A lot of you have been asking me about Clean bug repellant.  I keep forgetting to write a post, mostly because Annabel has been bug-bite-free lately.  It’s all due to a few of my favorites:

I recently got the Mighty Shield Bug Repellant Lotion by Babytime and I love it.  The lotion consistency allows me to cover every teeny-tiny spot on Annabel, and she doesn’t have to hold her breath or close her eyes.  The Choosy Chick actually has an entire mini-boutique dedicated to sun and bug protection, and with the code BAREBEAUTY, you’ll get 10% off your entire order through 8/31/15.

Ingredients: Castor Oil 8.0%, Linseed Oil 1.5%, Cedar Oil 1.0%, Lemongrass Oil 1.5%, Rosemary Oil 1.0%, Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Water (Aqua), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Macadamia (Nut) Ternifolia Seed Oil, Cera Alba Beeswax, Bee Propolis Extract, Lecithin, Polygliceryl-4 oleate, Tocopherol (Non-GMO “TocoBiol”)

While supplies last, spend $50 or more on Zoe Organics products at Ecodiva Beauty, and receive a FREE FULL SIZE Insect Repellant Spray (a$20 value).  I also love Zoe Organics Insect Repellant Candle.  I mean, can you think of a better hostess gift for the dog days of Summer?

Ingredients (bug spray): Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil*, Ricinus Communis (Castor Seed) Oil*, Azadirachta Indica (Neem Seed) Oil*, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Essential Oil*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Essential Oil*, Syzygium Aromaticum (Clove Bud) Essential Oil*, Thymus Zygis (Red Thyme) Essential Oil*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oil*, Juniperus Virginiana (Cedarwood) Essential Oil*, Eucalyptus Citriodora (Lemon Eucalyptus) Essential Oil* *Certified organic ingredient

We also use and love Skincando’s Combat-Ready Bug Repellant.  It was originally formulated as a DEET-Free option for U.S. Troops overseas.  It repels mosquitos, sand fleas and other biting insects.  (If you live in Charleston, it is available at The Pitt Street Pharmacy in Mt. Pleasant.)

Ingredients: hammamelis virginiana, aqua pura, alcohol, potassium cocoate*, potassium oilate*, sunflower oil, potassium palm kernalate, glycerin, palm kernel acid, potassium citrate, citric acid, aloe barbaris juice, allantoin, eucalyptus citriadora oil (lemon eucalyptus), cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) oil, leptospermum petersonii oil (lemon tea tree) *Organic origin

A Note on Conventional Bug Spray, Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus:

The brands above are perfect for the playing in the yard, attending a cook-out or taking a walk at dusk.  However, if you are going to be in an area* where tick bites/Lyme Disease or West Nile Virus is an issue, The EWG recommends that you use a bug repellant with Picaridin (10-20%), IR3535 (20%), DEET (7-10%), Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (30-40%, unless your child is under 3, as it can be a skin irritant) or PMD (10%).  While I cringe at applying chemicals to my body or to that of my child, the risk of contracting these diseases is scarier than the occasional use of conventional bug repellant. Read the Enivironmental Working Group’s Guide to Bug Repellants for more information.

• *Most cases of Lyme Disease occur from Virginia to Maine and the upper Midwest, mostly Wisconsin and Minnesota (CDC 2013F).
• *Check out the Center for Disease Control’s West Nile Virus Map to see if you are at risk.

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