With the arrival of summer, the mosquitoes also return and risk being happy to come and bite us. That’s why 60 million consumers made a list of the best mosquito repellents available.
The study of 60 million consumers
Whether mosquitoes are dangerous like tigers or not, they are still annoying. Their bites hurt and they scratch us for several days. Although soothing creams exist, it is still better to prevent than to cure. Thus, for its July 2022 issue, the 60 million consumer association looked at several repellents. In all, these are 14 mosquito repellents which have been tested. Among them, eleven with vegetable active ingredients and three called “conventional”.
The mosquito repellent test
For anyone with a phobia of mosquitoes or bites, you better not see these tests. In fact, to assess the effectiveness of the product, you have to try it in “real” conditions. That is to say, the guinea pigs or testers will put their forearm filled with mosquito repellent in a cage. In this cage, there are 200 female mosquitoes, and tiger mosquitoes. This test is therefore quite logically called the “cage test”. All mosquitoes in the cage are of course hungry. So, with this, one can easily assess the potency level of a repellent.
The mosquito repellent if it passed the cage test hands down is good. But that doesn’t prove it’s good for us either. The study of 60 million consumers therefore also took into account the composition of the products. However, for mosquito repellents where all the ingredients are not on the label, it is difficult to know whether they are good or not. The association writes that “impossible to know if conventional repellents are really less good for the environment and health”.
Natural mosquito repellents
During the study, the association realized that all so-called natural mosquito repellents had a common ingredient. In effect, “all products claiming to be natural contain the same active substance”, and they work. The difference also lies in the protection time, because like sunscreen, you have to reapply from time to time. “all products offer protection equivalent or superior to that displayed”. The association reminds to check the age from which the product can be used. For children under six months, the product can only be applied to textiles, never to the baby’s skin.
The best repellents
Here are the Top 5 Best Mosquito Repellents.
-Insect plant active screen, Cooper: with a 16.5/20 the product is at the top of the ranking for its long-lasting effectiveness. But it shares the top spot with the next repellent.
– Tick & mosquito repellent spray, Forclaz: also reaches 16.5. It may be a little less effective than the previous one but also offers long-lasting hold.
-Mosquito roller, Pranarôm: this one is vegetal and gets a nice 15.5. It is easy to apply since it is roll-on. And can last up to 7 hours.
– Marie Rose soothing mosquito repellent: it qualifies in penultimate place with a 14/20. It also allows a protection of 7 hours.
-Botanicals mosquito repellent, As much: It has the last place of the Top 5 with its 12.5. It protects for less than 6 hours and does not protect very well against tiger mosquitoes.
Here is a selection to be able to take advantage of your summer evenings so as not to regret the next day to be stayed out at night.