Herbal Armor DEET-Free Pump Spray 8oz. Insect Repellent - Value Size, Plant-Based and All-Natural Bug Repellent for Outdoor Protection, Safe for Family and Pets

We were in the Adirondacks for a week at the end of black fly season, mosquito season and deer fly season. We were outdoors a lot, on lakes, fishing. We had everything. High and medium percentage DEET's, Picaridin, a couple other herbals and other sprays and then there was this stuff. I started out with this. First, you have to be comfortable smelling like a lemon plantation. But I don't mind the smell at all, and I applied very liberally to exposed skin. It seems to work well. I had bugs all around me but very few landed and none bit. Now, it seemed to wear off relatively faster than DEET, but reapplication is not an issue since it's harmless (I think). A couple of good applications seemed to do the trick. Now I have to admit that I'm OK with DEET and when the bugs are bad and I fall back on it just because reapplying in a kayak can be a pain. The 40% DEET, or the 98% DEET stuff... that works real well and needs no reapplying for hours. But for health's sake, I used this stuff as much as possible and it is the best of the botanical/herbal oil repellents I've used. Oh, and for the record, deerflies and horse flies don't much care what repellent you're using. If they're on you, they're gonna bite no matter what you're wearing.Edit: A season later. Black flies were much worse this year. While this stuff worked during the middle of the day, we relied much more on the 40% Deet during the early and late day. It lasts longer and the bugs refuse to land on it. So I would say this is a good repellant unless the bugs are extremely heavy. In my book, that is swarms. At that point, my hat, my shirt collars, my cuffs and socks are pretty liberally sprayed with this herbal armor and smell of lemon/citronella. The bugs don't like to land on it and cloth seems to hold the repellant longer than my skin. But for exposed skin, 40% deet did the trick. I think we used repel. Nets over the hats and face in the late evening also. But if the net touches the face, or blackflies get under the net, the deet seems to do the trick. I still think this is herbal a good product and the children all used this almost exclusively during the day with no bites except in areas they forgot to spray. But for super heavily swarming blackflies, deet/nets are better defense.

It does the job. I have to reapply every few hours but that's better than inhaling chemicals.

Works well

Kid, pet and human friendly. Spray makes application a breeze. Made in my home state of NH. Shop local!

Bought this stuff a while back and I absolutely love it. Living in Florida with thousands of mosquitos is unbearable sometimes, and this stuff keeps them at bay without covering ourselves with burning and stinging chemically spray that gets in your mouth and makes you cough.You spray a few squirts onto your arms and legs, and then have to rub it in with your hands. This is more of a liquidy-lotion type product, rather than a thin can style spray - which I prefer, because you have way more control. No more holding your breath and closing your eyes while you blindly spray yourself with one of those cans of "Off!" and then run away from the fume cloud to catch a fresh breath.It is highly scented, so be aware of that. Smells mostly like lemongrass and citronella (which of course, are some of the main ingredients). I have very sensitive skin and this hasn't given me any issues.It does/can attract honeybees, but they'll just come up to you and realize you're not a flower and fly away. (Just let them be, don't swat at them! They're quite friendly).I recommend reapplying after a while, especially if you've been sweating. But if you do that you won't have any issues. If a mosquito is really desperate/already in the area, it may land on you - but if you wear it from the start it definitely helps and keeps them away. Other flying bugs as well avoid the scent (including no-see-ums / Ceratopogonidae).Overall, great value for the price! Comes in a nice big bottle, I've still got plenty left.Hope this review is helpful!

My family and I used Herbal Armor Insect Repellent during a hike last weekend, and none of us got bitten, unlike the previous weekend when we didn't use it and got several bites. So, I'd say it works well. The smell is okay—not as pleasant as some reviews suggested, but not bad either. What I really appreciate is the texture; it's more creamy than oily and absorbs quickly into the skin. Out of all the bug sprays I've tried, this one definitely feels the best.I chose this repellent because it's pet-safe, which is important to me since I'm always paranoid about petting my cats and them grooming themselves afterwards. I still washed it off when I got home, but the cats didn't seem bothered by any lingering smell. Overall, I'm pleased with its effectiveness and pet-friendly nature.

Very Annoying because Container or Sprayer Leaks. I don't even remember if it works. I'm not Crazyabout the Scent either. But "Leaking" is the Big Complaint.

I live in Texas. We are known for having mosquitos so big they can carry off a small car. I go to the Texas coast once a month where there are mosquitos, two kinds of aggressive biting flies, plus a gazillion other bugs.I started searching for an alternative insect repellent after I discovered that Cutter and Off brands actually remove enamel (like the polish off of my toenails and the coating on the metal on my beach chair!).I found this product and I am in love. I am one of those people that gets eaten up by mosquitos when everyone else is fine. So, I am very happy to report that not only does this product work, it smells amazing (like citrus) and it leaves my skin very soft.I read other reviews before I bought this. One thing I read was that the sprayer doesn't work well. This is a thick liquid, somewhat like a hand lotion. So, instead of spraying it on, I just pour a little in my hand and rub it on like suntan oil....problem solved! I have purchased several more bottles since my first purchase and I will continue to buy this great product.