Many of the world's greatest discoveries were accidents. Think Penicillin and Coca Cola. Heck, even Gore-Tex was discovered when Bob Gore accidentally stretched the polytetrafluoroethylene he was working on too rapidly.
It also happens that Avon, a beauty brand that began life in New York in 1886, accidentally created a skin moisturizer that many rave about as an insect repellent. It's name: Avon Skin So Soft. We sent our globe trotting hiking expert in to check it out.
Meet the reviewer
First impressions
Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil is the wild card in the world of the best insect repellents. Veteran beauty company Avon brought out a moisturizing dry oil in 2005, only for hikers to discover that the new Skin So Soft spray was also brilliant for anyone looking to avoid bites and stings on the trails.
This light oil is much cheaper than most insect-specific sprays, smells great and moisturizes your skin as it repels insects – ideal if you have sensitive skin or find DEET-based products tend to dry out your skin. It’s effective against insects in the UK due to a healthy smack of citronella, and there are even rumours that the Royal Marines pack Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil when they train in the mountains.
Features
Skin So Soft is designed to be a lightweight and fast-absorbing body moisturizer, giving the wearer silky soft skin. It's infused with jojoba oil, which is a common ingredient in a range of product types, from lipstick and makeup to moisturizer and shampoo. It assists the skin in locking in moisture, providing that sought after soft feeling.
However, it's the Citronella, which comes from South Asian plants, that provides the bug repellency. It was originally put into the product for its lemony scent, one of the ingredients that makes Skin So Soft smell so pleasant, especially compared to traditional DEET-based repellents. Citronella is one of the most effective natural insect repellents around, along with the likes of lemon eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil, though they tend not to quite pack the punch of something like DEET.
In the field
We’ve carried Avon Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil in our hiking backpack on multi-day treks in Scotland – home to vast quantities of midges – and did find on test that you will need to apply it to every inch of exposed skin to avoid bites, and reapply a few times over the day. If you apply carefully, it definitely does work well at repelling midges.
There’s no DEET, Pircaridin or similar present, so the oil wouldn’t be strong enough to rely on when a repellent is an essential, such as in areas where mosquitoes may carry malaria. It has a pleasant, unisex scent, and it’s a nice bonus that skin feels moisturised and comfortable even as you’re keeping bugs away.
The lack of strong active ingredients, such as DEET and Pircaridin, means the oil is gentle on skin – you can stick Skin So Soft all over your face and scalp or apply liberally to children with no tears.
It's obviously crucial to get the right Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray, as citronella is key here. If in doubt, Avon say: “Choose the Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray with the blue label. The pink one doesn't have citronella in”.
Don’t apply to clothes, though, due to the oily consistency.
