Avon So Soft

One of the most unlikely sounding midge repellents is Skin-So-Soft from the Avon cosmetic company. This was initially launched as a bath oil in 1961 and has since grown to incorporate a range of products. It's use as a midge repellent was entirely unforseen.

Does It Work?

There as been much anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of So Soft in deterring midge bites and it has been used for years by individuals and even the British Royal Marine Commandos. There doesn't appear to have been any serious scientific research on its effectiveness, however many people buy and use it regularly.

If Avon So-Soft works to reduce midge bites, how does it do so? It appears that it is not strictly a repellent as such. It won't keep the midges at bay. What it seems to do is make it more difficult physically for them to bite by putting an oily layer over the skin. Clearly this means that it will only be effective on those parts of the body which are actually covered with So-Soft. Always read and follow the product instructions, in particular be extremely careful to avoid getting any cosmetics in the eyes.

The unexpected success of Skin So Soft in the fight against midges has resulted in Avon producing a version of the product with added insect repellent. You can now buy the Skin So Soft Bug Guard PLUS line of products which include the insect repellent IR 3535. Products in this lne include Expedition, Picaridin and SPF15 Sunscreen.

Site Information