Coleman SkinSmart DEET Free Insect Repellent Spray - 6 oz

I am allergic to deet (my skin turns a deep orange and I get hives, which had been limiting from to enjoying the outdoors especially in the evenings. I switched to this and it has been fantastic! We spend vacations in Massachusetts where mosquitoes are in abundance. Since using this I have been able to sit around the fire, roast marshmallows, picnic and hike with no bites!. It is non-greasy, fast-drying, and odorless. It has made family time on vacation a truly wonderful experience for me.

This is the only bug spray I’ll use! It’s non-greasy, dries quickly, and doesn’t leave a sticky residue. Plus, there’s no strong odor, which is a huge bonus. Best of all, it actually works—unlike so many others I’ve tried. The fact that it’s DEET-free makes it even better. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an effective, comfortable bug repellent!

I am a regular magnet for mosquitoes. Apparently, I'm one of those people whose body chemistry is incredibly tasty to mosquitoes. Every time I step outside from the beginning of summer to the earliest days of autumn, a mosquito rings a dinner bell and within minutes I'm bitten. Multiple times. Often in less than five minutes. The worse is that I can feel them biting me. Last summer I discovered I can no longer tolerate insect repellents that use DEET. Within minutes of spraying myself with them, my sinuses clog up, and I'm transformed into a literal mouth-breather. So I started using all natural repellents that didn't contain DEET, and worked very well, but only lasted a few hours at most. This summer, I started out with all-natural, DEET-free repellents, and was blessedly free of mosquito bites. Sure, I had to re-apply ever few hours, but it worked well enough. Then my husband became allergic to my all-natural repellents. That's is, he became allergic to one of the botanicals or essential oils. I'd have to take a shower in the evenings just so he could breath. After some research, we found Coleman SkinSmart. It was DEET-free and odorless. I tried it, and it worked in terms of keeping me from being bitten. As other uses have noted, it seems to come out in a fog at foirst when shaken, but it becomes a liquid spray if you wait for it. I wait for the spray, because I don't trust that the fog will keep the bugs away. Since making the switch, I've remained free of mosquito bites. The strange thing is the bug don't exactly stay away. I feel them and see them flying into me and landing on my sprayed skin. They land on me, but they don't bite. It's the strangest thing, and a weird sensation, but I'm still bite free. In fact, I only get bitten when I go out without this stuff on. Also, it's not entirely odorless. There is a very distinct smell when you spray it on, and not exactly a pleasant one. However, it disappears within a few minutes, and there's no lingering smell of bug spray. Bottom line: Bugs don't stay away, but they don't bite.

Great effective alternative to DEET.

Great smell and works

This stuff works great! It even keeps those nasty gnats away. I bought 3 cans. I couldn’t be more pleased! Not often you can find a bug spray that actually repels gnats and mosquitoes! Dries pretty quickly, slight grease feel! Locking lid!

Great product

So, I have used DEET, Picaridin, Citronella, and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus in tick and mosquito infested swampy areas. I like Picaridin because the mosquitos keep some distance from you. With DEET, they fly right up, which is annoying. You think you are being bitten. The citronella was OK but wears off with sweat. OLE works, not as long, but, smells so strong! You have to take a shower when done for sure. OLE is cheap enough, you can keep applying it. Then shower when you get home. I was interested in trying this alternative option; IR3535 Note to chemical engineers: BRAND NAMES MATTER. I am sure that turns a lot of people off. How about Bug Shield 3535 or Defender 35 or anything other than this. Anyhow… It works. However, the mosquitos do come up on you like DEET. BZZZZBZZZZ But do not bite. They do seem to look for an opening though where you missed a spray. So be thorough. Also, the label is pretty adamant not to spray on hands or face. The warning not to get in your eyes is pretty dire. So, I guess you can use this on your body, but not hands or face. Which means, you will probably have to use a cream based Picaridin at 20% on those parts. The warning also turns me off from using this while backpacking. If some gets in your eye, you are in trouble unless the park service is putting eyewash stations in the mountains and you can find them while temporarily blind. The other products are bad too but, the warning is not nearly as scary. So, protect your eyes. I think for a day hike in a tick and mosquito infested area (most of the USA and all of New England and mid-atlantic May-December) where you apply it in the parking lot, carefully, and use some Picaridin cream on face and hands, it is fine and a good buy for sure.