I’m camping a lot this summer, and reviewing a few natural repellants for those of you who need some options. I’m starting with commercial options before giving a review of my own concoctions, because I know that with the best of intentions we all want to do things ourselves, but sometimes we need the easy and fast option. 
Repellant in review: Buzz OFF! by the Lala Soap Company.
Where did I find it? Whole Foods
Cost? $9.99
Ingredients: Water, Aloe vera, Witch hazel, Cedarwood oil, Lemongrass oil, Rosemary oil, Eucalyptus oil, Geranium oil, Grapefruit Seed extract, Glycerin
Scent? Lemons
Claims? Defends against mosquitoes and ticks.
Application and Testing
I applied this every 1.5-2 hours (despite the label saying 3-4 hours) because we were physically active and I was sweating. Not only that, I wasn’t sure how much was actually staying on my skin because of sunscreen mixing on the surface of my skin.
Verdict?
Great product, very inexpensive. I was bitten a few times, but only in the places I had forgotten to spray or thought I did but not well. For my sensitive skin patients: stings a little on any areas where the skin is broken or is healing, but the smarting is short-lived.
The smell was really pleasant – you smell like lemongrass mostly, which is a fresh lemon scent.
Recommendations
Make sure you have someone else help you to spray your legs and harder to reach areas. The spray pump only gives a good spray if the bottle is vertical, allowing you to cover the area thoroughly. If you don’t, you end up with inconsistent spray and open area for attack. My partner Brad – his ankles became a feeding ground for a blood dinner :)
Musings
Reapplication of Buzz OFF, even over bites, reduced the inflammation and itch. Witch hazel, aloe vera, and geranium are just a few honourable mentions of the ingredients in this formulation that do help with reducing inflammation and draining heat and fluid from tissues. I loved that there was clearly a good concentration of essential oils that the healing properties were also present.
Go grab some before they are out! I picked up a few bottles… ;)
Stay safe this summer!
Dr. Aoife