There is also some evidence to suggest that 100% doesn't provide significant benefits over 50% so that should be more than enough. 25% strength should offer about 5 hours midge repellent of protection. Wandering around shops and supermarkets across the Highlands during the summer months, you will see tourists clutching this elixir. This is the go-to midge repellent to use in Scotland for several reasons, the first of which is this stuff simply works. I’ve been using Smidge for years and out of all the insect repellents I’ve used it’s the only one I always make sure I’ve got ready to go in my suitcase. They can itch though. It's best to avoid itching if possible. Get some anti-histamine cream on it and you should be good to go. WHY DO MIDGE BITES AFFECT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY? Now you've got your midge repellent arsenal sorted, here are some practical tips you can use while you're out there in the wilderness. Head for the water

Verdict: A brilliant product that kept me midge-free. It also helped soothe redness on existing bites. Wear bright coloured clothing, visit when it's very hot or colder, wear long sleeved tops, get up high, take to the water, avoid stopping in long vegetation, try midge repellent spray. WHAT TIME OF DAY ARE MIDGES MOST ACTIVE? Icaridin works similar to DEET, but its adoption is not as widespread. For example, Canada only allowed the use of icaridin in 2012, a long time after the United States and the United Kingdom did.The recommended product to achieve that goal is Smidge which uses a proven formulation that deters midges while also being safe to use, non-greasy, well-priced, and comes in a tough, easy-to-use container.

Using Avon’s “Bug Guard” is a good solution for a (relatively) cheap repellent that also aids your skin. Regular Avon Skin-So-Soft will work too, but only for a fraction of the time, it seems. Though, it’s better than using other items around your house, such as Listerine. Midges are said to enjoy the smell of our natural body odour and sweat which is where using certain scents can come in handy. Dusk and dawn are the most active times for the Highland Midge in midge season. They feed according to light intensity and prefer low-light conditions. Days with lots of cloud cover can, therefore, be some of the worst weather conditions for getting overrun by midges. WHAT ARE THE WORST WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR SCOTTISH MIDGES?Avon Skin-So-Soft comes in many different forms, all with varying levels of reliability when it comes to repelling mosquitoes, but there are 3 types that are touted as being good repellents: bath oil, lotion, and bug guard. Midges are insects with a wingspan of just 1-2mm. They need blood to survive and enjoy feasting on animals and humans.

The midge has a mighty reputation for such a miniscule insect. Weighing just one 8000th of a gram, it has a teeny wingspan of 2-3mm. Midges breed in vast numbers across 25 per cent of Scotland's land mass. Ingredients include lemongrass – of course – as well as bog myrtle, aloe vera, jojoba, neem and mango. It is a wholesome product: handmade, organic, palm oil-free, vegan-friendly and non-toxic. Available in a 30ml travel size. Can also be used to deter mosquitoes and horseflies. Smidge keeps midges, mosquitoes, horseflies and other biting critters at bay for up to 8 hours with just one application and it’s also water-resistant, so if you feel the need to go wild swimming you won’t have to re-apply it. That’s me and my trusty bottle of Smidge at the Fairy Pools on Skye.

Avon Skin So Soft vs Midge

If you don't mind chilly temperatures, take a winter adventure to the Highlands and stay bite-free, well maybe not frostbite-free. Long sleeves are your friends While it is not officially mentioned by Avon that this product, infused with natural oils and citronella aroma offers the best midge protection, it comes highly recommended by the Marines and the SAS. Midges have been around for thousands of years but with climate change, they are increasing their range and extending their season. However, the time of effectiveness varies from study to study. One study showed that Avon Skin-So-Soft worked for 40 minutes, ranking below DEET products 3 while another showed a 5-hour working time. 4 Though it’s unclear if the 40-minute study used Avon’s Bug Guard repellent brand, despite mentioning it in the paper . Also, the 5-hour study used Avon products that contained icaridin, an ingredient found in some lower-tier repellents, at least in Canada . Our immune systems all react differently to midge bites so some people may experience swelling and itching from the biting whilst others might barely notice. DO MIDGES LIKE SOME PEOPLE MORE THAN OTHERS?

Midges are most active during low-light conditions. If you can, stay indoors at these times. If you're a hardcore great outdoors fan and you're camping, slather yourself in plenty of insect repellent before the sun starts going down. Avoid stopping in long vegetation Mozzies are more often found in warm climates and make a distinctive and loud buzzing noise. Scottish midges, on the other hand, are only about 1-3mm, and often grey in colour (unless they've just been guzzling blood, in which case they turn red. Lovely). Avon could have real money-makers on their hands if they opted to use DEET in their Bug Guard brand. However, some people claim that DEET is dangerous to the nervous system, though no study has found this to be true. 5 Sure, bad reactions can happen, but that’s with every product. After a truly mind boggling year it looks as though we're on the right side of this corona madness. And with that our minds inevitably turn to thoughts of our next adventure in the great outdoors. But there's just one thing that can put a bit of a dampener on those seriously epic views found only in the Scottish Highlands. Well, more accurately, a swarm of things. Application/consistency: A lightweight, aluminium cannister with pump spray that dispels a fast-absorbing, water-based lotion.Wet, boggy, sheltered highland areas are the worst possible places for midges in Scotland. Glen Coe, the surroundings of Fort William, Great Glen and Torridon can be very bad. WHEN ARE THE MIDGE FREE MONTHS 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.