Side by Side Comparison of: Repel vs Avon Skin so Soft Bug Guard

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.

This seems to work well as both a sunscreen and sand flea repellent for my sensitive-skinned 5-yr.-old. He gets quite a painful burning sensation from some other sunscreens but is not bothered by this one. Would be great obviously if the SPF were higher, but mostly I wanted to use it to repel the sand fleas anyway when we vacation at the Gulf. I'm happy with the product and also use it myself. The scent is nice.

I've always loved Avon Skin So Soft, and I wanted to buy more because it's effective as an insect repellant. Was delighted to see Avon now mkes one specially for the job. I'd been spraying myself with "OFF" at night whenever I suspected there was a mosquito in my bedroom. Now I use Sin-So-Soft and I smell a lot better (to myself, even if mosquitoes don't like the smell)

I purchased this product for a trip to South Africa. People I was going to see recommended this product to repel mosquitos where Malaria is a problem. I used the Skin-So-Soft while there and had NO issues with mosquitos. I am very happy with the product and it gave me peace of mind while there so I didn't have to worry about Malaria! Great product!

A Costa Rica must-have for toddlers – Smells great and protected our kid for a whole week and never got one bite. Just make sure you keep it out of their eyes!

It works well, but the fragrance is still a little strong for me. It does fade and is not as bad as other bug repellents that I can't use because of that. I don't even have to go outside. These mosquitoes just seem to find me at home. Thank goodness we are having cooler weather in California. I know they will be back but I am prepared for them now. The nice thing about this is it is also a moisturizer and blends in well.

moisturizer, sun protection, and wards off bugs all in one. This is the best of the best. Nothing else is as good. Use it for one of the reasons. Use it for all three at the same time. It's worth it to always keep some on hand. I find that one bottle lasts one person who is outside a fair amount all summer long. I use it at home, in the woods and at the beach.

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!

Not sure why they use Skin-So-Soft as the name. This is a insect repellent in lotion form. I think it worked fine, but since I used it in conjunction with other products not sure. I used as a deterrent for chiggers and they weren't a problem when I used theis lotion. However, skin-so-soft original formula would have been an insecticide free option if that is what you are looking for. This product has insecticide which is applied directly to your skin if that is a concern for you.

I'm super bug sensitive!! I've used the original skin so soft for year's. We went camping for a week. This is great day time stuff. The only reason I didn't give it a 5☆ is because it's a little thick and heavy for about the first 15 min. But it did do the job. Definitely re apply as directed.

Not as sticky as other sunscreens are. I love the smell and feel of it.As far as the mosquito repellent, it works for less than an hour and then you have to apply it again.

Avon Skin So Soft bug repellent with sunscreen worked better than expected. I only got bit when I went out without putting it on. I was in the jungle areas of Cancun for a week and came home with only a handful of bites. Normally I would be covered with bites after using a popular bug spray with deet. I am very impressed.

I had a mild bed bug issue that really freaked me out since I have never dealt with anything like this. Anyway after doing everything possible I could to eliminate these miserable creatures, I finally decided to try this product just in case a stray came along. It's either doing the job or they are gone for good. I put it on my exposed skin after bathing. Just be very careful not to get it into your eyes. I haven't done that, but it seems like only common sense because of the ingredients. It has a clean plesant smell and absorbent leaving a sheen on your skin.

Works great. In a country riddled with chikungunya I started buying this product to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. I tried a few repellants before i settled on this one. So far, I've avoided infection and I've been using it for 4 months now! The smell is nice and mild (smells like you're on the beach) and it doesn't feel greasy. 2 great attributes I couldn't get with other repellants. (The others either worked but you smelled like a medicine chest or the scent was pleasant but still stung my nose cause the smell was so strong). With this product i wish there was an unscented option though, just in case i don't want to smell like the beach. The only downside I've found is that the effects doesn't last long. Reapplication is required after a few hours. Still a great protective product with a nice scent.

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.

Does NOT keep mosquitoes away at all.

Great as a moisturizer and smells pretty good for something with bug repellant in it. It's not super duper effective; certainly better than nothing at all, but if you're swarmed, this isn't going to save you.

This product was runny and didn't repel mosquitos very well. Still bitten several times.

No-see-ums are still bitting me and the scent is way too strong!

It is an OK product. I purchased for my vacation. It is oily. I didn't like the feeling on my skin. I think it works.When I returned from my trip , I realized i should ve wrapped the bottle in a plastic bag, oil leaked out and had left stains.

Works really well as lotion and as insect repellant however the scent is so powerful it gives me a headache, and not good scent either - more like a cheap candle.I have to use it sparingly on my ankles and forearms not full body as I had hoped. Can't honestly recommend it for people that really notice these things like I do.

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.

My 2-year-old still got stung badly by mosquitos even after he applied it on his legs before going out to the yard.

does not repel bugs

I used this in Cambodia & Vietnam - it wasn't especially effective against the mosquitoes. It was also much greasier than I expected and (possibly due to the heat/humidity there) the product separated and no amount of shaking could mix it up again - I would get white cream and oil coming out of the container separately. In the end, I gave up & threw it out.

This is completely useless to me as bug repellent. I'm completely covered with mosquito bites right now. The mosquitoes don't even hesitate. It seems to be ok as sunscreen since I'm not burned as well as covered in bites right now, at least. The smell isn't terrible, either. It's just useless for the main reason I had purchased it.

I found that this definitely kept the bugs away, but is the worst sunscreen I have ever used. I reapplied it multiple times and still got a severe burn on 2 separate occasions. Other brands with the same SPF that I used in the same conditions for the same length of time worked fine for me.

I used it when fishing yesterday, no-see-ums still bit me. Thanks god, not all of them! :) It does not work really! Maybe, it is only 40% effective on no-see-ums.. At least, not on the Floridian ones! The pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies, and their scientists seem helpless against these tiny, cute monsters! :)

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.

Does not work as well as the product with Picaridin. :( I've got about 15 bug bites from our last trip to prove it. :(

I thought this because I really like the skin so soft spray and oil and I thought it be great to have the insect repellent included. But I can't use it gives me a rash.

Doesn't prevent mosquito from biting

Used on a camping trip and still got mosquito bites on the spots where the lotion was placed. I had specifically smoothed some repellant on my ankles and forehead but those were the places the mosquitos had bitten me. Not happy with this.

This stuff doesn't help prevent mosquitoes bites! I have over 28 bites while using this product. I was in Hawaii for 7 days and got bit all over.

Bought this for my wife and it did nothing to repel bugs. At all. Very disappointing especially given how expensive it is for such a small container.