Kitchn | 8 DEET-Free Bug Sprays for Outdoor Entertaining

Be it cocktail hour on the patio with a few friends or a rowdy backyard clambake with the entire neighborhood, nothing can ruin a food-centric summertime fête like dozens — maybe even hundreds! — of uninvited guests who rudely show up unannounced and proceed to buzz in your ear before digging in … to your exposed flesh.

Given that mosquitoes and other biting insects have long been a scourge of summer hosts and hostesses (and anyone else with a pulse) everywhere, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared and serve up some all-natural protection along with the rest of your offerings. Here are a few DEET-free repellent options to have on hand — and on table — that are effective and don’t smell offensive.

All Natural Bug Spray, $14 at Cold Spring Apothecary: Handcrafted in New York’s Hudson Valley (a region that knows a thing or two about both outdoor entertaining and pesky summertime insects), this pleasant-smelling insect repellent combines soothing witch-hazel with a blend of essential oils sure to keep bite-happy interlopers at bay.