This Instagram-Famous Mosquito Repellant Is The Real Deal

The first thing anyone says to me when I pull out my bottle of Kinfield's Golden Hour mosquito repellant is, "Is that the bug spray I've seen on Instagram?" The next question is "But does it work?" The answer to both is yes, but sometimes experience is the best teacher. So I always respond by letting pals spritz themselves all over with this magic elixir, which not only fends off blood-sucking critters but, I'm shocked to say, also smells very good. (It's something I'd never thought I'd say about a bug spray.) And, I get the skepticism — products that go hard on my IG ad feed tend to get me feeling suspicious, too. But when it comes to Kinfield's bug-repellant spray, wipes, and relief balms, I can whole-heartedly swear on all the mosquitos in the world that Golden Hour works.

Those who grew up hiking or being outdoors a lot in the summertime are likely familiar with the controversy surrounding DEET, a synthetic chemical found in many bug repellants that masks your scent to bugs. While there is now enough research material that debunks the myth that DEET is harmful to humans, the huge caveat is that DEET-infused products are only effective if used properly — which, when you're smearing a chemical all over the largest organ of your body that's prone to sweating or getting roughed up, there's always room for error. (Essentially, I don't trust myself with it.) Furthermore, the way DEET works is completely sus — when it's applied to your skin, amounts of it are straight-up absorbed and seeped into your bloodstream, staying "in the blood up to 12 hours after it is applied to the skin," according to the National Pesticide Information Center. DEET is said to leave your body through urine within 24 hours of the application once your liver breaks it down. Considering how often bug spray is used during these humid dog days of summer (which, at least for me, can be every day), I personally don't want anything to do with DEET. Kinfield insect repellant products, however, are clean, natural, and rely on key ingredients like citronella sourced from Indonesia as well as lemongrass and vanilla.

To test the Golden Hour spray, I first had to establish a baseline. I truly put my body on the line by stepping out for a park hang without any protection so that I could compare it to a session when I use the spray. Okay, so I didn't last very long — mosquitos have been into my blood my whole life — and my limbs soon began to swell up with engorged bumps everywhere. Luckily, that's when Kinfield's Relief Balm kicked into play. Made to soothe any post-bite itching and inflammation, this balm applies just like a stick of deodorant — just push some of the product up and glide it across wherever you need relief.

Thereafter, I put Golden Hour to the test, initially spraying it on only one half of my body, just to see if there was a noticeable difference between the two sides. I'm pleased to report that even though I only spritzed half the amount of bug spray I'd normally use, the Golden Hour concoction was strong enough to ward the critters off on my non-sprayed side as well. And don't even get me started on how pleasant this stuff smells! I often joke that bug repellants are people repellants, too — they generally have that distinct "mosquito spray" scent that makes me wanna ralph and leaves my skin feeling a little sticky and oily. But Kinfield bug repellant products go on smooth, dry without any residue, and have easy-on-the-nose fragrances — so much so that I didn't feel an urge to scrub it off immediately when I got home later that evening.

Since the beginning of the season, the Golden Hour spray and Relief Balm have become the two products I always have with me in case I'm in need of emergency protection. If carrying a bottle of liquid spray is too cumbersome (or if you're traveling or packing lightly), Kinfield recently released individually-wrapped Golden Hour Wipes, which is the newest product in the brand's lineup. Kinfield also sells a variety of sunscreens, an overnight cream, and a cooling aloe mist (another fave product of mine). For those who are all in on giving Kinfield bug repellant products an official go, consider the Bug Bundle — the Golden Hour spray, wipes, and Relief Balm — as a tour de force set. It's a decent way to save yourself some bucks and bites.