Thoughts on why these particular ingredients.

[lizard1232]

Saw a post going around FB about a well-known company's lotion-like baby oil keeping mosquitoes away and decided to take a look at the ingredients (of course, the original poster claimed it was chemical-free...) I was wondering about everyone's thoughts on the ingredients list:

water, cetyl alcohol, glycerin, cocoglycerides, glycine soja (soybean) oil, dimethicone, zea mays (corn) starch, carbomer, phenoxyethanol, potassium cetyl phosphate, hydrogenated palm glycerides, fragrance, methylparaben, mineral oil, tetrasodium EDTA, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter extract, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, sodium hydroxide, propylparaben, ethylparaben, glycerin oleate, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), aloe barbadensis leaf juice, titanium dioxide, mica

Particularly the sodium hydroxide. I don't intend on trying to dupe this since it has a whole lot of seemingly unnecessary extras in it, but what purpose does the sodium hydroxide serve in a "lotion"?

 

[galaxyMLP]

Its possible it serves to put the pH in the range of the function of the preservatives.

ETA:
For a moment, I thought you were talking about "skin so soft" b/c thats what my mom used to put on me as a kid to repel mosquitos. I looked it up by the ingredients and was suprised it was a different product. Since they both contain mineral oil, maybe that serves some insect repelling function. The only reason I can think as to why that might be is it may "hide" our insect attaction "scents" that we nuturally produce. For example, apparently we produce a chemical called Sulcatone that attracts mosquitos specifically. Maybe mineral oil inhibits that dispersion? It used to work to SOME degree on us as kids!

 

[Susie]

And that stuff does not work to repel mosquitoes...at least not in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas.

 

[hmlove1218]

And that stuff does not work to repel mosquitoes...at least not in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas.

No it does not. Heck, down here were lucky if actual insect repellants work! Or maybe I'm just too sweet..

 

[dixiedragon]

I know it never helped me. But I know people who swore by it.

 

[KristaY]

There's also a theory that blood type contributes to attracting mosquitos. That goes along with Galaxy's theory too. I avoid mosquito areas at all costs or they eat me alive no matter what I apply, but they leave my hubby alone. On the other hand, gnats attack him but I'm fine. I agree there's a lot to the chemical make-up of each individual person and how "tasty" they are to certain insects.

 

[Susie]

I am one of those folks that you hate. I may get one bite, where my kids or others are covered in bites.

 

[Dahila]

Mosquito is the worst nightmare for me

 

[Lynusann]

Interesting read with regards to insect (mosquitoes) and effective repellent.
The blood type argument has been refuted
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/04/health/mosquito-bites-myths/

 

[Stacyspy]

I know this is sorta off-topic but...
I've found that none of the various repellents work for me, but I did find that if I eat about a teaspoon of fresh garlic everyday, I repel mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and most people... Seriously, though, after a week long Italian food binge, I noticed it. I have also been told by my vet that a bit of garlic powder in my dogs' food each day will help repel fleas and ticks. So I use garlic in most things I cook.

 

[maya]

Garlic is an allium https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic I wouldn't feed a dog anything from an allium family, allium's are toxic to dogs.

I also thought you were referring to skin so soft. Where there is water there are mosquitoes. I hate those little things.

 

[TeresaT]

I am a mosquito magnet. However, I made soap with citronella EO in it and it actually worked. I did not get bitten when I sat on the porch one evening with my neighbors. They did. I didn't. I gave a bar to a friend who was going to Thailand for vacation. She used it and didn't have bites. Her companion had huge welts from bites. The bites stopped after showering with the soap. I used 1 oz for 1# of oil. I will be making citronella soap again this weekend. I am now a believer. I've always used the candles that you can get at hardware stores, but never considered using it on my skin until now.