For my own info, I have been copying some of the comments on the PeoplesPharmacy article. So I will put some here:
Below the ads, find Comments with LOTS of suggestions:
for example: My dermatologist told me to put a dryer sheet in my pocket to keep the bugs away. I tried it in the North Carolina Mountains and it seemed to work – no mosquito bites, no flies, no bees….
We live near Tampa Bay, so like to walk along the sea wall in the evenings–prime time for mozzies ! Before going out we spray with a half & half mixture of water and original amber listerine, or the generic brand. Guess it’s the eucalyptus oil in the listerine that does the trick.
I’ve found both Sawyer’s Picaridin at REI. Repel Lemon Eucalyptus is available at Wal-Mart and other stores that sell repellants.
No need to buy commercial, buy an inexpensive 1oz of lemongrass essential oil (better than lemon eucalyptus, which some people and lots of dogs have problems around). Buy a $1 supermarket spray bottle, add 3 quarters full of water, 3 vigorous shakes of the lemongrass (or 25 drops). Spray on you and spread it around. No bitey insect wants to bite you then.
. . . They NEVER bit me. I assume it was the sulfur. Glucosamine is a sulfur based amino acid. The next year or so, I tried MSM (again sulfur) because it’s cheaper.
I take folic acid, B12 and B6 daily. and NEVER get mosquito bites.
I believe it is the B6 that does the trick,
My daughter was going to a camp that many complained had many mosquitoes. An article on use of a B vitamin, taken internally for a few weeks seemed to be a repellant. I was not certain which B vitamin to use so we chose to use B50 , a combination of all the Bs. When her group returned home, she was the only one who was not covered with bites. Also another folk remedy is eating onions and garlic regularly. I have not read any studies being done on either method but it worked with my child.
I just wanted to clarify that the Repel Lemon Eucalyptus product tested by Consumer Reports and mentioned in your article contains the EPA registered active ingredient Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) which, although is sourced from the essential oil, is different and much more effective than the essential oil of lemon eucalyptus.
I use witch hazel, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon oils in a spray bottle. Half bottle filled with witch hazel then drops of oils equal parts..i will walk into a swarm of mosquitoes I’m so confident it works. And no deet.
Mark
Great stuff. There are dozens of remedies from burning citronella to you name it. Remember bugs live sweat so the more you seat the more you get bit.
MSM is da bomb!
Try Thieves Oil Spray by Young Living, no chemicals… got Europe through the Plague.