Repel Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent, Mosquito Repellent, Pump Spray, 4 Ounce, (Pack of 2)

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.

First time using this brand as I’ve always bought toxic mosquito repellents and even those didn’t work. This brand states it’s natural, it does smell rather good compared to all the others. Above all IT WORKS! I’ve been missing o it on summer nights outside because nothing worked and finally it does and I can.Can’t thank you enough for actually improving my life, never thought I’d say that to a bug repellent company. You don’t even know the severity of mosquitoes attacking me throughout my life. I’m that person whose skin looks like cottage cheese from the mosquito bites while everyone else is good.

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.

I am normally eaten alive by the bird sized mosquitos during an Arkansas summer, but this has made it no more!Being a type O blood, the mosquitos LOVE me and I am allergic so I have searched everywhere for a bug repellent that actually works and doesn't make me feel like I bathed in an oil pan. This is it. I sprayed it all over me (it smells terrible in my opinion, but others didn't think it was all that bad) and not even a fly would land on me! It's a miracle liquid and I swear I would rather smell like a warm pickle than be eaten up by bugs.

I've been using this for years and am so glad Amazon carries it in a double pack. Each time I order, I give one to a friend who, like me, attracts mosquitoes like moths to a light. I can spray it nearly everywhere and not worry about harsh chemicals being absorbed into my skin.The smell is strong but doesn't linger heavily for long. It washes out easily in the laundry with no stains or bleached out spots, so it's safe on all my clothing, as well.It's my go-to for parties with kids since it's chemical-free and too many adults put out the more dangerous stuff for friends to use. The spray bottle I take with me is always popular and near-empty by the end of the night, so it's obviously good stuff!

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.

This is the best insect repellent I’ve ever used. I am one of those people that is a mosquito magnet, but during my recent trip to Mexico, I used Repel. After a week long vacation I had no bites absolutely none! This is the first time I’ve used a repellent that actually worked. Since returning home, I have used it when I’m on my patio in the evenings again no bites. I highly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed.

I've bought this several times. Very effective. Smells decent. No pungent nor long-lasting scent. Not overly oily- absorbs into skin pretty well without any reaction, harm or concerns (makes sense given the innocuous ingredient list.) but skin sensitivity varies person to person, so you'll need to test. Some other natural repellents sold do me no good whatsover (do not repel anything) so I definitely recommend trying this one.