Bug Off
Give these a spray if you’re tired of being a walking mosquito buffet
By GINGER HARRIS
Updated 6:00 AM EST, Thu, Jul 2, 2009
From the buzz in the air to the nibble at your knees, it’s bloodsucker season in Miami—and you have the bite marks to prove it.
Rather than accessorizing your summer wardrobe with itchy red bumps on your ankles, arms and everywhere in between, make mosquitoes beg for mercy with family-friendly repellent. From sunscreen-enhanced sprays to natural solutions, you no longer have to smell like a mobile bug bomb to keep pests from feasting on your flesh.
This Fourth of July as you head outdoors for barbecues, beer bashes, and backyard fireworks, tell those mosquitoes to suck on these:
EASY DOES IT: If you have sensitive skin or kids—or both—give California Baby Bug Repellent Spray Citronella Bug Blend a shot. The chemical-free, non-toxic, deet-free formula comes from stuff that naturally repels those nasty little bite makers. Plus, it’s void of nut oils, gluten, soy, oat, and dairy—just in case you’re allergic to absolutely everything (at which point you might just want to buy a bubble to hang out in). Retails for $13.49, available at Publix and Whole Foods.
FLOWER POWER: Chemical bug sprays are so 1999. Step into the aughts with pesticide-free pest control like JASON Quit Bugging Me. The brand relies on Mother Nature’s little helpers like geranium, soybean, and coconut oils to keep nuisances like gnats, horseflies, and mosquitoes far away from your summer skin. Retails for $9.99, available at Whole Foods.
GUARDIAN ANGEL: It’s hot, you’re perspiring and mosquitoes are treating you like the outdoor guest of honor. If you need a solution for all three, try Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard. The formula includes SPF 30, it’s water-resistant (so you won’t sweat it off), and it suddenly makes you very unpopular with the blood-sucking set. There’s even a formula made specifically for kids. Retails for $6.99, available at avon.com.
WIPE OUT: Sunfeather Natural Soap Company’s Bug Off Wipes make protecting yourself from pests as quick and easy as swiping your limbs with a cool cloth. The brand’s wipes are packed with all-natural ingredients like rosemary, citronella, geranium, and lemongrass essential oils to keep the summertime Draculas from filling up when you’re outside having fun. Retails for $15.99, available at sunfeather.com.
First Published: Jun 30, 2009 9:04 PM EST
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