Repel 94109 HG-94109 Lemon Eucalyptus Natural Insect, 4-Ounce Pump Spray, 1 Pack, Black
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'The Good:\n- Effective (was out at dusk and didn’t get bit)\n- 2 pack is a good value\n- Smells like lemon and not chemically\n- Spray applicator works well and provides easy application\n\nThe Bad:\n- Strong lemon smell when first applied but dissipates over time\n\nThe Bottom Line:\nWe went to a birthday party at dusk and there were definitely mosquitos out. We used this DEET free mosquito repellent and we didn’t get bit. It has an easy spray applicator and we sprayed ourselves a lot. I would say it was effective for the 3 hours we were at the park. I think everyone at the party ended up spraying themselves and their kids with it. The smell is definitely a strong lemon smell which I like but might not be for everyone. Overall, we’ll be keeping bottles of this in all of our bags to spray on us when we’re out!\n\n*If you found my review helpful, please let Amazon know by clicking the helpful button below!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Personally I find this product works very well and I\'m happy to have something naturally derived instead of DEET. I understand why people looking for a natural product would like to know what it contains. The most likely reason for warnings about eye irritation and keeping away from flame is that it contains 45% ETHANOL. Have you ever sprayed vodka or isopropanol in your eye? It would be irritating. And yes, it\'s flammable. The company probably hasn\'t paid to test the product on children under 3, so they have to tell you not to apply it to them. And just like coca cola will not give you their formula, this company has their own recipe that they don\'t disclose for financial reasons. If the information isn\'t on the label, surely Amazon can\'t "require it" in the description.\n\n**Questions about ingredients**\nThe material safety data sheet says it contains 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus (naturally derived) and 45% ethanol. The other ingredients are listed as a "buffer" so probably something to keep the pH at the right level. If you look at the Q&A on the Repel website, many many people have asked about specific ingredients and the company will give a yes or no answer. According to the website, the product does NOT contain: fragrances, petroleum distillates, dyes, formaldehyde, perfluorinated compounds, Bronopol, DMDM hydantoin, BHA, Boric acid, Triclosan, Parabens, PEG, phthalates, urea, Quaternium-15, Propylene glycol, Butylene glycol, sulfates, soy, nuts, milk, eggs, or gluten.\n\n**Here\'s the problem with buying your own lemon eucalyptus oil.**\nYes, the active ingredient comes directly from lemon eucalyptus citriodora oil. But in nature, the main component of the oil is citronellal and as the oil ages, that citronellal slowly turns into p-menthane-diol (PMD). PMD is the compound that is effective for repelling insects. This PMD is found only in small amounts in "young" oil, it must be harvested from older leaves/twigs and/or the citronellal is turned into PMD under mildly acidic conditions. You don\'t know how much PMD is in the aromatherapy oil you buy, so it might not be very effective.\n\nI am not associated with this company at all. I am a scientist who also cares what I put on my body. I was ready to buy the essential oil rather than this spray but I can\'t be sure it has the right ingredients to repel insects. If someone comes out with an essential oil with a measured amount of PMD, I\'d be all for it. For now I will stick to Repel, because I don\'t think it contains any unsafe ingredients and I know it will work.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2019', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Bought this product a while back trusting the high reviews. Did not get the chance to use until this last week while on vacation in Hawaii. Lathered all over my arms and legs before we went out on our first day. First of all the spray actually squirts. Had to squirt on my hand to spread on my arms and legs. A couple hours later I broke out with the worst hives on the palms of my hands which spread throughout the rest of my hands/fingers, arms, legs, thighs, and abdomen. The hives were so itchy and eventually began to blister. Consulted a doctor and was diagnosed with Dyshidrosis Eczema which is a form of an allergic reaction to a chemical. The rash will last 2-4 weeks with the steroid creams they gave me that I had to pay out of pocket for since I’m not from Hawaii. Not to mention how miserable I was the remainder of our trip. Read the fine print people! If you have sensitive skin this is not for you! They clearly indicate that it can cause allergic reaction in some cases. Unfortunately I was one of them. Also, it didn’t repel the mosquitoes because at the end of that night despite my horrendously itchy rash I had a handful of mosquito bites on my legs as well. So save your money and buy something else!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2021', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'As someone who must be wearing a sign saying "Bite Me" that is invisible to all but insects, I have struggled to find a reasonably non-toxic repellent that actually works. I walk in a wooded state park three miles every day. Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and chiggers are common. I have found this product very effective in keeping all pests away. The scent may be too heavy for some, but since the repellent works I don\'t care if it reminds me of my grandmother\'s bedroom. It\'s a good idea to apply it where there is plenty of ventilation because the vapors in a more closed space can be somewhat choking.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2016', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-4 review-rating', 'review_body': "omg does this stuff have a strong smell to it. it not only repels mosquitoes but I'm sure it could work on mother in laws, ex's, lawyers, cops, etc. I mean my wife was sent away in tears so imagine what it must do to the bugs. it even says flammable on it?! this stuff is awesome!"}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2014', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "Update 11/10/2014:\nExecutive 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.\n\nI 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.\n\nThis 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.\n\nThere 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.\n\nYou 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.\n\nYou 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.\n\nAnother 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.\n\nLemon 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.\n\nFinally, 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.\n\nOriginal review from 2007:\nI 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."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2020', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Hate the smell, but it definitely works. I’m always the person getting eaten alive by mosquitoes while no one else is, I used this a couple nights ago and I had ZERO bites. I couldn’t even believe it, it’s the first time something has worked 100%.\n\nCons\nThe smell is awful and it’s oily, it smells like Medicinal thyme to me but I always shower after putting on sun tan lotion or bug spray so I can make it work.\n\nThe other negative is that it’s oily so it’s very difficult to get off your hands after application.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2016', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "This stuff works fantastic. It lasts for hours and no chemical smell. It has a definitely lemon smell but not like furniture polish lemon smell. No bites and I was out for about 3 hours. Bugs didn't bug me at all and no deet. Would need to reapply if your getting in an out of the water just keep that in mind. Mosquitos LOVE me so if it works on me it should work on anyone."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2016', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Natural Insect Repellent, is an competent line of defense for the dreaded Zica virus. I learned about this particular brand in a CBS network news story about the best and safest repellents available. The REPEL was the only natural product in this test that inhibited the mosquitoes from landing on the subjects skin while in an enclosed area. I know DEET is probably the best to use but I get a bad reaction whenever I use it. Also not so comfortable exposing my skin to dangerous chemicals. We're also able to use this formula on our grandchildren without fear of toxins. Purchasing this at the add-on price is actually the best value I've found anywhere for REPEL. For anyone looking for a more natural approach, I highly recommend this product!"}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'This doesn’t work at all. I would have given it 0 stars if I could. Given the good reviews, I purchased 2 bottles with high hopes. Sprayed all over and went to do yard work for about an hour. Was bitten horribly with at least 60 bites and even got stung by something. I’ve never been bitten so much before. This product attracts insects more than repels for sure. Thank goodness for Amazon’s excellent return policy.'}]