Fighting the mozzies with PreVent

We arrived to Italy a week before Easter. Having left a rainy good old England, we descended from the plane into a warm sunny air field. Italy at Easter time is beautiful, with lots of greenery which hasn't been yet mercilessly scorched by the sun, with lots of blooms and flowers. It is vibrant and fresh, full of colours and aromas. Quite perfect, if not for mosquitoes which are powerful enough to spoil any holiday. In the past we used the incense coils (favoured by the locals) which don't work that particularly well and leave me with a headache. My skin is very sensitive to mosquito bites, if bitten, I will be suffering with an itchy bump for weeks afterwards. To be honest, I would be happy to try anything to repel the unwelcome holiday spoilers. When I saw on Twitter that PreVent were looking for bloggers to test and review their insect repellents, I tweeted back to them, mentioning that I'd be happy to do it, if they would wait until we go to Italy for Easter.

Two items from PreVent range were the first to be packed in the suitcase. I wanted to be ready to fight the mozzies. These products are made from natural ingredients, including 1% pyrethrin which is derived from African chrysanthemums.
What does PreVent promise?
"The active ingredient in PreVent has been used as an insecticide as well as a repellent for over 200 yers and it is safe and effective on both adults and young children. It has extremely low toxicity so it's good for the environment as well as being perfect for sensitive skin
With many insect repellents packed with chemicals and other nasties, PreVent offers a natural alternative without compromising on effectiveness. Having started life as a pest control product PreVent now offers your family the expertise and efficacy of a professional repellent without any of the harshness associated with such as hard-hitting solution. For up to 8 hours, you and your family can be protected from all biting insects, including mosquitoes and midges, with just one application of PreVent - available in aerosol, pump spray, cream or wipes".

What did we think of it?
We tested a PreVent spray and PreVent cream (available from Hygienesuppliesdirect).
The spray/aerosol bottle is small in size, and is very light. You can easily slip it in your purse or even pocket for going out and about. You can also use it as a space spray, i.e. spray in the room or tent if you're camping. It does have quite a strong odour which quickly disappears.
The cream tub also comes in a convenient size. These products are also available in a full-size pack to last for a fortnight or more.
It doesn't have the same strong smell as the spray, in fact it is quite neutral. It is not greasy when applied.
I am always cautious with new creams and lotions, as my guys have very sensitive skin.
For the first night, I used PreVent only sparingly on my children, but there was no skin reaction. I applied it to my own face and hands quite liberally. And though my older son has had a couple of bites on his cheek, I managed to stay bite-free, and typically I am the first one to be eaten alive.
Results:
I haven't been bitten even once, so for me it worked really well. Out of four of us, Sasha has been bitten more than once, he is clearly the sweetest of us all, literally. So, though not 100% effective for all members of our family, it nevertheless protected the majority.

Disclosure: we received the samples of PreVent for the purposes of testing ad reviewing. All opinions are mine.