I know there have been numerous threads about making yoru own fly spray, and a lot of them say “Avon Skin So Soft”
What specific Skin So Soft product are you all using? There is bath oil, moisturizing spray, etc.
I want to try making my own, but have no idea WHAT product to buy! LOL! I’ve asked this on fly spray threads, but nobody answered. FIgured I’d try the question out on its own thread!
Thanks!
the bath oil…at least thats what an old trainer used.
Yup, the oil. 
Works quite nicely, but can make them greasy so don’t add too much… and don’t put it under the saddle area! LOL!
Great! Thanks so much!
That’s what I thought, because the spray is only in a small bottle, and i thought “I’m going to go broke buying that!!!”
I’ve never used it as a fly spray, but if you slap a nice greasy streak of it down each side of the bridle path, it is the ONLY thing that will deter deer flies.
Bath oil. I don’t know anyone who actually bathes in it. It all gets put on the horses
What recipes do you guys use that include SSS? I’m not sure exactly what to concoct for a fly spray! LOL!
I have a rotation, I don’t like to do the same thing 2 months in a row. I keep the flies on their toes 
In months when I use the homemmade concoction, I take a gallon container and put in 2 capfulls of SSS, 1 capfull of concentrated citronella, and then the sufficient amount of Pemethrin concentrate to mix up to a gallon-- then fill with water and shake well. The SSS is oily, it seems to help the fly spray “stick.”
I think it was Equus that reported on some studies by a veterinary college some years ago showing SSS didn’t do anything.
I know when SSS first came to be talked about, we also tried to use it and it did diddly squat for any kind of flying insects.
Now, for those that mix it with other, like permethrin, well, that is your answer of why your mix may work.
[QUOTE=Bluey;6525151]
I think it was Equus that reported on some studies by a veterinary college some years ago showing SSS didn’t do anything.
I know when SSS first came to be talked about, we also tried to use it and it did diddly squat for any kind of flying insects.
Now, for those that mix it with other, like permethrin, well, that is your answer of why your mix may work.;)[/QUOTE]
I am not convinced the SSS works as an “active ingredient” but it smells good and covers the smell of the permethrin AND it does make the spray a little oilier and more durable on the horse. Plain on mineral oil might work for the latter use but not the former.
SSS was the only thing that used to deter the huge green-heads and deer flies we used to get when we lived in coastal southern NJ. DH even used it on himself when working on the billboards in the meadows up there. Never found it much good on anything else, so have never used it here in VA as we are not pestered with those here in the mountains.
If you really wanna know if skin so soft work as an insect repellent instead of researching on the net why dont you try it to know if it really works for you. I have used it 20 years now and it works well.
I personally don’t use SSS on my horse, but my farrier swears by it to keep flies off horses while he’s shoeing. My horse always smells like a spa after he’s shod, but it does seem to be effective - at least for the hour and a half of shoeing.
Do be aware that SSS is mainly mineral oil and many horses just don’t tolerate mineral oil on their skin. They may develope skin peeling. This is why so many fly sprays are in a water base as opposed to the old style oil base. I have had several horses who’s skin would peel badly from SSS, MTG, etc.
However, the very same horses seem to have no problems with vegetable oils and soybean oil works well. I’ve made fly sprays with Lemon Eucalyptus oil, Citronella, soybean oil and water.
chicamuxen
[QUOTE=chicamux;6526170]
Do be aware that SSS is mainly mineral oil and many horses just don’t tolerate mineral oil on their skin. They may develope skin peeling. This is why so many fly sprays are in a water base as opposed to the old style oil base. I have had several horses who’s skin would peel badly from SSS, MTG, etc. …[/QUOTE]
I second this! I tried SSS and had disastrous results on my TB’s. Their thin skin just couldn’t take whatever is in the SSS. Lots of skin peeling (and I didn’t notice any bug repelency at all with the SSS - the flies went on their merry little way biting everyone and driving them crazy).
I was really disappointed in the SSS because I loved the smell - wish it would have worked and not caused all the ugly, peeling skin.
Honestly, if SSS is mineral oil, then that + exposure to sun could for sure blister skin. Remember the trick of baby oil for fast tanning?
I put mineral oil in my horses’ ears for the spring gnats, but never use it past mid-May, with the sun a lot hotter on their skin.
I use SSS, but do a 1/3 each of SSS, water, and then vinegar. Some drops, too, of … oh, it will come to me…
My horses are inside in the summer, out at night, so that sched. may head off any blister-y problems.
I’ve used Pyrana (which is oil based) with no adverse results for both horses, so I think SSS will be fine, but will keep a close eye.
I ordered some yesterday. $9.99 for the bath oil
My horses’ reaction to SSS was not sun related - it was sprayed on at dusk/night. The SSS was what caused the skin to blister and peel.
I had disastrous results with oil-based Pyranha but no problem with SSS mixed with 1/3 water and 1/3 vinegar. As someone else said, it’s the only thing that works on greenheads. I buy it at boat stores. If you’ve ever tried to ride a wave runner in a “no wake” zone on the intercoastal, you know it’s the only that keeps you from being eaten alive by greenheads :yes: So do you have greenheads? I’m not convinced it works any better than anything else on other insects.
There’s fragrance in SSS and I suspect that’s very irritating to some sensitive skinned horses.
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