Mosquitoes and midges can ruin even the chicest of getaways, triggering a raft of holiday woes – namely the itchy, sore, unsightly, insect bites that can be enough to make the most body-confident want to cover up.
Keeping bugs at bay used to mean spritzing on insect repellent formulas laced with DEET, a chemical-formula that, while it does the job, melts your nail polish and smells dire too.
Until now. Luxury French fragrance house Diptyque has gone viral on social media because fans of its limited-edition Citronnelle & Geranium Summer Body Spray say it not only keeps bugs away but also smells divine. Which you’d hope, given it has a £52 price tag.
It’s all down to the added essential oils such as lemon eucalyptus and lemongrass, which are said to have inset-repelling properties.
Diptyque isn’t the only one; this summer sees a raft of body sprays and fragrances with natural bug-deterring benefits hitting the market. But do natural insect repellents really work?
‘Plant-based repellents with extracts like citronella, eucalyptus, lavender and verbena contain naturally occurring compounds which can disrupt the scent cues mosquitoes, midges and other biting insects use to identify us humans as targets, making it harder for them to locate us,’ explains GP and aesthetics doctor Ahmed El Muntasar.
This summer sees a raft of body sprays and fragrances with natural bug-deterring benefits hitting the market. But do natural insect repellents really work?
Chemical formulas made with DEET also work in the same way. So how do natural formulas – which, let’s face it, smell infinitely better – compare? ‘Many natural repellents evaporate more quickly than chemical formulas, so they need to be reapplied more frequently – every couple of hours,’ says Dr El Muntasar.
The type of protection you choose should also be determined by your destination.
‘If you’re travelling where mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya or Zika are a concern I’d recommend choosing a repellent with proven longer-lasting protection,’ he says, ‘However, for general everyday use in the UK natural repellents can be a reasonable option.’
Here, I test the latest luxe natural bug sprays to see which are worth the investment…
Diptyque Citronnelle & Geranium Summer Body Spray (£52 for 100ml, johnlewis.co.uk)
This bougie body spray went viral for a reason. If you’re not keen on the medicinal scent of citronella (the telltale essential oil in many mozzie-repelling products) this fragrance relies on lemongrass and lemon eucalyptus, which studies show is one of the most effective natural repellents. The scent is a summery blend of lemongrass, geranium, neroli, lemon eucalyptus and orange blossom, so wearing it feels more like a sophisticated cologne than a bug repellent.
I stowed this in my hand luggage for a weekend away and didn’t feel the need to pack a separate perfume – which goes some way to mitigating the price.
The scent lasts only a couple of hours so it needed topping up regularly, but after spritzing it on my arms and legs I had no bites.
Neals Yard Remedies Citronella Formula Body Spray (£15 for 100ml, nealsyardremedies.com)
A family barbecue was the ultimate test for this citrussy body spray and it was a hit – not only did it look chic on the table, it smelled gorgeous and no one complained about midge bites.
Yes, it does smell slightly medicinal (the main fragrance note is definitely citronella) but it’s quickly tempered by other insect-repelling essential oils like lavender and eucalyptus, plus skin-soothing witch hazel, so it errs on the side of sophistication.
Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil Spray (£6 for 150ml, avon.uk.com)
This lightly-hydrating body oil spray has such rave reviews online about its insect-repelling abilities it’s becoming a cult classic. Apparently, it’s the added citronellol and limone that staves off the bugs.
I liked the soft, almost baby-powdery fragrance that didn’t interfere with my usual perfume and how it left a subtle, glowy sheen on my limbs, too.
My daughter – the person in our family mosquitoes seem to love most – still gets the odd bite using this, but nowhere near as many as she does without it. The only drawback is the oil-based formula might not appeal to everyone. But for £6 it’s a no-brainer.
Le Labo Eucalyptus 20 Eau de Parfum (£172 for 50ml, libertylondon.com)
If you really can’t bear bug sprays, devotees of this chic, woody and eucalyptus-driven fragrance say it also helps deter insects. It’s not for the faint-hearted – an intense, aromatic eau de parfum that lasts a long time on the skin (I could still detect a whiff next morning).
After liberally spraying this, I wasn’t bothered by any bugs on an evening walk by a river. The price takes some justifying, but given this is fine fragrance rather than insect repellent you’re covering both bases with one bottle.
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