Sophie I am so so pleased! Just back from Greece and it was my saviour there! Have to keep using it as bite will itch the next day or so but it really helps. So glad! X
I've always had long hair and always swear by never brushing wet hair. Wet hair is at its weakest and easily damaged. I use a wide toothed comb to detangle it rather than a Tangle Teazer. I also love Aquis turban towels after washing my hair.
I emphasise: exercise caution! I have a terrible memory of my brother trying this on his ex-girlfriend — perhaps it is unsurprising that the relationship didn’t last — only to scorch her skin. It left her with a rather larger red mark than had already been there.
On a more positive note, ‘Smidge’ spray worked well against both Scottish midges and Mediterranean mosquitos this summer.
I used to get huge welts from mosquito bites but (after some advice from a friend who’d been to the docs about his bad bites) I’ve been taking antihistamines each summer for the last few years and I no longer get the huge reaction. I still get bitten but they really don’t bother me much anymore. You can also put antihistamine cream directly on them which helps too. Good luck!!
I also react crazily to mozzie bites sometimes. Need antibiotics and get really ill with big swollen limbs (yuck). Had to go to hospital in Ghana with them at 18, had to have weekly injections in my bum all summer long in Spain at 22, had to make my then boyfriend now father of my children drive miles around Tuscany looking for an A&E on a Sunday at 27. I don’t go in such long term or remote trips anymore and I’m more sensible about putting poisonous insect repellent on but I do worry that now I’m old if I take a bad reaction it could be super serious. It has led to nasty complications in the past but I’ve always bounced back pretty easily. But now I’m old...
Have never found the Avon stuff much use for mozzies- they *love* me. But very very effective for that much more annoying but much less deadly foe, the Scottish midge.
My hairdresser told me to shampoo less often. I try but mostly forget and slap on shampoo by habit . I also only found out a year ago about drying hair with a towel or flannel before applying conditioner… apparently I’ve been washing my hair wrong forever!! Re mozzies… I’m always bitten to death and we started using the stretchy invisi bobble type coloured bands with repellent in . I ended up slapping them on both wrists and ankles. I definitely got bitten less. Looked a bit of a dodgy accessory wearer but better than Quasimodo style lumps turning blue all over my face and body x
Eurax and So Soft both in use here too. I get one horsefly bite a year, every year (just last week on my elbow). They worry me because a friend of a friend died from complications following a septic bit. Oh and one other tip for mozzies; a Vitamin B1 tablet is known to repel them. I was once bitten repeatedly on the face in Florence and it looked as if my partner had blacked my eye; had to wear dark glasses in galleries and lower them to look at The Art.
Adding to the insect bite intel, I can recommend Piriteze Cetirizine hydrochloride tablets for savage bites eg horseflies. I swell horribly and get liquid blisters even if the ruddy thing has just grazed me, but if I start taking these it is so, so much less awful, and less mind-bendingly itchy. Used to be prescription, now over the counter. You probably only need to take one a day for seven days. They are expensive but worth it. Thanks due to my Pilates teacher for passing this on (hi Liz!).Top tip: take in the morning at breakfast unless you're teetotal. The effect if you mix with alcohol is exceptionally tranquilising. I have taken one mid afternoon and then had to go straight to bed after one glass of wine hours later.
Thank you, Chloë, for the Avon recc. I have heard about this magical cream but never with the actual name of the stuff before!
ADDITIONAL NOTES! I have been contacted on Instagram to say that those patches you stick to clothes to ward off mosquitos are not very effective. There seems to be a 100% thumbs-up for Avon So Soft as a repellant.
I also learn that to quell mosquito bite itching you can heat up a teaspoon under some hot water and then apply the back of the teaspoon to the bite. This sounded like I was being trolled but I googled it and in fact this is reasonably well-known.
The science behind it is thus: the protein that mosquitos inject under your skin to stop it from clotting is the same thing that makes it itch, but it cannot survived high(ish) temperatures. A hot teaspoon will "cook" the protein and render it non-itchy. Obviously, exercise caution. And I can't really see Sam allowing me to do this...
Also many votes for Eurax as the best anti-itch cream for bites.
Good advice .Hair does have natural oils and some shampoos do strip the hair of oils etc and washing it with just warm water every other is a good idea. Re the smelly old woman / person problem! Apparently people over 40 do start to get that old person smell ..Antioxidants in black currants and black current juice apparently can stop that smell. Also there is a Japanese soap that can get rid of the smell.
I found a new hairdresser a couple of years ago and was very happy with the way he cut my hair. When I asked him for any product recommendations, he said to use as little of everything as possible. My hair tends towards being lank and he said forget conditioner or just use it on the ends, and buy a cheap shampoo and use less of it generally. No other products necessary.
I have to say my hair looks in better shape now than before, I have EVEN had compliments. I wash the roots every two or three days, blow dry for about four minutes with a paddle brush, I've never spent so little on products, and am delighted with his low-maintenance advice which suits my lazy tendencies!
On the subject of insect repellent - a few dabs of neat tea tree oil works. I take one of the tiny bottles in my handbag to anything outdoors (including weddings!). I know you’re not supposed to use essential oils neat, but haven’t suffered any side-effects so far... Tea tree oil also repels nits, mix some in the whole family’s shampoo.
Sophie I am so so pleased! Just back from Greece and it was my saviour there! Have to keep using it as bite will itch the next day or so but it really helps. So glad! X
I've always had long hair and always swear by never brushing wet hair. Wet hair is at its weakest and easily damaged. I use a wide toothed comb to detangle it rather than a Tangle Teazer. I also love Aquis turban towels after washing my hair.
I am a big fan of the Avon spray to avoid swimmers’ itch. But I have a new game changer if you are bitten. This little device. It is a little heater that burns the way you have explained about the spoon… Beurer BR60 Insect Bite Healer… https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B089GRH43R/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=f85594774744b98b16c5a56c6a9fcdfa&hsa_cr_id=7535476480402&qid=1658994273&sr=1-1-f382c466-d424-467e-b829-f0f5d40d815b&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi2m_asin_0_rating&pd_rd_w=DpJi6&content-id=amzn1.sym.1c468716-36bb-447b-be16-7dbc7d8eaa81%3Aamzn1.sym.1c468716-36bb-447b-be16-7dbc7d8eaa81&pf_rd_p=1c468716-36bb-447b-be16-7dbc7d8eaa81&pf_rd_r=T083PX21N8V7F0GWMZJV&pd_rd_wg=Yzbcf&pd_rd_r=c8befc9a-2da1-4d00-a868-790c22293bcd#
I emphasise: exercise caution! I have a terrible memory of my brother trying this on his ex-girlfriend — perhaps it is unsurprising that the relationship didn’t last — only to scorch her skin. It left her with a rather larger red mark than had already been there.
On a more positive note, ‘Smidge’ spray worked well against both Scottish midges and Mediterranean mosquitos this summer.
I used to get huge welts from mosquito bites but (after some advice from a friend who’d been to the docs about his bad bites) I’ve been taking antihistamines each summer for the last few years and I no longer get the huge reaction. I still get bitten but they really don’t bother me much anymore. You can also put antihistamine cream directly on them which helps too. Good luck!!
I also react crazily to mozzie bites sometimes. Need antibiotics and get really ill with big swollen limbs (yuck). Had to go to hospital in Ghana with them at 18, had to have weekly injections in my bum all summer long in Spain at 22, had to make my then boyfriend now father of my children drive miles around Tuscany looking for an A&E on a Sunday at 27. I don’t go in such long term or remote trips anymore and I’m more sensible about putting poisonous insect repellent on but I do worry that now I’m old if I take a bad reaction it could be super serious. It has led to nasty complications in the past but I’ve always bounced back pretty easily. But now I’m old...
Have never found the Avon stuff much use for mozzies- they *love* me. But very very effective for that much more annoying but much less deadly foe, the Scottish midge.
Wonderfully helpful re mosquito reqs from all and perfect timing as taking juicy small child to Greece on Saturday
My hairdresser told me to shampoo less often. I try but mostly forget and slap on shampoo by habit . I also only found out a year ago about drying hair with a towel or flannel before applying conditioner… apparently I’ve been washing my hair wrong forever!! Re mozzies… I’m always bitten to death and we started using the stretchy invisi bobble type coloured bands with repellent in . I ended up slapping them on both wrists and ankles. I definitely got bitten less. Looked a bit of a dodgy accessory wearer but better than Quasimodo style lumps turning blue all over my face and body x
Bought the stickers and tried them on my kids last week in Italy. They both got bitten to sh*t…
Eurax and So Soft both in use here too. I get one horsefly bite a year, every year (just last week on my elbow). They worry me because a friend of a friend died from complications following a septic bit. Oh and one other tip for mozzies; a Vitamin B1 tablet is known to repel them. I was once bitten repeatedly on the face in Florence and it looked as if my partner had blacked my eye; had to wear dark glasses in galleries and lower them to look at The Art.
Adding to the insect bite intel, I can recommend Piriteze Cetirizine hydrochloride tablets for savage bites eg horseflies. I swell horribly and get liquid blisters even if the ruddy thing has just grazed me, but if I start taking these it is so, so much less awful, and less mind-bendingly itchy. Used to be prescription, now over the counter. You probably only need to take one a day for seven days. They are expensive but worth it. Thanks due to my Pilates teacher for passing this on (hi Liz!).Top tip: take in the morning at breakfast unless you're teetotal. The effect if you mix with alcohol is exceptionally tranquilising. I have taken one mid afternoon and then had to go straight to bed after one glass of wine hours later.
Thank you, Chloë, for the Avon recc. I have heard about this magical cream but never with the actual name of the stuff before!
ADDITIONAL NOTES! I have been contacted on Instagram to say that those patches you stick to clothes to ward off mosquitos are not very effective. There seems to be a 100% thumbs-up for Avon So Soft as a repellant.
I also learn that to quell mosquito bite itching you can heat up a teaspoon under some hot water and then apply the back of the teaspoon to the bite. This sounded like I was being trolled but I googled it and in fact this is reasonably well-known.
The science behind it is thus: the protein that mosquitos inject under your skin to stop it from clotting is the same thing that makes it itch, but it cannot survived high(ish) temperatures. A hot teaspoon will "cook" the protein and render it non-itchy. Obviously, exercise caution. And I can't really see Sam allowing me to do this...
Also many votes for Eurax as the best anti-itch cream for bites.
Great and much-appreciated mosquito intel x
Good advice .Hair does have natural oils and some shampoos do strip the hair of oils etc and washing it with just warm water every other is a good idea. Re the smelly old woman / person problem! Apparently people over 40 do start to get that old person smell ..Antioxidants in black currants and black current juice apparently can stop that smell. Also there is a Japanese soap that can get rid of the smell.
I found a new hairdresser a couple of years ago and was very happy with the way he cut my hair. When I asked him for any product recommendations, he said to use as little of everything as possible. My hair tends towards being lank and he said forget conditioner or just use it on the ends, and buy a cheap shampoo and use less of it generally. No other products necessary.
I have to say my hair looks in better shape now than before, I have EVEN had compliments. I wash the roots every two or three days, blow dry for about four minutes with a paddle brush, I've never spent so little on products, and am delighted with his low-maintenance advice which suits my lazy tendencies!
On the subject of insect repellent - a few dabs of neat tea tree oil works. I take one of the tiny bottles in my handbag to anything outdoors (including weddings!). I know you’re not supposed to use essential oils neat, but haven’t suffered any side-effects so far... Tea tree oil also repels nits, mix some in the whole family’s shampoo.