Guest Blog by Lily Slydel
Post-shower, floral scented, auburn goodness; my swishing locks are one of my most attractive features. My long, thick hair, after shampoo and conditioning, is just like walking hair product advert. I know I’m worth it – but sadly, it’s not attracting the right kind of attention. So long perfume, I no longer need you, my hair is doing the trick. ‘Why the complaints?’ I hear you say, sadly, for a mosquito magnet like me, it can be a complete nightmare.
When you think about your impending tropical escapes, whilst insect repellent will be on the list of essentials, carefully considering your shampoo and conditioner isn’t something that most holidaymakers take into account. If you are particularly prone to having mosquitoes feasting on you when you’re away, your shampoo and body wash may be drawing them in. There are multiple factors that affect how attractive you are to insects (see Blog Entry ‘Top Five Reasons People are Being Bitten by Insects), but one that not everyone realizes is as influential as it is, are the products that you wash in. Obviously shampoos that are particularly fruity illuminate your whereabouts to insects but even those that are seemingly without fragrance, can still contain insect attractants. Furthermore, one might assume that as your body wash doesn’t stay on your skin for a long duration of time, it doesn’t impact your attractiveness to mosquitoes. Sadly, this is incorrect, and that oh-so-pungent body wash is making your tastiest parts (such as your knees, ankles and neck) smell like a 5 course luxury dining experience.
incognito Hair and Body Wash is particularly beneficial for the mosquito magnet because it reduces the chance of you making yourself MORE attractive to insects. Most shampoos, conditioners, and body washes contain a variety of insect attractants (even the ones who appear to have very little scent to the human nose!). These attractants raise the awareness of your whereabouts to the nasty nibblers, and advertise you as their next meal.
The hair and body wash has a similar zesty lemon fragrance to that of the signature spray, however it also contains neem, citronella and tea tree oil, all of which have multiple benefits for the body. Neem has a veritable plethora of uses; it is a potent repellent, as well as being an antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral and anti-protozoal agent and when used on the skin lends an aroma that wards off mosquitoes.
The tea tree oil also has powerful antibacterial and antifungal agents, but is infamous for its beneficial qualities for the skin. It is a long-standing presence in the world of treatments for acne and other facial skin conditions and additionally, can be used on corns, chapped lips and dry skin. In the hair care department, it is also a pretty big winner; fighting dandruff, lice, fighting bacterial and viral infections AND prevents hair fall. A bit of a wonder product, to say the least!
Lastly, another key ingredient is Citronella oil, an essential oil extracted from citronella grass. This oil has been known to prevent mosquito bites extremely efficiently for centuries, and when combined with eucalyptus oil creates a hugely powerful repellent! There are 2 species of citronella, of which Java is the stronger, in fact more than twice as powerful as the ordinary kind. Which means that not only are you better protected, you only need half as much of it.
To me, having a product that does the job of keeping the insects at bay yet continues to nourish my hair and skin is so important when your relaxing in the sun, making this product a holiday must-have. Even if you holidays are over for this year, if you are prone to getting nibbled in the UK, it works perfectly for local use, as you need only a tiny amount. You can purchase a bottle today at www.lessmosquito.com or in Holland & Barrett near you.
