Recommended Organic Insect Repellants

One mother asked me today what's the best insect repellant to use for her baby. I told her that I prefer the organic insect repellants like Bioneem lotion. ( This one I've tried and it really works. The smell is not that strong and it's not that sticky to the skin.) But since Bioneem is only available thru direct selling (in some clinics and online stores) , I gave her other alternatives which she can try out too.

Here's a list of organic insect repellants and their corresponding website:
1. Bioneem lotion - You have to buy around P3,000 to P4,000+ worth of greencow products if you want to buy the lotion directly from their site. There are actually online stores at multiply which sell the lotion (P325 each) so probably you can check them out.
2. Giga Insect Repellant Spray - Giga products are readily available in selected stores like Robinson's Galleria, Tiendesitas, SM North Edsa etc.
3. Indigo Shoo Fly Lotion - This one is a product of Indigo Baby. A 300 ml bottle costs P765.
4. Citronella Bug Spray - This is a product of Human Heart Nature. A 50 ml bottle costs P79.75.

All these products are organic but there are babies and kids that have really sensitive skin and prone to allergies. So for first timers, just apply a small amount first of the lotion or spray on your baby's skin. Observe for emergence of rashes, redness of the skin or itchiness. If these are noted, discontinue the application of the product and seek pediatric consult.

BGONE Insect Repellant Spray

I just found out a few days ago when I ordered my 3rd batch of Bioneem products that the The GreenCow Company has a new product, the BGONE (Bioneem) Insect Repellant Spray. This one is oil-based and comes in a 50 ml spray bottle which is convenient when going outdoors. It is composed of Andiroba Oil with Neem and it is 100% non-citronella and 100% non-DEET. It is both a natural insect repellant and skin moisturizer. This is also said to be ideal for kids with sensitive skin.

Aside from BGONE Spray's insect repellant effects, it can also relieve joint pains (in arthritis), scalp itchiness, muscle pains and many others.

It is recommended to spray the oil onto skin every 4 to 10 hours when going outdoors to give protection against mosquitoes.

I actually tried the spray today. I noticed that the smell is not that strong compared to the Bioneem lotion. (I don't know how to describe it but the lotion has a distinct aromatic smell.) I also noticed that it's not that sticky or greasy. ( which is different from what I expected because the spray is oil-based). It is also cheaper than the lotion. It costs P195 while the lotion costs P325. This makes the spray a cheaper alternative if parents can't afford the lotion.

For more information regarding Bgone spray and other products, just visit The GreenCow Company website.

Organic Insect Repellant

I learned how to make an organic insect repellant a few days ago after watching Channel 2's Umagang Kay Ganda so I decided to share it with you.

This is what I remember:

1. Place water in a plastic container ( 1-2 glasses).
2. Put one onion (cut into half) and garlic. Add crushed lavender and mint leaves (1-2 leaves is enough).
3. Seal the container and leave it for 24 hrs.
4. Strain the mixture and pour the fluid in a spray bottle.
5. Spray the organic insect repellant indoors or outdoors.

Since I don't have any lavender and mint plant in our garden, I just use the Bgone (Bioneem) liquid concentrate. This one is also organic but it makes use of Neem extract which is also a natural insect repellant, disinfectant and deodorizer rolled into one. Ratio of the dilution is 1:5 so I just use the bottle cap for measurement. 1 cap of liquid concentrate to 5 caps of water.

Dengue Prevention

There are a lot of cases of Dengue Fever or Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever these days. There is still no available vaccine against Dengue so here are some helpful tips to protect ourselves from the dangerous female Aedes mosquito:

1. Remove all sources of stagnant water which can serve as breeding grounds for these mosquitoes.
a) change water in flower vases daily
b) turn over all storage containers
c) stored water containers should be covered all the time
d) clear drainage canals
e) remove fallen leaves and stagnant water in damaged drains, roof gutters and garden
f) discard old tires, bottles, plastic containers which may be favorable for mosquito breeding

2. Eliminate mosquitoes by spraying water-based insecticides or organic insect repellants like Bgone(Bioneem) liquid concentrate spray.

3. Prevent mosquito bites by
a) wearing socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirt ( My nephew these days always wears pajamas.)
b) using mosquito nets
c) placing window and door screens
d) applying mosquito repellants like Bgone(Bioneem) lotion or spray ( I use Bioneem lotion for my one-year old nephew. I apply it in the morning and in the evening.)
e) using mosquito coils or electric vapour mats during daytime. ( My family uses the Baygon electric vapour mats. Each of the rooms has one and we also place these mats near the front door and also near the door leading to the garden. The mat gives out a faint aromatic smell which gradually fades the longer it is used. These mats are really effective so I highly recommend it. I think it's better than the mosquito coil because the mosquito coil releases those irritating fumes which suffocate me.)

Go Natural! Use Bioneem!

I've mentioned Bioneem ointment in my earlier post but there are also other products that are available which you can try out also.



Bioneem Lotion - It is an organic moisturizer and insect repellent lotion composed of neem tree extract, atis extract and other natural plant extracts with natural skin moisturizers. It is non-DEET. (DEET - N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide- which is a chemical that can cause serious damage in the central nervous system; this is available in some insect repellants)
Since it is all natural, it is safe for infants and children. It gives up to nine hours of protection. It is non-greasy and has a pleasant smell.



Bioneem Soap - This is used for washing acne-prone skin and also for skin with fungal or bacterial infection or insect bites.

Bioneem Liquid Concentrate - This is an insecticide, deodorizer and disinfectant which can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, garden and even dog cages. It is non-toxic and biodegradable. A small amout is diluted with water which is used for wiping or as spray. I used this to get rid of insects in our small pond and in the garage. I also spray it on cage of my pet dog. It really is effective in driving away the insects particularly the mosquitoes and removing the odor in our dog's cage leaving a very pleasant smell.

Bioneem for Insect Bites

My nephew woke up yesterday with 3 insect bites on his legs so I immediately applied Bioneem ointment to the bite marks. This ointment was first introduced to me by a doctor-friend last year. At first, I wasn't interested at all. But I found myself being asked by several mothers what's the best remedy for insect bites and dark scars on their babies. So I bought a starter kit filled with Bioneem products (lotion, soap, ointment and liquid concentrate) and tried them first.

So why am I recommending the bioneem ointment? First, it is 100% natural. It comes from neem and acapulco extract which is safe for infants and children. Second, after 2-3 applications, it relieves the itchiness, redness and swelling caused by insect bites. It also reduces the appearance of dark scars because constant scratching is prevented. Upon continuous use, it can also lighten scars and stretch marks. Third, it is cheaper than other ointments or creams available in the drugstores. A 5 gram hydrocortisone costs P130 while a 30 gram bioneem oitment costs P260. Fourth, there's no fear of side effects since it's organic unlike when using topical steroids which can cause hypopigmentation.

So what's the only downside of this product? It is not available in drugstores. You can purchase it online or in some pediatric clinics so ask your child's doctor about it.