How to Choose Bug Repellant

It can be so hard to choose bug repellant.  I’m one of those people who simply goes outside and is all of a sudden eaten up by bugs.  Everything from your blood type, the amount of exercise you do, drinking beer or even being pregnant can make you more susceptible to bug bites, according to Smithsonian Magazine.  Additionally, I’m not fond of chemical sprays: who knows what effect they have on us, the mosquito population, or even the bee population. I’d rather use a natural repellant How do you choose bug repellant?  We have a few tips.

How to Choose Bug Repellant: Natural is Better

We just don’t know how common bug repellant chemicals will react — with our skin, our immune systems, or even with nature!  People have been using natural remedies, such as citronella, for years.  When I go camping or to a place where I know there will be mosquitos or other bitey bugs, I use Jao Brand OutScent .  Jao makes a lot of natural products, and this one is great because it doesn’t smell like bug spray (and who wants to smell like bug spray? No one, that’s who.).  Instead, it smells like the essential oils that are included in the small, purse-sized package:  Grapefruit, fir needle, patchouli and other wood oils make this a woodsy, interesting scent that can pair well with other green, woodsy scents or just be great on its own.  It works like those citronella candles our families burned outdoors as kids:  bugs just don’t like the smell, and stay far, far away.  It only contains oils, water and alcohol. Bonus: you smell awesome.  At $50, it’s more expensive than chemical brands, but it will last you a long time and you can wear it year-round as a fragrance.

How to Choose Bug Repellant:  Slather It On

Not into wearing fragrance?  That’s okay.  Jao has another great product to try: Jao Brand Patio Oil. This is a lotion that uses eucalyptus oil and lemon oil to repel bugs, and it’s got a lot of great ingredients like soy oil, jojoba, hemp, and chamomile to soften and soothe your skin at the same time.  You’ll smell a little citrusy and a little green, and the bugs will stay far, far away.  This one is particularly good for hiking and gardening.

How to Choose Bug Repellant: Spray It Away

Love to keep a bottle of spray around for those people who forgot to put bug spray on before your big grill-out or pool party?  Try Jao Brand Patio Oil Moisture Mist to keep on hand to spray and keep bugs at bay.  It uses 20% lemon and eucalyptus oil, much like the fragrance and the lotion, which is disgusting to bugs but appealing to humans!  You’ll smell a little lemony, green and earthy, and you won’t itch.  It’s 98% bug-repelling oils, with no chemicals or needless fillers.  Keep a bottle on the table and reach for it whenever you think you need it.  Heck, sometimes I just put it on when my skin is feeling a little dry from the sun!

What are your favorite bug repellants?  Let us know in the comments and pick up your supplies for picnics, Labor Day and pool parties at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply.