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Wired

Here's everything you need to know about the best insect repellents on the market

Wired
Summary
Nutrition label

51% Informative

DEET , picaridin, IR3535 , and oil or lemon eucalyptus (also called OLE and p-menthane-3,8-diol, or PMD ) are four widely available insect repelling chemicals approved by the EPA , CDC , and the Environmental Working Group .

Per an EPA -approved label, a product with 20 percent DEET can prevent bites from mosquitos for 11 hours .

A review from the Journal of Travel Medicine analyzed 11 studies that compared DEET and picaridin .

Oil of lemon eucalyptus enhanced with para-menthane-3,8-diol ( PMD ) may work as well as DEET against mosquitoes and ticks.

IR3535: Ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate isn’t quite as effective.

The only way to know if a repellent will work for you is to try it on yourself in your environment.

A product that works well for you at home might not do it against different insects on vacation.

Best picaridin spray is easy to apply and doesn't pool on your skin.

Best DEET spray is even, but the lack of a locking lid makes me wary to pack it for a hike.