Our Verdict
Repelling mosquitoes and midges is an accidental but welcome side effect of this moisturising and affordable oil spray.
For
- Smells great
- Also moisturizes skin
- Affordable
Against
- Not strong enough for jungle conditions
- Full coverage required to work
Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil: first impressions
Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil. is the wild card in the world of the best insect repellents. Veteran beauty company Avon brought out a moisturizing dry oil in 2005, only for hikers to discover that the new Skin So Soft spray was also brilliant for anyone looking to avoid bites and stings on the trails.
This light oil is much cheaper than most insect-specific sprays, smells great and moisturizes your skin as it repels insects – ideal if you have sensitive skin or find DEET-based products tend to dry out your skin. It’s effective against insects in the UK due to a healthy smack of citronella, and there are even rumours that the Royal Marines pack Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil when they train in the mountains.
We did find on test that you’ll need to apply it to every inch of exposed skin to avoid bites, and reapply a few times over the day. The lack of strong active ingredients, such as DEET and Pircaridin, means the oil is gentle on skin – you can stick Skin So Soft all over your face and scalp or apply liberally to children with no tears.
(If in doubt, Avon say: “[choose] the Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray with the blue label. The pink one doesn't have citronella in”.)
Don’t apply to clothes, though, due to the oily consistency.
Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil: in the field
We’ve carried Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil in our hiking backpack on multi-day treks in Scotland – home to vast quantities of midges – and did find on test that you will need to apply it to every inch of exposed skin to avoid bites, and reapply a few times over the day. If you apply carefully, it definitely does work well at repelling midges.
There’s no DEET, Pircaridin or similar present, so the oil wouldn’t be strong enough to rely on when a repellent is an essential, such as in areas where mosquitoes may carry malaria. It has a pleasant, unisex scent, and it’s a nice bonus that skin feels moisturised and comfortable even as you’re keeping bugs away.
