1x 150ml SKIN so SOFT ® AVON Dry Oil Body Spray ORIGINAL® +jojoba insect repellent

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Having the right stalking clothing to help keep midges away is a good place to start, but you will still need something to deter them from making a meal out of any exposed flesh left on your body, such as your hands or head.

Avon Skin So Soft is a beauty product that has been recommended as a midge repellent for years, which I always thought was an old wives tale until I tried it myself. If you want to know when is the best time to visit Scotland to avoid midges, you need to find out when is the midge season in Scotland. My other half swears by it so I thought I’d give it a go last year and… it actually works. No matter if I sat outside in the evening or walked through the Highlands in the early morning, midges seemed to avoid me whenever I used Avon Skin So Soft.These are really effective and suit outdoor eating scenarios, picnics and BBQs, although BBQ smoke does a good job of keeping the midges away too. Midges dislike the smell of the candles, so burn a couple at a time to double your chances of keeping them away. What time of year do midges come out in Scotland? Citronella, peppermint, lavender and eucalyptus essential oils can be used as natural midge repellents. Citronella candles can be used to keep midges away when sitting outside or can be used to deter midges from the house. BBQ smoke is another effective deterrent. If you’re ahead of the game and already have some Avon products, then great! All you need to do is keep applying it like you are already, keeping your skin safe while free from itches. If you don’t have any Avon, their products are relatively cheap and easy to find, so what are you waiting for? Get going and keep those pesky mosquitoes away! After a long day hiking through the Highlands you’ll no doubt be desperate for a shower, after which the last thing you’ll want to do is slather your body with yet more insect repellent.

We prefer to use insect repellents which don’t contain DEET or DMP. Although DEET and DMP are more effective than non-DEET or natural midge repellents, they are capable of melting some plastics (such as credit cards, glasses and synthetic clothing) and that’s not really something we want to put our skin. As non-DEET insect repellents seem to work fine for midges, we don’t find DEET repellents necessary. Best midge net for Scotland Each application lasts for up to 8 hours. Re-application may be required in areas with high temperature and humidity. Adult midges in Scotland generally start to come out in April and are active on the wing until October. There are often two peaks in emergence which are the worst months for midges in Scotland so these are the best times to avoid – one in late May/early June and the second in late July/early August. It is dependent on the temperature so could start a bit earlier or end slightly later. By early autumn midge numbers start to decrease, which is why September and October are good times to visit Scotland. Whilst we cannot make the midges disappear, we hope this guide has given you some helpful advice on how to deal with the midges in Scotland.

Best midge net for Scotland

A great alternative is to light a few of these candles if you’re intending to sit outside as they’re designed to release a scent that midges, mosquitoes, and other buzzy critters hate. The Bug Guard works the best, which is unsurprising, considering it’s manufactured for the sole purpose of repelling insects. We also recommend carrying a midge head net (also known as a midge hood). We have Smidge head nets which we wear over our Tilley hats.