Body Lotion As Insect Repellent

When I guided in the tropics, my insect repellent of choice wasn’t Off or Cutter or anything containing the proven ingredient Deet. It was Avon Skin So Soft. If you didn’t mind the slightly oily consistency and smelling like you had spent the night sleeping behind the cosmetics counter, Skin So Soft was a foolproof guard against even the evil no-see-um, which has a knack for ignoring the standard recipes. And you could mindlessly slather the stuff on without fear that your skin might absorb a questionable chemical. (Avon later realized the marketing potential of their lotion and began making a variety of new versions.)
This morning Field & Stream‘s Joe Cermele reports the discovery of another fragrant repellant: Victoria’s Secret Berry Kiss lotion. “I slathered it on and suddenly the gnats paid me no mind. I was bite-free and smelled like Gisele Bundchen…a win-win in my book.”