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jellybean · 05-11-2007, 06:44 PM

I've never had luck with White Mountain or Crocodile! (which is made in southern NH and works ok but not great). I used REPEL with Lemon Eucalyptus last year, which was tested by Consumer Reports and found to be better than low doses of DEET (hate the smell of DEET!). I use the OFF brand w/ lemon eucalyptus this year, which is easier to find, and it's been working great so far. This is from consumerreports.org, to which we subscribe:

August 2005
Update: Another good mosquito repellent

EFFECTIVE Repel spray, $6, protected better than other repellents we’ve tested. Mosquito repellent with oil of lemon eucalyptus, a plant-based ingredient, was recommended as effective by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after we had completed tests for our July 2005 repellent report. So we tested again, pitting the oil against a good performer from the earlier test. The results were impressive.

We compared Repel Lemon Eucalyptus spray, $6, the more-concentrated of the two leading eucalyptus-based repellents, against Cutter Unscented with 10 percent deet, $4.50. Deet has been safely used for years, though some people don’t like how it smells or feels.

Using caged mosquitoes, testers found that Repel prevented bites by an aggressive species for 4 to 7 hours, and more than 12 hours by a tamer type. That’s longer than with the deet repellent or a deet alternative we previously tested, Cutter Advanced with Picaridin, $5. Picaridin is also recommended by the CDC. We didn’t test Repel’s claimed efficacy against ticks. Nor did we test a similar repellent, OFF Botanicals, $6, but its lower concentration suggests briefer protection.

Our sensory panelists found Repel had a lemony odor and felt somewhat tacky on the skin. Like deet, Repel stained leather. But unlike deet, it didn’t damage plastics.

Consider Repel, especially if you don’t like deet. For less odor and skin sensation, try Cutter Advanced with Picaridin, but you may need to apply it more often. The Environmental Protection Agency says picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and deet are all safe when used as directed.

05-11-2007, 06:44 PM	#6
jellybean Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Alton Bay, NH Posts: 32 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've never had luck with White Mountain or Crocodile! (which is made in southern NH and works ok but not great). I used REPEL with Lemon Eucalyptus last year, which was tested by Consumer Reports and found to be better than low doses of DEET (hate the smell of DEET!). I use the OFF brand w/ lemon eucalyptus this year, which is easier to find, and it's been working great so far. This is from consumerreports.org, to which we subscribe: August 2005 Update: Another good mosquito repellent EFFECTIVE Repel spray, $6, protected better than other repellents we’ve tested. Mosquito repellent with oil of lemon eucalyptus, a plant-based ingredient, was recommended as effective by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after we had completed tests for our July 2005 repellent report. So we tested again, pitting the oil against a good performer from the earlier test. The results were impressive. We compared Repel Lemon Eucalyptus spray, $6, the more-concentrated of the two leading eucalyptus-based repellents, against Cutter Unscented with 10 percent deet, $4.50. Deet has been safely used for years, though some people don’t like how it smells or feels. Using caged mosquitoes, testers found that Repel prevented bites by an aggressive species for 4 to 7 hours, and more than 12 hours by a tamer type. That’s longer than with the deet repellent or a deet alternative we previously tested, Cutter Advanced with Picaridin, $5. Picaridin is also recommended by the CDC. We didn’t test Repel’s claimed efficacy against ticks. Nor did we test a similar repellent, OFF Botanicals, $6, but its lower concentration suggests briefer protection. Our sensory panelists found Repel had a lemony odor and felt somewhat tacky on the skin. Like deet, Repel stained leather. But unlike deet, it didn’t damage plastics. Consider Repel, especially if you don’t like deet. For less odor and skin sensation, try Cutter Advanced with Picaridin, but you may need to apply it more often. The Environmental Protection Agency says picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and deet are all safe when used as directed.