Lemon eucalyptus essential oil is a natural insecticide that the CDC has approved. Lemongrass, lemon balm, and peppermint can be sprayed on your skin to keep mosquitoes at bay. Other essential oils that can be used to repel mosquitoes include citronella, rosemary, and lavender.
Planting lavender in your garden or using lavender essential oil can help repel mosquitoes. Peppermint Oil has a strong scent that mosquitoes find unpleasant. Diluted peppermint oil can be applied to the skin or used in diffusers to deter mosquitoes. Basil plants emit a strong aroma that repels mosquitoes.
A study in Nature found that a compound in deodorants (isopropyl tetradecanoate) repelled mosquitoes by preventing them from landing on the surface coated in deodorant. In fact, there was a 56% decrease in the number of mosquito landings.
Overall, chemical repellents like DEET and picaridin offer long-lasting and wide-ranging protection, repelling mosquitoes, ticks and many fly species. Synthesized plant oils, like lemon eucalyptus oil and IR3535, don't protect quite as long and are effective against mosquitoes and some tick species.
3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent Lotion
Another top-selling mosquito repellent lotion is Ultrathon Insect Repellent Lotion from 3M. This lotion contains about 34% DEET to repel not only mosquitoes, but biting flies, chiggers, deer flies, ticks, gnats, and fleas.
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil: A natural spray or perfume that masks body heat and emits a strong scent, deterring mosquitoes. Peppermint and Citronella: When combined, their intense fragrances can be applied as a body spray, diminishing the accessibility to human scents.
Basically, to avoid being a mosquito-target you should stay as scent-free as possible, wear light clothes, avoid bogs and use an effective repellent (such as those containing DEET or icaridin).
Yes: DEET. A repellent with DEET tells mosquitos to buzz off loud and clear. You'll need one with at least 20% DEET to protect your skin for several hours at a time, although more than 50% doesn't work any better (kids should use 10%-30%).
Blood Types Mosquitoes Love Most
Type B: Type B placed second in popularity. Type A: Type A Blood Type apparently tastes the worst to mosquitoes. The study found that those with Blood Type A are 50% less likely to receive a mosquito bite than those with Type O.
Studies have shown that the scent of dryer sheets is not strong enough to deter mosquitoes for a long period of time, and they may even attract other insects.
There is simply no evidence taking vitamin B will offer any significant protection from mosquito bites. In reality, if there was even moderate scientific evidence that taking a vitamin supplement could prevent mosquito bites, our supermarket shelves would be full of “mosquito repellent pills”.
Our tests show that Avon is right: The Skin So Soft Bath Oil is not meant to repel ticks or mosquitoes. It might work for “skin moisturizing” and “dryness reducing” as the company advertises, but it's not a good bet when it comes to avoiding bug bites.
Mosquitoes are turned off by several natural scents, including citronella, peppermint, cedar, catnip, patchouli, lemongrass, lavender and more.
DEET is a reliable and highly effective insect repellent. The chemical has been in public use since 1957. The repellent is sold under numerous brand names and comes in lotion, spray and many other forms. Concentrations of DEET range from about 5% all the way up to 100%.
Vapor rub is fantastic for mosquito bites. It not only cools the skin (since menthol is a top active ingredient), but it also alleviates the itching immensely. How to use: Simply dab some vapor rub on the mosquito bite.
The scientific consensus is, unequivocally, that oral repellents don't exist.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus is the most potent natural mosquito repellent. A DEET-free alternative to commercial mosquito repellent, oil of lemon eucalyptus is the only natural insect repellent recommended by both the EPA and CDC.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls mosquitoes the “world's deadliest animal.”1 It's a weighty moniker for an insect that weighs just 2.5 milligrams,2 but it's well deserved because vector-borne diseases, including those transmitted by mosquitos, cause more than 700,000 deaths worldwide every year ...