Hubby's right.....Avon Skin So Soft works for us. I like the stuff in the towelette form. No mess and you can take it with you just in case plus........no Deet!! Leave the beach with the sand fleas/no-seeums come out. They are worse than skeeters.

I have a question about Avon's SSS. Does it have to be the original formula? SSS makes a pink and I think a yellow (different scents). I bought the original scent lotion and body wash, but I have always thought it STINKS! I also bought the SSS sunscreen/bug guard. Has anyone here tried it? thanks

On my last visit I had a friend that wanted me to bring a product called "After Bite" with me, for her. I have never heard of it before, but she swears by it, (for all those no-seeum bites) and she couldn't find it on island. When I went to purchase it, the pharmacist said it was the "best". I don't know - I have never used it, but it might be something to add to your list.

Get the bath oil version of Skin So Soft--it comes in a clearish bottle with blue labeling. Just get that and lather it on after a shower before you go out for the day. It won't do anything for mosquitoes but will keep sand fleas away. My job entails me working all night long on the beach where the bugs are about 500 times worse than the day. I religiously wear SSS and OFF bug spray and the combination really works. SSS is really the only product I know of that keeps sand fleas away. I think it makes them slip off your skin and not be able to get a good grip with their nasty little mouths 🙂

We got the Avon Skin So Soft sunblock and bug repellent in one. It was in a white bottle with orange and teal writing. I didn't have any sunburns or bug bites! And it smelled so good. You know how a smell will bring you back somewhere? The smell of this product totally brings me back to STT/STJ!! 🙂 I'll go into my bathroom cabinet and open it up and smell the lotion just to remind me. 🙂

Thanks Gari-Ann, that's the product I was talking about. I bought some last fall when it went on sale (hope its till effective) and wondered if anyone had tried it. So it smells better than the original scent SSS? I also bought some Avon spray on bug repellant (no sunscreen). AND, Avon also had some bug repellant wipes that I also purchased. I need to start getting all this stuff out and see just what I have! 40 more days! wahooo!

My sister looked like she had chicken pox after only 2 days on STJ again this year- One of the locals said to use a cloth soaked in GIN and rub it on your skin- She didn't get any bites once she started doing this- Our running joke by the end of the 16 days was " time for your GIN bath"- We even used the cheap stuff and it worked!!!

I'd rather smell like gin than that stinkin' skin so soft, but I'll make sure I have it all! 🙂

Just returned from STT and WI on Tuesday. We were not aware of the bug problem until after we arrived on the island. It was horrible. We bought Cutter with Deet (30% I think). It did work. We had no access to the AVON Lady so we were unable to try the SSS option. As to the After Bite, we bought it at Pueblo at Sub Base. It worked great.
Have fun. Wish we were back. It was 11 degrees in Northeast Ohio last evening!!!

Are the bugs bad all year? We are heading to St. Thomas in July and just want to make sure that we will need the bug spray.

Thanks,
Beer_hunter

The gin really does work!
Another suggestion which I've been using since moving here in Sept. is to take a B-12 vitamin every day - something in that particular vitamin which helps stave off the little critters. Can't remember exactly how, but have been bite-free for the past 6 months.
Good luck!

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I thought it was B-1 not 12 you were supposed to take.

Cherokee: We just got back yesterday - stayed on St Thomas and visited St John as well. Went to 6 beaches and the four of us never got one bite. I thought I felt one at Trunk Bay but there was never a welt or itching afterwards. We live in the mountains and camp alot in Tennessee, and I normally get eaten alive as does my teen son. However, we were not bothered at all on this trip - don't know if it had something to do with the time of year or what. I had taken towlettes but never even opened them, and we don't take B12. Must just be that all our prayers for travelling safety were heard and answered! Hope you are blessed with that, too!

Thanks too all for all the info on bug protection...The kids said they would put up with any bites that might happen because the island seems like it will be alot of fun......
THey do have a question about shells... If they find one on the shore will they beable to bring it back home with them? or is there some law that says they cant.. anyone have a link for the laws/customs on the island ?
thank you

LOL Ok I give up .. I tried adding a count down to this about 5 times and for what ever reason I cant seem to get it....
Soo we have 2 months 4 weeks and one day!!!!!! 😛

You are not allowed to remove shells from National Park beaches. If they come across any in your luggage, they will confiscate them but in reality a few will not raise any eyebrows.

SSS Avon link:

http://shop.avon.com/shop/product_list.asp?level1_id=300&level2_id=303&pdept_id=344&dept_id=421&cat_type=B

40 more days! wahooo!

Braggart. 😉

I don't remember what the other SSS smells like, but I love this smell of this. It smells like a fruity coconut drink. 😀

I've heard about the gin too!

we live in south carolina and have found that bounce dryer sheets work really well for no-see- ums. all you do is either rub it on your legs or arms etc. ,you can also just put them like inside your sleeves, hat socks, trust me they really work.

I've heard that as well!