This time last years, I went to a picnic in a beautiful part of Westchester on a lakeside. It was absolutely beautiful. What wasn’t beautiful was the allergic reaction I got to the chemically laden bug spray. Not only did I get an allergic reaction, but I smelled weird (not great at a social gathering), it got on my clothes, and it took me two days and three showers to scrub the stuff off of me. Oh, and I still got three welt-sized bug bites.

This year I’m not having any of those problems thanks to using essential oils instead of chemical insect repellents. One of my favorites is Medella Naturals All-Natural Insect Repellent. It is all natural: DEET-free (yay!), chemical free, and contains all natural ingredients. The ingredients are all things I have actually heard of: Lemongrass Oil 0.5%, Water, Vanilla, Castor Oil, Soya Lecithin, Lemon, Vitamin E 99.5%. I think it’s great that not only are these natural, non-toxic ingredients, but they are actually good for the skin!

As to the scent, it is actually quite fresh and pleasant. The top note is Lemongrass, with a soft hint of vanilla. The vanilla makes it smell more like something from Creed fragrances than the standard Lemon Pledge smell that comes with some Lemongrass-based bug sprays.

And the thing that really matters: it works! I haven’t gotten any bites since I’ve been using it, even in this hot and damp weather of late. It doesn’t transfer to clothes, nor is it oily. It absorbs nicely into the skin and makes it so soft! I’m really happy to have found this insect repellent!

Find it at Medella Laboratories