GoKawiilNo one likes the feeling of insect repellent. I have vivid memories of being sprayed down with the stuff as a kid before venturing into the woods in northern Minnesota on family vacations and feeling like chemical warfare was being waged on all of my senses. I was willing to endure it because being covered in mosquito bites is even worse. Wearing repellent can save your life, protecting you against West Nile virus and Lyme disease, just to name a few of the pathogens mosquitoes and ticks can pass on.
“Insect repellents are designed to affect insects’ senses and prevent them from finding humans,” says Sonja Swiger, a professor at Texas A&M University’s Department of Entomology. “The use of these products provides protection to humans that cannot be achieved by anything else.” Essentially, environmental mosquito management programs can’t completely protect you from the bugs. If you’re going to be outside for a long period of time, especially in areas where biting bugs are common, applying repellent is a smart idea.
The good news is that there are way more products with different formulas available now than, say, when I was a kid. Protecting yourself doesn’t have to be a totally miserable experience. Here is everything you need to know about various insect-repelling chemicals, how to choose the right product for your needs, and our top picks for the best insect repellents on the market.
Check out some of our other outdoors-related buying guides like the Best Tents, Best Sunscreens, and Best Day-Hiking Backpacks.
Updated May 2026: We've added new recommendations from Avon, Off!, and Grand Tongo, and we've updated the FAQ, links, and prices.
Table of Contents AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron Best Picaridin Bug Repellents
Best DEET Bug Repellents
Best IR3535 Bug Repellent
Best Oil-of-Lemon-Eucalyptus Bug Repellent
How We Tested What Chemicals Are Used in Insect Repellents? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron There are four widely available topical repelling chemicals that have been approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the CDC, and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which means there’s ample evidence that they’re safe and effective against mosquitoes and ticks. These are DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (also called OLE and p-menthane-3,8-diol, or PMD, its synthetic form). There’s also permethrin, a repellent you can apply to gear like tents and clothing, and it's approved by the EPA and CDC. Citronella oil, cedar oil, geranium oil, lemongrass oil, soybean oil, and peppermint oil lack robust research showing they’re effective repellents for ticks and mosquitoes. Though some folks may find them useful, they aren’t long-lasting or effective in environments with lots of bugs, according to the EWG. Below, you can find the pros and cons of the four aforementioned EPA-approved bug-repelling chemicals that you can apply to your skin. DEET: N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, otherwise known as DEET, is probably the chemical you’ve heard the most about, as it’s been used since 1957 and widely studied as an insect repellent. “It’s the gold standard that all other products are tested against,” Swiger says. It’s one of the most effective options—studies in the EPA’s database show that, at varying concentrations, DEET can ward off ticks for two to 10 hours, and mosquitoes for two to 12 hours. Per an EPA-approved label, a product with 20 percent DEET can prevent bites from mosquitoes for 11 hours. In most instances, 30 percent or less of an active ingredient will be sufficient for protection, Swiger says. Per the EPA, DEET can be used on children without any age restriction. The downsides are that DEET smells awful, is oily, and can damage anything with plastic in it, like synthetic clothing and camping gear. Picaridin: This chemical hasn’t been in use as long as DEET, but it’s been shown to be just as safe and effective, and it has fewer downsides. A product with 20 percent picaridin can give you up to 14 hours of protection against mosquitoes and ticks, per an EPA-approved label. A review from the Journal of Travel Medicine analyzed 11 studies that compared DEET and picaridin, finding that “the studies showed little potential difference between DEET and picaridin applied at the same dosage, with some evidence pointing to a superior persistence for picaridin.” Picaridin won’t ruin fabrics like DEET. IR3535: Ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate, or IR3535, isn’t quite as effective as DEET or picaridin against mosquitoes, but it’s more effective against ticks, per the EWG. Like DEET, it can damage plastics. Oil of lemon eucalyptus: Oil of lemon eucalyptus enhanced with PMD may work as well as DEET against mosquitoes and ticks (at concentrations between 20 to 26 percent), per the EWG. In general, oil of lemon eucalyptus and PMD don’t last as long as DEET and the other options on this list. They won’t damage plastics. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is safe to use on children under three if the concentration is 30 percent or less, per the EPA. Are Insect Repellents Safe? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron To obtain EPA approval, a chemical goes through rigorous testing and evaluation of its efficacy, safety, and potential harm to the environment. But people still have concerns about the active ingredients in these products. Most of that worry revolves around DEET, due to reports of neurotoxicity. According to the EWG, “in very rare cases, DEET has been reported to impair the nervous system, with symptoms including seizures, tremors, and slurred speech—this most often occurs after exposure to high concentrations of the chemical.” This is extremely rare. The EPA has concluded that the rate of adverse reactions occurs on the order of 1 per 100 million persons. Still, that’s really scary. But more research points to DEET’s safety. A report from 2017 found that it’s unlikely that DEET causes neurotoxicity. A 2020 University of Florida study found there was no increased risk of negative health impacts for people who used DEET, and a 2003 report discovered no evidence of an increased risk of adverse toxic effects in kids. Other chemicals on this list, like picaridin, don’t pose the same neurotoxicity concerns as DEET. Ultimately, the repellent you choose comes down to what you feel safe using and your level of concern about bug bites, which can lead to serious health conditions. “These products are continuously evaluated to confirm their safety,” Swiger says. And the benefits of using repellents likely outweigh the risks. “The benefit is preventing biting by mosquitoes or ticks that carry disease-causing pathogens. Without the use of repellents, a person could be bitten by a tick or mosquito carrying a pathogen that can lead to a disease such as West Nile virus, Lyme disease, eastern equine encephalitis, or dengue.” Is a Higher Concentration Better? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron Not necessarily. DEET’s repelling effects, for example, tend to plateau at around 50 percent concentration, per the CDC. Again, a 20 to 30 percent concentration of DEET or picaridin seems sufficient for solid protection. Higher concentrations do have their place, though. “Some mosquitoes are not deterred by the lesser rates,” Swiger says. “Higher rates last longer time periods and work best against large floodwater mosquitoes.” How Should You Use Insect Repellent and Sunscreen Together? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron Swiger recommends applying sunscreen first, then insect repellent, and she says to avoid combo products, per the CDC’s guidelines. Since sunscreen should be applied more often than a repellent, products that include both could result in unnecessary exposure to the repellent chemicals. Are Insect Repellent Sprays, Lotions, or Wipes Better? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron What kind of formula you choose will really come down to personal preference. Sprays are easier to apply over clothes and skin. Lotions tend to feel less greasy and sticky. Wipes are great for travel and for times when you want to pack light, like during backpacking trips.
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