The Best Insect Repellents for Your Skin and Your Wallet

Clark.com Staff | April 21st, 2021

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For many of us who enjoy the great outdoors, an effective bug spray is a must!

All bug sprays aren’t created equal. We’ve compiled a list from Consumer Reports of the best bug sprays to protect your skin … and your budget.

Here Are the 5 Best Bug Sprays

Consumer Reports has tested a variety of bug sprays to determine the most effective. While the test mainly measured how long the spray protected against mosquitoes, it also factored in any damage that the spray caused to other materials.

Bonus: The sprays tested were found to be as effective on ticks as they were on mosquitoes!

Brand	Type	Estimated Price	Consumer Reports Score
Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent Wipes Wipes	Wipes	$6.00	96
Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent Wilderness Formula Pump	Spray	$6.00	95
Total Home (CVS) Woodland Scent Insect Repellent	Spray	$6.50	94
3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent	Spray	$9.50	94
Off Sportsmen Deep Woods Insect Repellent	Spray	$6.00	93

You can see the full results here.

Note: Consumer Reports is one of Clark’s favorite magazines. You may need a membership to access all of the information. To see the full list of Consumer Reports’ rankings, you can visit Consumer Reports online and purchase a digital subscription for $10/month or $39/year.

One of the top-rated results is a Total Home (CVS) brand product — not a name you probably associate with bug sprays.

Once again, more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better!