BootsnAll Travel Community

Sounds silly, but I'm serious. I use baby oil as a moisturiser. I'm going RTW and was wondering does it attract mosquitoes because of its scent or is the alcohol in perfume that they like?
On lonely Planet they recommend using Avon Skin So Soft, but in Ireland it's not as easy to get, so I was wondering did anyone have any alternatives? What do other people use to moisturise while abroad?

Use whatever you want. The mosquitoes will attack you regardless. They are evil evil little creatures.

Having said that, baby oil IS ver sweet, which seems to attract more bugs. But I don't know what to recommend as a substitute. (Skin so soft supposedly repels mosquitoes, but that's never been true for me...)

Supposedly, baby oil or mineral oil mixed with vitamin B-12 repels sancudos, or sand flies. It may do the same for mosquitos, but I wouldn't bet on it.

The best repellent for insects is a high B12 content in your blood, and a repellent with a high percentage of DEET(long chemical name)

The best repellent for flies is a shower every day. Flies like the smell of sweat.

The best repellent for head lice is a daily shower and shampoo.

When you sleep, the best repellent is a pair of long pants and long sleeved shirts and socks.

Add to that covers over your head and a mosquito net, and you'll be fine.

If you get bitten, Tiger Balm tends to burn like the dickens at first, and then relieve the itching.

Is this enough?

Thank you both. Tortuga traveller your advice is great, had heard vitamin B was good.

Think I'll try get some skin so soft, cos I do love to moisturise!!

On the contrary, if you cover yourself up in baby oil, many insects will avoid landing on your skin, or will have trouble biting you. I've heard of people using it as a protection against mosquitos and other such nuisnaces. Of course, it's not a panacea. Mosquitos and other nasties WILL bite you regardless of what you do. But baby oil might keep some at bay.

I have a German friend who uses garlic pills.... He swears by them. Never tried it personally.

Thanks again. I've had no luck with finding an Avon lady, so it's baby oil for me.

My next problem is how best to carry it! When I was inter-railing I brought in a travel screw cap bottle in a ziploc bag but still the bottle and bag got greasy. So if anyone has any ideas...

I tried garlic pills before and even the odourless ones made me burp garlic the whole day, not very pleasant!!

The thing that worked for me was Eucerin lotion which is great for skin..no perfumes etc. That with Citrenella oil..(natural) worked for the mosquitoes...

One thing that backpackers might really like hearing is that one of the best ways to keep your levels of B complex vitamins high is to drink a lot of unfiltered beer.

Skeeters hate me, I almost never get eaten.

Thought this was an interesting website...

http://www.detoxprogram.net/articles/mosquito-traps-propane.php

(First post!!)

Rock: r u a fan of Hull? I'm interested in reading 'Sweet Poison'. I'd been on her website previously when I decided to give up aspartame.

Havent looked around her site much, but I've been impressed with what I have seen.

Hmmm. The scent of baby oil might initially draw the interest of a mosquito, but then put yourself in the mosquito's shoes and imagine your teeny self getting stuck in the grease ... I have a theory that the secret behind Skin So Soft is that, besides smelling bad to mosquitoes and gnats, it traps and then basically dissolves them.

Anyway, expats in the Yucatan swear by this stuff called Cactus Juice as a skin-pampering repellent: www.agorganics.com/products/Cactus-Juice-EcoSafe-Spray/12/131.html. You can also get it with sunscreen added.

Good luck!
Karibe