My pick: Best All-natural Insect Repellent

Now that it's dengue season, it's high time for us to use an insect repellent day in and day out. But I know what you're thinking -- commercial insect repellents sometimes smell nasty and make you feel coated. I should know, I've been applying Off! Lotion to school since I could remember. Plus they contain all those chemicals that I can't even pronounce. Yech.

The next best thing is to go the all-natural route. But then again, some Citronella bug sprays are oily and take forever to absorb (you know who you are). And boy, I do not like having to wait long for my hands to dry before I can go back to typing on my laptop. Anyone else who can relate?

Enter Indigo Baby Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me, an all-natural insect repellent safe for babies and for yummy mommies with sensitive skin. I've met Denise and Monica from our previous AWCP bazaars and I must say, Indigo Baby is the only brand you should trust for all-natural [baby] products that won't irritate you or your baby's sensitive skin.

 

For those of you tired of that strong citronella smell, this lavender, geranium, eucalyptus & citronella-based insect repellent is heaven in a bottle! Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me will keep those pesky mosquitoes away from you and your loved ones.

Ingredients:
Aloe Vera gel, Witch Hazel, Grapeseed oil, distilled water, Lavender, Rose, Geranium, Citronella and Eucalyptus essential oils.

Why do I love this product? Read on to find out:

• it comes in a handy 60ml spray bottle priced at only Php 180 (if you want to go bigger, a 300ml refill bottle will set you back only Php 725)
• this milky concoction is very lightweight and takes only a mere couple of seconds (5 seconds tops!) for the skin to absorb it 
• because it is lightweight, you can still layer on your sunblock and it won't give you that icky feeling
• the lavender, citronella and eucalyptus oils blend so well to give you this calming and soothing scent
• it repels mosquitoes and most bugs

going batty over the tree house

I discovered this little gem before I left for our provincial road trip last month, and I used it regularly during the whole trip, sometimes just using it as a lotion because it really smells so good! And I would like to share with you all that I was bug-free the whole time! I even used this when we went to Mantianak Nature Park which was on the way to Cagayan de Oro and where lots of bugs abound.

If you are apprehensive about using bug sprays in general, or find the whole application cumbersome and unnecessary, then I suggest you try out "Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me". This product is affordable, biodegradable, very safe for sensitive skin (and noses!) and is proudly Philippine-made. I promise that you will get hooked and will learn to love lavender as much as I do now :)

On another note, here's a friendly reminder from the DOH regarding the 4S during dengue season:
 
   1. Search and destroy all breeding areas of mosquitoes
   2. Seek early consultation for any symptoms
   3. Say “no” to indiscriminate fogging
   4. Self-protect by using mosquito-repellent lotion and bed nets

Also, mosquitoes are most active during dusk and dawn so don't forget to protect yourself and your loved ones.

To order your own Shoo Fly insect repellent, visit http://indigomanila.multiply.com
or visit Sesou at Trinoma and Market! Market!