Summer good times are here but I’d rather forget the strong citronella aromas of lemon camphor, good at repelling mosquitos and people too. During the hotter months, those magical last hours from sunset to twilight are ruined by blood-suckers. Precious leisure time is replaced by vigilance, irritation or just plain anxiety.
We are repelled to wear stinky repellents at our backyard gatherings. Instead, we burn citronella incense coils or candles. These aren’t as effective, and unless you’re directly in the vapours or smoke, you are likely to be bitten. Then comes persistent itching and for those sensitive people; rashes and sores. No one wants to feel like they are allergic to being outside. There has to be a better way to enjoy the iconic Australian lifestyle without bites from mosquitos, midges and sandflies.
Mosquito season is the reason I started wearing long-sleeve linen shirts, to avoid both the bites and stinky repellents. Read my personal journey into this heritage fashion fibre. In the Australian tropics, covering up, no matter how stylish breathable linen has become, can still be too hot. After all, leisure time should be leisurely, so the right-smelling repellent will protect you, and you’ll be free to wear whatever breezy outfit you wish.
Can I find a natural mosquito repellent that smells like perfume?
I trialled six Australian repellents and have exciting news!
Fun fact: there are at least eight essential oils, registered by the Australian Government testing authority, as actively deterring mosquitoes and sandflies. Essential oils are plants in distilled form. Many modern medicines have come from plants so it makes sense. The listed government-approved essential oils are very pungent, I would even say nose-numbing such as citronella, eucalyptus, melaleuca tea tree, and lemon eucalyptus. Then I noticed; lemongrass, reminding me of fresh, invigorating Asian cuisine and I had to take a closer look (or sniff).
Dedicated cosmetic companies wait up to two years to undergo this legitimising government approval, including field trials to ensure their repellent claims are true. I am keen to support such committed Australian brands for their vision and patience to launch better bug-repellents, and in doing so, better Aussie lifestyles.
I sourced six natural repellents whose ingredients included lemongrass, both from well-known pharmacies and health food stores. Each of the six body creams had differing essential oil combinations and none claimed citronella as their active ingredient. I chose repellents without the infamous DEET ingredient because repellents intended for daily wear should have low toxicity and smell and feel pleasant.
Here are my top three natural mosquito repellents that smell like perfume!
Which is your perfume match; fresh floral, sweet gourmand, or citrus spice?
FIRST PLACE: Good Riddance Sensitive Insect Repellent Cream 100 ml – for toddlers, babies and pregnancy
· $24.95
· Australian made and owned, established in 2010 in Darwin
· Protects up to 90 minutes then reapply
Natural Ingredients
Active essential oils: Lavender and Lemongrass oils. This cream is thick and rich but dries matte because “shea butter and beeswax make the product last longer on your skin and provides a physical barrier.” The other ingredients are a trade secret but they also revealed Vanilla extract. Yummo!
Aroma
This formula smells divine! The sweetest aroma of the six tested, making it a frontrunner for perfume status. Sweet, soft, with hints of calming lavender. “All of the essential oils were chosen for being safe to apply to babies and for their low irritant profile.” Bonus for adults too. This sensitive formula smells like it wouldn’t overstimulate a baby and so would also be perfect for anyone wanting a repellent that won’t dominant the air like citronella. No one should smell you before they see you.
Does it work?
Yes! I wore Good Riddance Sensitive Insect Repellent on a suburban porch at twilight where I was starting to see mosquitos landing on my bare legs. Ew! Within five minutes of applying this cream mosquitos were no longer hovering and no bites! Yay!
PERFUME MATCH: FOR FOODIE GOURMET TYPES, MUMS AND BABIES
The best smelling repellent of six road-tested! For a baby formula, this is a very grown-up fresh, floral yet soothing aroma.
SECOND PLACE: Juniper Tropical Outdoor Body Moisturiser (All skin types) 100g
· $19.95
· Australian made and owned, established in 2003 in New South Wales
· Protects up to 2 hours then reapply
Natural Ingredients
Essential oils: Patchouli, Lavender (active), Rose Geranium, Sweet Orange and Lemongrass (active) and Rosemary extract. In a luxurious, light gel-cream made with aloe vera, shea butter, apricot oil, jojoba oil, camellia oil, and cacao butter. Delicious! In addition, skin-loving grapeseed extract, pomegranate extract, olive leaf extract, and natural vitamin E makes this a dual-purpose moisturiser that nourishes while preventing bites. Impressive! As if this lotion couldn’t get any better, the majority of the ingredients are organic.
Aroma
At first, a sweet, rose-like aroma from the rose geranium. Then after 10 minutes ‘pink musk-stick lollies’ come to mind; a sweet, fresh, floral scent. This is the patchouli blending perfectly. There is harmony because neither lavender nor lemongrass is prominent. Juniper’s repellent is very much like a well-blended, complex natural perfume.
Does it work?
Juniper Tropical Outdoor Body Moisturiser doesn’t dry matte even after 10 minutes, perfect for people who love glossy Summer skin. Juniper Organic Skincare has 40 products focusing on practitioner use including dermatitis and eczema - a great sign of an effective formula. Juniper also repels 25% longer (up to two hours). If you don’t have time to reapply depending on your activity, go for this longer-lasting product. I wore this repellent on tidal suburban canals where locals claim plenty of biters. It worked! My local friend tried and agreed: no bites. She loves this natural perfumed repellent too.
PERFUME MATCH: FOR SWEET-TOOTHS, TEENS AND THOSE YOUNG-AT-HEART
The perfumed ‘pink musk lolly’ aroma is unique. A very balanced scent that you could wear daily because it repels biting insects while attracting people!
THIRD PLACE: Good Riddance Tropical Strength Insect Repellent Lotion 100ml
· $24.95
· Australian made and owned. Established in 2010 in Darwin
· Protects up to 90 minutes. Safe for use on children over 2 years
Natural Ingredients
Active essential oils: Lemongrass and Lemon Tea Tree oils. A stronger formula by Good Riddance company whose baby-safe version wins in first place above. More than one Australian native essential oil is hinted in their secret blend. The sweetness could also be lavender and patchouli. They also list woody undertones. Like their sensitive cream, the lotion base also has shea butter and sustainably sourced beeswax to create a non-sticky barrier to biting insects.
Aroma
This formula has the most lemongrass aroma adding sweetness to a fairly strong-smelling lemony camphor of the lemon-scented tea tree, giving it an aroma of zingy Australian natives. This makes sense because it is tropical strength and it’s difficult to balance aesthetic perfume qualities with medical qualities. Lemon-scented tea tree smells invigorating but is more cologne-worthy. It’s a pleasant aroma with a hint of clove spice, so men may love wearing this scent. After 15 minutes the aroma mellows on the skin to more lemon and less tea-tree. Relief! A better aroma for outdoor activities where you want to feel energised by intense lemon, than for lounging by your pool.
Does it work?
Yes! I wore Good Riddance Tropical Strength Insect Repellent on a rainforest hike along a creek bed on a humid, stormy November day. A female friend and I wore the lotion from the entry car park and did not get any bites. She complimented its pleasing scent, even at first when it was strong to me - smell is all about personal taste. My friend agreed it wasn’t ‘citronella repulsive’ and mellows after 15 minutes to sweeter, lemony tones.
PERFUME MATCH: UNISEX PERFUME OR COLOGNE LOVERS
This aroma is pleasant but stronger, less sweet and spicier, a win for anyone who likes fresh, citrus, unisex perfumes.
The 4th, 5th and 6th placing repellents I tested were, to be honest, horrible and no better smelling than stinky citronella. One had so much woody camphor that customers also use on their livestock, enough said! I will leave these products unmentioned and hope my nose forgets them soon.
This has to be the best Aussie lifestyle hack of the year! The bonus is these three winners are very fairly priced for you to wear one of the best smelling natural repellents in Australia. The product sizes last a whole mozzie season, plus you get three times as much compared to the price of Eau de Parfum lotions that don’t double-up as mosquito deterrents.
I am thrilled to now have three beautiful smelling, perfume-worthy, Australian-made and natural mosquito repellents that are government-approved to stop biting insects in a range of Australian environments.
It’s time to reclaim your outdoor lifestyle with style!
(NOTE: Photos sources are all creative commons, free-use stock or from the two brand's websites. This is an independent review and the author has not received any benefits from those mentioned.)