Whenever I visit tropical, humid places, I’m always the one who gets swarmed by mosquitoes within minutes of stepping outside. On my recent trip to Costa Rica, I didn’t have a chance to apply any spray after landing—and ended up with seven mosquito bites in no time. I tend to have allergic reactions to bites, so they swell up and turn bright red. The next morning, I used this spray and didn’t get bitten again.
Just a heads-up: make sure to apply it outside or in a well-ventilated area. The scent is very strong—I always end up sneezing when I spray it all over. You’ll smell like lemon Pledge, but honestly, it’s worth it. If you’re sensitive to strong smells, this might not be the product for you, though I find it far more tolerable than the chemical odor of DEET-based sprays. I also do not recommend using spray when visiting natural hot springs. My skin began to sting, but I think it was the combination of the alcohol in the product and the humidity from the hot springs that caused the reaction.
Just a heads-up—on one day of my trip, I tried the well-known DEET-based spray you can find at most grocery stores, and I still got bitten. This spray was far more effective in comparison. Plus, it’s better because of it’s ingredients!