Best Bug Sprays for 2024 [CNET]

Our Experts

If you’re planning your next outdoor adventure, whether you’re heading to your favorite camping spot or gathering the gang for a barbecue, you need to grab the best bug spray available. Outdoor activities are a ton of fun but you need to plan for all the possibilities, including bug bites. From ticks to mosquitos to chiggers and more, you don’t want any of them on you, especially not biting insects. A proven insect-repellent spray is a must when going to a heavily bug-infested area. We tested more than 20 bug repellents in South Florida and here are our top picks of the most effective repellents out there.

Picaridin is a synthetic compound derived from piperine, a chemical compound found in the family of plants that produce black pepper. It’s not as odorous as DEET, and according to some research, picaridin is equally as effective at repelling bugs as DEET. 

The Proven picaridin pump spray is the only one I found to be truly odorless during my testing. I probably would have looked crazy to bystanders if they saw me smelling my skin and clothes to catch a whiff of this stuff.

For a pump spray, it doesn’t have a bad texture — plus, it goes on pretty light and I only had to rub it in a tiny bit. It absorbed quickly. Of all the bug sprays I’ve used in my life, this was my first time trying Proven, and I’ll likely buy it in the future. 

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If you prefer to avoid aerosol sprays, Proven makes a great picaridin-based pump spray insect repellent. Picaridin is a synthetic compound derived from piperine, a chemical compound found in the family of plants that produce black pepper. It’s not as odorous as DEET, and according to some research, picaridin is equally as effective at repelling bugs as DEET. 

The Proven picaridin pump spray is the only one I found to be truly odorless during my testing. I probably would have looked crazy to bystanders if they saw me smelling my skin and clothes to catch a whiff of this stuff.

For a pump spray, it doesn’t have a bad texture — plus, it goes on pretty light and I only had to rub it in a tiny bit. It absorbed quickly. Of all the bug sprays I’ve used in my life, this was my first time trying Proven, and I’ll likely buy it in the future. 

CDC and EPA recognize lemon eucalyptus oil as an effective insect repellent. The Natrapel bottle does say it offers up to six hours of protection versus the typical eight to 12 in DEET and picaridin products. 

Anyway, if you don’t mind applying more often, Natrapel’s aerosol or pump spray is a good option. Despite the fact that the active ingredient is an oil, this bug spray doesn’t feel as oily as you might expect. It is slightly tougher to rub in compared to DEET and picaridin sprays, but it’s not bad overall. Both types of bottles are easy to spray. Plus, the smell is nice (if you like lemon eucalyptus). 

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For those who want to avoid chemicals altogether, a lemon eucalyptus insect repellent is a gentler way to stave off bugs and their bites. I tried a few different lemon eucalyptus bug sprays, and Natrapel came out on top. 

Free of the two chemicals proven to repel insects, it’s natural to think this bug spray isn’t as effective as its DEET- or picaridin-containing counterparts. The CDC and EPA recognize lemon eucalyptus oil as an effective insect repellent. The Natrapel bottle does say it offers up to six hours of protection versus the typical eight to 12 in DEET and picaridin products. 

Anyway, if you don’t mind applying more often, Natrapel’s aerosol or pump spray is a good option. Despite the fact that the active ingredient is an oil, this bug spray doesn’t feel as oily as you might expect. It is slightly tougher to rub in compared to DEET and picaridin sprays, but it’s not bad overall. Both types of bottles are easy to spray. Plus, the smell is nice (if you like lemon eucalyptus).