If you have stood in the bug-spray aisle reading the backs of three different bottles, you already know the labels do not make this easy. Permethrin, DEET, and picaridin all get called "insect repellents," but they are not interchangeable, and one of them does not even go on your skin. Sort out what each active actually does and the choice gets a lot simpler. This guide compares all three, adds the plant-based active the CDC recognizes (oil of lemon eucalyptus and its refined compound, PMD), and shows how experienced hikers and parents often layer them for a full day outdoors.
The quick answer
Permethrin, DEET, and picaridin do different jobs. Permethrin is applied to clothing and gear, not skin, and it kills mosquitoes and ticks on contact. DEET and picaridin are skin-applied repellents that keep insects from landing and biting. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) and its active compound PMD are the plant-based skin repellent the CDC recognizes alongside DEET and picaridin. The strongest setup for tick country is permethrin on clothing plus a skin repellent on exposed skin. If you want that skin repellent to be plant-based and DEET-free, The Superbloc Bloc Off Spray uses 8% PMD from lemon eucalyptus.
The one distinction that changes everything: skin vs clothing
Most of the confusion around permethrin vs DEET comes from treating them as two versions of the same thing. They are not.
DEET and picaridin are skin repellents. You apply them to exposed skin, and they work by making you hard for a mosquito or tick to detect and land on. They repel; they are not designed to kill.
Permethrin is a contact insecticide for fabric. You treat clothing, socks, shoes, hats, tents, and packs with it, let it dry, and it bonds to the fibers. When a mosquito or tick contacts the treated fabric, permethrin affects the insect directly. It is not meant for skin, and the label is explicit about that. You spray your gear, not yourself.
So "permethrin vs DEET" is not really a head-to-head. It is closer to "the thing you put on your clothes vs the thing you put on your skin." That is why so many guides recommend using both at once rather than picking one. Keep that frame in mind and the rest of the comparison falls into place.
Where OLE and PMD fit: they are also skin repellents, the plant-based lane next to DEET and picaridin. So the real skin-repellent decision is DEET vs picaridin vs OLE/PMD, and permethrin sits in its own clothing lane.
The four actives at a glance
| Active | Goes on | What it does | Mosquitoes | Ticks | Typical duration | Feel and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permethrin | Clothing and gear (not skin) | Kills or disables insects on contact with treated fabric | Yes | Yes, strong on gear | Weeks per treatment; survives several washes | Odorless once dry; never applied to skin |
| DEET | Skin | Repels; insects avoid treated skin | Yes | Yes | Several hours; longer at higher concentrations | Effective and long-studied; some dislike the feel and smell, can affect certain plastics |
| Picaridin | Skin | Repels; insects avoid treated skin | Yes | Yes | Several hours at 20% | Lighter feel, near-odorless, gentler on gear and plastics |
| OLE / PMD | Skin | Repels; plant-based, CDC-recognized | Yes | Yes | Lab-tested 6+ hours for Bloc Off at 8% PMD | Plant-based, DEET-free; the only botanical the CDC recognizes with DEET and picaridin |
A note on fairness: DEET is not the villain some marketing makes it out to be. It is one of the most-studied repellents in the world and it works. The reason many hikers and parents move away from it is preference, the feel on skin, the smell, the way it can soften some plastics, not a claim that it is unsafe when used as directed. This guide is about matching the right active to the right job.
Permethrin: the clothing layer
Permethrin is the one most people underuse, largely because they assume it is another spray-on-skin repellent and get confused by the warnings. Used the way it is meant to be, on fabric, it is arguably the strongest single thing you can do for ticks.
You treat your clothing and gear ahead of time, let it dry fully, and wear it. The treatment lasts through multiple washes, and factory-treated permethrin apparel can last even longer. Because a tick usually has to climb across your shoes, socks, and pant legs before it reaches skin, treated fabric intercepts many of them first. For anyone spending real time in tall grass or leaf litter, that is a meaningful edge.
The catch, and it is the whole point: permethrin is for gear, not you. It does nothing for exposed skin on your arms, neck, face, and hands. That is why permethrin alone is an incomplete plan, and why the next layer matters.
DEET, picaridin, and OLE/PMD: the skin layer
For the skin you cannot cover with treated clothing, you want a skin repellent. Here the CDC recognizes several actives as effective, including DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) and its active compound PMD. All three keep mosquitoes and ticks from settling and biting.
DEET vs picaridin
DEET and picaridin are the two synthetic skin repellents most people compare. Both are effective against mosquitoes and ticks. The practical differences are about feel and materials: DEET is long-established and dependable, while picaridin tends to feel lighter, carries almost no odor, and is gentler on plastics and gear. We go deeper on that trade-off in our picaridin vs DEET comparison, but for most day hikes and backyard evenings either will do the repelling job well.
The plant-based option: OLE and PMD
If you would rather skip synthetics on your skin, oil of lemon eucalyptus is the DEET-free active worth knowing. PMD is the refined compound responsible for its repellent effect, and it is the one plant-based ingredient the CDC lists alongside DEET and picaridin for both mosquitoes and ticks. That recognition is what separates OLE and PMD from the crowd of essential-oil sprays (citronella, peppermint, cedarwood) that smell nice but tend to evaporate quickly and do not carry the same standing for tick protection. If the plant-based route is what you want, this is the one to reach for. Our guide to lemon eucalyptus mosquito repellent covers how it works in more detail.
The Superbloc Bloc Off Spray sits in this lane: 8% PMD from lemon eucalyptus, lab-tested for 6-plus hours of protection, alcohol-free and water-based so it goes on light instead of sharp. It is our formulator's answer to the same question this article asks, which credentialed skin repellent do you actually want to wear all day. For the plane, the day pack, or the stroller bag, the Bloc Off Wipes carry the same active in a no-spill format.
Mosquitoes vs ticks: does the active choice change?
All four actives address both mosquitoes and ticks, but the emphasis shifts with the threat.
For mosquitoes, a good skin repellent is usually the star. DEET, picaridin, or OLE/PMD on exposed skin keeps them from biting through an evening on the patio or a walk at dusk.
For ticks, the clothing layer earns its keep. Ticks tend to crawl upward from the ground across shoes and pant legs, so permethrin-treated fabric intercepts many before they reach skin, and a skin repellent covers what the fabric does not. That is why tick country is where the layered approach pays off most. If ticks are your main concern and you want to stay DEET-free, our best DEET-free tick repellent guide walks through the skin side of that plan.
One honest caveat: no repellent is a treatment, and none should be sold as one. The CDC notes that the longer a tick stays attached, the higher the transmission risk, so a good repellent plus a habit of checking for ticks after you come inside is the practical combination. A repellent lowers how many reach your skin; the tick check catches the rest.
Duration and feel
Duration depends on the active and, for the synthetics, the concentration.
- Permethrin is measured in weeks per treatment and survives several washes, because it lives on fabric rather than skin.
- DEET lasts several hours and generally longer at higher concentrations, which is part of why higher-percentage products exist.
- Picaridin at 20% gives you several hours with a lighter feel and almost no smell.
- OLE / PMD delivers a plant-based option; The Superbloc's 8% PMD formula is lab-tested for 6-plus hours, enough for most of a day outside.
Feel is where personal preference does most of the deciding. Permethrin is odorless once dry and you never feel it on skin because it is on your clothes. Among skin repellents, picaridin and a well-made PMD formula tend to feel lighter than DEET. Alcohol-free, water-based formulas (like Bloc Off) go on softer and are easier on gear than high-alcohol sprays, which matters when the whole family has to wear it before a long day.
How to layer them (the setup most experienced hikers use)
Here is the punchline the aisle never spells out: the strongest plan is not one active, it is two layers.
1. Treat clothing and gear with permethrin ahead of time. Shoes, socks, pants, and hat, plus tent or pack for longer trips. Let it dry fully before wearing. This is your fabric barrier, and it does the heavy lifting for ticks. 2. Apply a skin repellent to exposed skin. Arms, neck, face, hands, anywhere fabric does not cover. Choose DEET, picaridin, or plant-based OLE/PMD based on your preference. If you want DEET-free and credentialed, that is the 8% PMD Bloc Off Spray.
Permethrin on your clothes, a skin repellent on your skin. The two layers cover the two surfaces a mosquito or tick can reach, and that is why guides keep recommending both rather than asking you to pick a winner.
Which insect repellent is best?
There is no single winner, because these actives are not competing for the same job. Permethrin is the best clothing treatment. For skin, DEET, picaridin, and OLE/PMD are all effective, and the "best" one is the one you will actually reapply and wear comfortably all day. If that means plant-based and DEET-free, a credentialed 8% PMD formula gives you real protection without the synthetic feel. The best overall setup, for most people in tick country, is both layers together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use permethrin on my skin instead of DEET? No. Permethrin is formulated for clothing and gear, not skin, and the label says so. It works by contact with treated fabric. For skin, use a skin repellent such as DEET, picaridin, or plant-based OLE/PMD.
Is permethrin or DEET better for ticks? They work best together, not against each other. Permethrin on treated clothing intercepts ticks as they climb your shoes and pant legs, while a skin repellent like DEET, picaridin, or PMD covers exposed skin. The layered approach beats either one alone in tick country.
Is picaridin or permethrin better? It is not an either-or. Picaridin is a skin repellent; permethrin treats fabric. Use picaridin (or another skin repellent) on skin and permethrin on your clothing and gear so both surfaces are covered.
What is the best DEET-free repellent for skin? Oil of lemon eucalyptus, or its active compound PMD, is the plant-based skin repellent the CDC recognizes alongside DEET and picaridin for mosquitoes and ticks. The Superbloc Bloc Off Spray uses 8% PMD, is lab-tested for 6-plus hours, and is alcohol-free and water-based.
Is PMD repellent safe for kids? The Superbloc Bloc Off Spray is made to be safe for children from 6 months, based on our own brand testing. General EPA and CDC guidance advises against oil of lemon eucalyptus and PMD products for children under 3, so always read the label of whatever product you buy. For infants under 6 months, the CDC recommends physical barriers like netting rather than any repellent.
Last updated: 2026-07-06. Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on preventing mosquito and tick bites; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repellent registration information; The Superbloc laboratory testing. By Tanya Lee, Co-Founder of The Superbloc, with Cassidy Huang, Co-Founder and Formulator.