Mosquitoes! How I hate these tiny, blood-sucking creatures that hang out in the dark corners of the house. I've tried many mosquito repellent products for myself, and now that my Baby Ayu is here, I sure did my homework to find the mosquito repellents that are safe to use on baby's skin.
What types of insect repellent products are safe for baby?
Perhaps this question may need a separate article to explain, but let me give you a summary in bullet form in this post:
Mosquito net, which is a physical barrier, is the cheapest and most effective way to protect babies from mosquitoes.
Mosquito patches, which contain natural insect repellent ingredients such as citronella and lemon eucalyptus oil, are not directly applied on baby's skin.
Bug sprays or insect repellent sprays and lotions containing natural ingredients such as citronella or lemongrass oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil and neem oil in small concentrations, are also safe for baby. However, make sure to do a skin patch test to determine if your baby has allergies to a certain ingredient in the product.
Citronella oil in water soluble form that can be diffused in diffusers or humidifiers may provide limited protection against bugs. However, do not apply the oil directly on baby's skin as citronella oil is a potential skin irritant due to its strong properties.
Think before you get when using these products to protect your baby from bugs:
Mosquito coils and incense that produces smoke when burning can potentially irritate baby's lungs. Remember: smoke is still smoke, whatever substance it came from. One study found that one mosquito coil releases the same amount of particulates as burning 75 - 137 cigarettes. Traditionally, mosquito coils are used to repel mosquitoes and are found to be very effective at keeping these pesky bugs at bay. While d-allethrin, a common insecticide used in most mosquito coils in the market, poses low toxicity to humans in small concentrations, it is unclear whether prolonged exposure actually leads to adverse health effects, such as one cited in this study.
Chemical insecticide sprays, like the ones that come in aerosol sprays, are not safe for babies, and even for adults either, when exposed directly. The fumes are toxic when inhaled, and they pose health hazards such as headaches, vomiting, and other respiratory ailments. Consider stopping the use of insecticide sprays especially when there is a pregnant mama or baby in the house!
Insect repellent sprays or lotions that contains chemically-synthetic ingredients such as DEET, pyrethrin, allethrin, and other similar chemicals may potentially irritate the sensitive skin of babies. Consider opting for products with natural insect repellent ingredients to reduce the likelihood of allergic reactions and toxic side effects.
Remember: always read the label when buying products for your baby and be on the lookout for potential irritants or potentially harmful chemicals.
Baby-Safe Mosquito Repellent Products We Used and Tried
Our mosquito problem is so bad that we had to use many mosquito repellent products. During the first two months, our Baby Ayu is mostly protected by mosquito net whenever she sleeps, day and night. We also use Moskishield Mosquito Patches that we stick to her clothing, replacing the patch every six to eight hours.
I, too, am very delectable, according to these pesky mosquitoes. It was too bad that I had to resort to wearing pajamas all day, aside from applying lotions and sprays in my exposed limbs. I've also used Moskishield, Little Tree and NoBite on myself. Because these products contain essential oils which are natural ingredients, I expected that I might have to reapply many times during the day. Usually, essential oils-based products lose their effectiveness once the scent is gone or expires.
MoskiShield Repellent Spray
The MoskiShield Repellent Spray has a lemony but sweet scent, with background notes that somewhat smell like vanilla, or a faint whiff of amber. The ingredients actually list oil of lemon eucalyptus, which is different from lemon or eucalyptus. It doesn't smell like eucalyptus, even. At first whiff, I thought it smelled yummy with a bright citrusy character. It's nice to know that the label indicates that it is FDA-approved and registered, which means that the product officially passed the safety and efficacy requirements of the law.
How I Use It:
I spray it on the exposed skin directly, making sure not to overapply because it will feel sticky if there is too much product on the skin. I spray on my hands first before applying it on my baby's skin (I rarely use it on her skin, and if I do, only on her legs and feet). Sometimes, I also spray on the surrounding bedding and on my baby's clothes (shielding her face, of course) for extra protection on super bugsy days.
Is it effective?
Yes, but for an average of four hours, according to my estimate. Beyond that time frame, I find that mosquitoes will come back and pester my legs. The oils dissipate quickly, perhaps, because of the warm or humid environment in our home, as we do not use air-conditioning.
My Verdict:
This product is FTM-approved! I love that it is potent enough to repel mosquitoes, but also because it's safe for baby, and it smells nice too. The scent doesn't seem to bother my baby as well. I've had a repeat-purchase of this product, so I might as well do in the future, not just for my baby but for me as well.
I bought this spray from the official store of BabyZone Philippines, which is the official distributor of Little Tree products in the country. Little Tree is a UK-based company that specializes in natural or organic baby products.
Little Tree's Natural Protection Spray smells herby or green, with intermingling notes of lemon, eucalyptus, clove and citronella. I think that the scent of clove takes the dominant flavor of this spray, with its warm and spicy character, and eucalyptus takes the background with hints of lemon and citronella bringing out the citrus accents. I don't seem to particularly enjoy this mix of aromatics as they seem to cancel out or 'fight' each other, resulting in a discordant scent that my partner described as 'not nice'.
How I use It:
Like Moskishield Spray, I spray it on my exposed skin directly. I apply it on my hands first whenever I apply a small amount to my baby's legs and feet. I also spray it directly on clothing and surrounding beddings.
Is it effective?
Not really. The scent, however strong, doesn't last long. I've used this on myself as well and I know for a fact that mosquitoes follow me an hour or two after spraying. It might have been effective for the first two hours when the scent lingers strongly in the air, but after a while the repellent effect is gone. I also don't like to feel of this product on my skin. It feels more sticky, owing to the assortment of essential oils in it.
My Verdict:
I'm not sure if I am going to have a repeat-purchase of this product. Two reasons why: (1) repellent effect only lasts for two hours, or even less on extra hot days (oils dissipate quickly when the weather is dry or hot); and (2) I don't like the scent.
I bought a bottle of this after seeing it on the shelf of Mercury Drug. The label indicates that its active ingredients are neem extract (7%) and citronella oil (0.5%), and that it is safe for babies, toddlers and adults. It is manufactured by Mix 'N Pack Philippines Inc for Pharmaceia Jimenez Corp. There is no label indicating that this product is FDA-approved, nor an HSR number issued by the FDA, but the company website of Pharmacia Jimenez states that this product is FDA-approved.
This lotion has a subtle citronella scent, which is fortunate. I was quite surprised at first because I expected it to smell like something close to garlic owing to the neem extract. The lotion has a nice consistency that is not too watery and not too thick.
How I Use It:
I spread a good amount on my exposed skin. When Ayu hit the third month mark, I also began putting this lotion on her exposed skin in the arms, legs and feet.
Is It Effective?
Yes, very much. I find that the efficacy is around five to six hours, even longer than Moskishield Spray. Because the product is in lotion form, I think it tends to last longer than sprays. The subtle citronella scent is not off-putting and somewhat goes away after a while. I do think that neem extract might be the key here. Neem oil has been traditionally and commercially used as a potent organic insecticide, and it has a pungent smell that is not pleasant. I'm amazed that this product doesn't smell like neem at all.
My Verdict:
This product is FTM-Approved! I will have a repeat-purchase after I finish the bottle. The only downside when using this product is that I have to thoroughly wash my hands after application because I handle breast pump parts and have pumping sessions throughout the day.
Do you have recommendations for effective baby-safe mosquito repellent products? Comment below and share your experiences!
If you want to request a product review, please let me know by commenting below or sending an email at ftmom.ph@gmail.com. (Don't worry, I don't charge fees!)
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