rica. This product worked really well.

It's ok. This product works, no doubt about it, but I heard after a few months the mosquitoes will get used to the smell and will become ineffective, we'll see. This product is very expensive, and I received a tiny bottle.This product squirts a stream rather than a spray. It also has a very annoying chemical-like smell. And lastly, the liquid is very oily and feels icky. All these problems are non existent with the EcoSmart brand which I prefer, but don't know where to get.I know that chemical based sprays are superior but it may cause health problems, you have to find a trade off.

My family just built a new patio that we have been spending a lot of time on. Unfortunately we did not prepare for the increased exposure to all the mosquitoes and insects as we live in a wooded area near a few lakes and rivers. A couple of sprays seems to do the job for the most part. It's not a miracle work as we do occasionally see some mosquitos come close but it has resulted in a major improvement. And the lemon scent is much less pungent compared to the standard mosquito spray smell/odor.

I have been mountain biking weekly and alternating between another name brand repellent with deet and this one without. Can't tell a difference other than this product smells a lot better. :) . We recently had a party and people commented on the pleasant smell and appreciated that it seemed more "natural" and didn't contain DEET. I went off a report in a major consumer review magazine that this was effective and I can say that it for sure is.

As a caveat, I don't tend to attract a lot of mosquito bites in general. That said, this works well for me. I bought it because it doesn't have DEET. It definitely smells "natural" in a citrus and vaguely herbal way; it's not a scent I care for but that's not its purpose so I can tolerate it. I would say the 6 hour timeframe before needing to reapply is pretty accurate. It does leave a residue, so while it hasn't stained my clothes (that I've noticed), I do feel grimy, and that part doesn't really wear off until I shower. Overall, it's not perfect but it's a good alternative for me to DEET products.

omg does this stuff have a strong smell to it. it not only repels mosquitoes but I'm sure it could work on mother in laws, ex's, lawyers, cops, etc. I mean my wife was sent away in tears so imagine what it must do to the bugs. it even says flammable on it?! this stuff is awesome!

I don't use the product for mosquitoes but it works great for no-see-ums (aka sand gnats). They are a big nuisance in the Southeast coastal areas in the spring and the fall. I have been using this to combat them for a few years and I'm pretty happy with the results. Just recently, I met my friend for an outdoor activity who was about to leave because the gnats were so bad. Then I whipped out a bottle of this spray and a minute later the gnats and his complaints disappeared, although we knew they were unusually vicious that day from the comments of everyone else around us.You do have to reapply the product a few times if you're outside a lot, especially if you are sweating. I have also heard some people say it does nothing for them as far as the gnats are concerned but I am pretty happy with it.

I'm not entirely certain how eucalyptus and lemon repels insects, but this little bottle is paying for itself in spades. I currently live where mosquitos are abundant, some of them carrying the Chikungunya virus (which is quite painful, although thankfully not often deadly). I spray a little of this on me/my clothes (doesn't seem to cause any issues on clothing, like some sprays do) and never see a mosquito, let alone one landing on me. I've tried, like most people, all the different sprays out there - some of which I think were more harmful to me than the mosquitos - and have found most of them lacking. The worst thing to see after spraying yourself with some form of chemical is the very bug you are trying to avoid sitting on you without any care that you sprayed a noxious spray on yourself.Thankfully, this is not the case with Repel. The scent is not overpowering and unless you have an allergy to eucalyptus, you won't even notice this stuff. The mosquitos, on the other hand, seem to hate it. As an added bonus, we had this little "sugar ants" invading our home, so I wanted to spray something on the "scent" trail they create until I got something to permanently kill them. I sprayed a little bit of this on the floor along their path and the next morning found a pile of dead ants. Not sure what killed them in this spray - but it did the job.Overall, I'm a big fan of anything that does the same job as manufactured chemicals without potentially harming me, my pets, my family, etc in the process. Using two naturally occurring plant extracts as the base of your product is ingenious. Big fan!

The bug spray works pretty well. However, I can't stand the spray nozzle on it! It only comes out in one big stream, not a misty spray. So basically you have to spray it on your hands and wipe it on your body.

The product was good, but the spray came out in a thin stream rather than a wide spray which made it drip and harder to get covered without rubbing it in.

Being a spray I expected not to have to rub it and get repellent on my hands every time I applied it. Works well though.

This product works well for its intended purpose. However, one thing that bothered me is, it was not factory sealed upon arrival. It simply came in a ziplock bag.

Brought it because of an upcoming trip to Costa Rica. Product did not work as well as anticipated. The best defense are long sleeves and long pants. What I did like was that it was all natural. While offering some protection, it is not stop the mosquitoes from biting.

Had a problem with it coming out of the sprayer in a mist. Even after cleaning the sprayer it came out in a single solid spray. Had to return.

You really have to use a lot of this for it to work and the smell is very strong. I live in FL and due to our daily rain our mosquitos have been out of control. I have to use repellent just to work out in the yard. I read on consumer reports that this product was one of the 3 top repellents as far as being safe for kids and how well it worked. But I had to apply it a few times for it to work. I wound up purchasing sawyers as it worked much better. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015KG5NK/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_10

Extremely overpowering scent but doesn't seem to ward off the mosquitos. It may work slightly to ward of a few but I still get bit several times after spraying, but the scent is so strong if you use more than a couple spritz it's so unbearable it's not even worth using if mosquitos arent repelled.

Seems to work partially. I put some on and my wife did not. We went into the back yard where I usually get numerous bites and she gets some bites. With Repel on, I got many bites and my wife got the usual some bites. So my experiment implies it is better but not great. We will use this bottle then go back to our standard product (which is not great either but seems to be better than this one).

Went to the Caribbean and did not encounter many mosquitoes, but it absolutely did NOT work on the no-seeums. We were eaten alive. I think the only defense against these flying jaws is something with DEET in it.

We purchased this insect repellant after seeing a review on another site about how well it worked without containing DEET. I purchased this bottle to take with us on a camping trip. I have to say it worked extremely well in repelling mosquitos but the odor was so strong and overpowering it wasn't pleasant to wear. Plus it was very difficult to wash off. If you are fine with a strong odor it works great.

I purchased this repellent after learning how bad mosquitos are in Rhode Island during a weeklong summer vacation the year before. I brought a few of these bottles to our trip last year. We applied the product as directed. The smell is very overpowering. Almost too much so. I think the product helped somewhat. But it definitely doesn't make you mosquito proof. While in the yard playing lawn games, mosquitos were still biting us here and there. Granted, there were A LOT of mosquitos where we were. I think mosquito bites were less than the year before. If you can handle the strong smell, this product may help you.

Have to reapply ever 30 minutes and smells horribly and doesnt repell well.

I really wanted to like this product but it did not perform well at all. We all got bitten which did not happen with any other (natural, deet-free, organic) bug spray we have used. It was very disappointing. Also, the smell was not for me either. Sorry!

Used it just once, and my son was indoor, so I dont know if it repells mosquitoes. What I do know is that it has a very strong oddor. Personally too much for me.

This worked against mosquitoes, noseeums, and chiggers, but it did not repel ticks. It also attracted a type of biting fly they have in the salt marshes here. This was fine for our camp site, but I was unable to do any hiking on nature trails.

My friend and I both had a reaction to it

I'm so irritated. I bought this repellent because of all the reviews. I guess it works differently for me. I still get plenty of bug bites even though I reapply every few hours. I am so disappointed. The product is difficult to spread throughout clothing. I thought it was the bottle but the product is so thick that it only shoots a straight line. This review is for the product only. Shipping was very fast.

I bought this product, and the one that has DEET as well, from the same company. This one works, except it smells horrendous. Think nail polish mixed with an industrial cleaner. The smell is so strong, it not only keeps mosquitoes away, but also humans, or any living creature within a radius of 6 feet. I seriously could not sleep cause I smelled so bad. I instead used the other Repel with DEET brand The next day, which has a more subtle and tolerated smell, and works great. DEET sucks, but i was on a 4 days camping trip in mosquito-land and I prefer to die slowly than scratch myself to death.

This product was probably the least effective of all the products I used. (DEET, picaridin and lemon eucalyptus). It lasts the shortest amount of time and felt a bit sticky. I think the product is moderately effective but you really have to be quite vigilant about continually reapplying the spray as it doesn't last very long. Might be good in conjunction with another spray rather than a standalone product.

I have used this product before and it really works well, but I found out recently that Walmart sells these same bottles for $4.97 so, as I paid $15 for two bottles, I feel ripped off.

This product does great at repelling mosquitoes, but attracts bees. Within minutes of putting this on my son and I (for the first time), bees started flying around and at us. I'm talking like 10 bees. There were no bees around, and then there were multiple. We tried moving, and they would follow. We realized it was the spray. I looked online, and read that lemon oil is one of the things been keepers use to attract bees. I wiped us down with wet towels from a water bottle and threw the bottle away, and bees were flying around the trash. I don't think it was a coincidence. Before I bought the product, I read great reviews about it, and it was well reviewed in Consumer Reports. However, I'm too freaked to try it again. Now I'm just wishing I'd had the forethought to return it for a refund instead of throwing it away. Also, for those not worried about bees, it also has a very strong distinct smell. It's not necessarily a bad smell, but it's very overpowering.

Much too strong. I guess it would keep bugs away, if you don't choke to death on it first. Okay - great exaggeration. I'm good at that. I really does seem more like something you would use if you were going way deep in the woods instead of sitting on the back porch. I think I might have gotten spoiled by California baby. That stuff smells nice and does the trick.

But the bonus yellow fluid they filled it with was unhelpful.Tested this out by sitting in the back yard at dusk. Applied the spray generously to skin and clothing, then just waited. I guess nobody told the mosquitoes about this stuff. They really didn't seem to care. They felt just as free as ever to get fresh and overly personal. The one upside was that when used as a direct firing system, the spray did take a few down by force. Natural repellent? Not so much.

Do not buy this product. It doesn't work at all. My daughter was full of mosquito bites even after liberally applying this. It has a very strong scent. would give this 0 stars if possible.

My husband used this on his legs and arms and had horrible red splotches everywhere he used it. It looked like he had a chemical burn. Buyer beware because he doesn't even have sensitive skin and this happened.

Does not repel mosquitos at all. I had over 40 bites during a 3 day period of wearing this. I loved that it was biodegradable but if it doesn't work there is no point!

So sticky and it doesn't work. I spray it on 1 hand and the other hand is used Repel with Deet. I got bitten on the hand with this product. I bought a bottle for my friend and she got bitten.

Got allergy because of its odor. Prefer taking mosquito bites instead. Not at all happy.

We bought this product based on all of the positive reviews. It does not work. I would not recommend this product.

Let me start by saying that I've used Repel 100 in the past, and I was totally satisfied.Repel Lemon-Eucalyptus on the other hand, has a very pungent odor, and does almost nothing to repel mosquitoes in the exact same conditions the Repel 100 did. I went the cheap 2-for-1 route because of money constraints, and I'm also one to try new products, especially given how effective the Repel 100 worked. I may have had a bad batch; hard to say, since I won't be testing another.Stick with the Repel 100.

Did not work for me. Sat in the yard for half an hour a half hour before sunset an gotten bitten three times. Mosquito's seemed completely undeterred. I have had much better success with DEET based products. Was hoping this would be alternative since DEET is toxic. But for me it's not.

The scent is way too strong and gave me a headache, it also got all the people in the elevator with me nauseous an hour after applying it. I wore it for one day as recommended for Zika virus, but the scent is too strong, I couldn't take it!

I use essential oils and consider myself fairly knowledgeable in this area. This spray was offensive. I put some on at a baseball game and I couldn't stand myself. Other folks tried it and hated it too. I THREW IT AWAY when I got home. All of it.

It keeps the mosquitos away, however our daughter turned into a yellow hornet magnet with the little buggers swarming her until she got stung. Just do a google search on what bee keepers use to ATTRACT bees to a hive... Lemongrass oil, Lemon Eucalyptus.Brilliant to put this into a childs spray!!We made our own after this, we used Witch Hazel as a base and added 5% citronella oil and 5% cedarwood oil. Have to shake it well before each use but the mosquitos AND all the bees now leave her alone.C'mon Repel, seriously, the number one ingredient used to attract bees?????

The day I used this instead of a DEET based product, I was bitten twice in the first 5 minutes of our walk. We wanted it to work because we don't like using the toxic DEET in regular mosquito repellents, but this just didn't seem to have any effect. I haven't had luck with any 'natural' solution yet.