Picaridin vs PMD vs DEET: Which Repellent Ingredient Is Right for You?

TL;DR — key takeaways

• DEET, picaridin (icaridin) and PMD are the three most widely recommended skin-applied repellent actives. Health authorities including the CDC and the US EPA list all three as effective options.
• DEET is the long-standing benchmark with decades of data, but it has a strong smell and can damage plastics, synthetic fabrics and coated lenses.
• Picaridin is a near-odourless synthetic that performs comparably to DEET at similar concentrations and does not attack plastics.
• PMD (para-menthane-3,8-diol) is the plant-derived active that regulators put in the same recommended tier as the synthetics — the only botanically derived option that consistently makes those lists.
• The ingredient matters less than you think. Coverage, concentration and reapplication decide whether you get bitten.

Stand in front of a shelf of insect repellents and you are really choosing between three molecules: DEET, picaridin and PMD. Everything else on the label — the fragrance, the bottle, the marketing — sits on top of one of those actives. This guide compares them on efficacy, feel, safety profile and practical trade-offs, so you can pick the one that fits your skin, your kit and your trip.

The three repellent ingredients at a glance

DEET: the long-standing benchmark

DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) has been in civilian use since 1957 and is the active most efficacy studies are measured against. It works across mosquitoes, ticks, midges and biting flies, and higher concentrations extend duration rather than strength — a 30% product does not repel harder than a 15% one, it simply lasts longer.

The practical downsides are well documented and have nothing to do with scare stories. DEET is a solvent. It softens and clouds plastics, so it can mark watch straps, phone screens, sunglasses lenses, fishing line and waterproof jacket coatings. It has a distinctive chemical smell, it feels oily, and it stings badly if it reaches your eyes or a graze. It also breaks down sunscreen if you layer it incorrectly.

Picaridin (icaridin): the near-odourless synthetic

Picaridin — called icaridin in Europe — was developed in the 1980s and reached wide use in the 2000s. In head-to-head testing it performs comparably to DEET at similar concentrations against mosquitoes and ticks, which is why the EPA lists it alongside DEET as a registered skin-applied active.

Its selling point is cosmetic rather than chemical: it is virtually odourless, feels dry on the skin and does not dissolve plastics. If you are handling optics, camera gear or synthetic technical clothing and you want a synthetic active, picaridin is the pragmatic pick. It is less widely stocked than DEET in some markets, and 20% formulations are needed for the longer protection times.

PMD: the plant-derived active regulators actually recognise

PMD (para-menthane-3,8-diol) is the outlier — a botanically derived molecule that sits in the same recommended tier as the two synthetics. That distinction matters. Most plant oils marketed as repellents (citronella, lavender, peppermint, geranium) evaporate within minutes and are not registered as effective actives. PMD is different: it is stable, it lasts, and it appears on CDC and EPA repellent lists under the heading OLE/PMD.

Where PMD comes from

PMD is most commonly produced from lemon eucalyptus oil (Corymbia citriodora), which is why authorities group it as OLE/PMD. It can also be derived from other sources — the PMD used in incognito® products is obtained from Javanese citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) and supplied under the trade name Citrepel®.

One important clarification: refined PMD is not the same thing as citronella oil or raw lemon eucalyptus oil. Buying a bottle of essential oil will not give you the same result. The active has to be the isolated, standardised molecule at a proper concentration.

So which one should you choose?

There is no universal winner. Match the active to the situation:

• High-risk disease areas (malaria, dengue, yellow fever zones): use a well-established active at adequate concentration, apply it properly, and combine it with a treated bed net and covering clothing. Follow the travel-health advice for your specific destination.
• Ticks in European woodland and grassland: all three actives are recommended against ticks. Pair the repellent with light-coloured clothing, tucked socks and a body check within a few hours.
• You wear glasses, use a camera, or wear technical fabrics: avoid DEET. Picaridin or PMD will not damage the coatings.
• You dislike chemical smells or have reactive skin: PMD or picaridin, both lighter and less aggressive on the skin than DEET.
• You want plant-derived without giving up evidence: PMD is the only botanical active with regulator backing behind it.
• Children: age guidance differs between products and countries. Always follow the label on the specific bottle you buy rather than a general rule of thumb.

What actually decides whether you get bitten

Ingredient choice is roughly the last 20% of the outcome. The first 80% is application:

1. Cover every exposed centimetre. Mosquitoes find the gap. Ankles, the back of the neck, the strip between sock and trouser hem and the backs of the hands are the classic misses.
2. Reapply on schedule. Sweat, swimming, towelling and hot weather all shorten protection time. Follow the reapplication interval on the label rather than waiting until you feel a bite.
3. Sunscreen first, repellent second. Let the sunscreen absorb for a few minutes, then apply repellent over the top.
4. Do not rely on the repellent alone. Long sleeves at dusk, a fan on a terrace, screened windows and a bed net do more work than most people credit.

How incognito® helps

If the plant-derived route is what you are after, our Insect Repellent Spray 100ml is built around PMD (Citrepel®), is DEET-free, vegan and biodegradable, and is recommended against both mosquitoes and ticks. Because there is no DEET in it, it will not cloud your sunglasses or soften your watch strap in your daypack.

For bites that get through anyway — and some always do — Zap-Ease takes the itch out mechanically, with no cream and no chemicals, which is useful when you are travelling with children.

FAQs

Is picaridin better than DEET?
Neither is universally better. At comparable concentrations they perform similarly against mosquitoes and ticks. Picaridin wins on smell and on not damaging plastics; DEET has the longer track record and wider availability.

Is PMD as effective as DEET?
PMD is recognised by the CDC and EPA as an effective registered active alongside DEET and picaridin. Direct comparisons depend on concentration and formulation, so read the protection time stated on each label rather than assuming.

Is PMD the same as citronella oil?
No. PMD is a refined, standardised molecule with a stable protection time. Raw citronella or lemon eucalyptus essential oil evaporates quickly and does not deliver comparable protection.

Can I use repellent and sunscreen together?
Yes. Apply sunscreen first, let it absorb, then apply the repellent over it. Do not use combined SPF-plus-repellent products where you would need to reapply the sunscreen far more often than the repellent.

Which repellent ingredient is safe for children?
Age guidance varies by product, concentration and country. Check the label on the specific product — that is the only guidance that applies to what is actually in your hand.

Does a higher percentage mean stronger protection?
No — it mainly means longer protection. A higher concentration extends the time before you need to reapply, it does not repel insects more forcefully.

Sources

• US EPA — Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients
• US EPA — Find the Repellent that is Right for You
• CDC — Preventing Mosquito Bites
• ECDC — Protective measures against mosquitoes
• NHS — Insect bites and stings
• Maia & Moore (2011), Malaria Journal — Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing

This article is general information, not medical advice. Always follow the instructions on your repellent label, and speak to a pharmacist, doctor or travel-health clinic about protection for a specific destination, pregnancy or a young child.

Written by the incognito® team.