Sunscreen and Mosquito Repellent: Which to apply first?

Posted by CitiComm Pte Ltd on

Whenever we head outdoors, we risk being exposed to the harmful UV rays from the Sun and the possibly deadly mosquito and insect bites. So it is definitely necessary for us to apply both sunscreen and mosquito repellent whenever we go outside. But does applying both of them at the same greatly reduce their efficiency? And which should you apply first, sunscreen or insect repellent? Well, read on to find out the answer to all these questions!

Firstly, studies have shown that applying a DEET insect repellent actually lowers the effectiveness of sunscreen by 30-40%. This means that when you use these 2 products together, you will actually need to reapply your sunscreen a lot more often than if you just applied sunscreen. This is because the chemicals in sunscreen and DEET insect repellent will interact and cause the products to reduce in effectiveness.




Now, onto the next question, the answer is that you should actually apply sunscreen first, before applying your insect repellent. This could be because the sunscreen applied over the DEET may interfere with the evaporation of the DEET, thus lowering its ability to repel mosquitoes.

So, for applying sunscreen, you should choose a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Also, look for sunscreen that’s water-resistant, as it will stay on better if you’re sweating a lot on the job or if your skin gets wet. Try to put on sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside so it has time to absorb into your skin and reapply every 2 hours or more often if possible.




Next, for applying insect repellent, you should apply it about 20 minutes after applying sunscreen to give the sunscreen time to soak into your skin, and if you use an insect repellent with DEET, reapply your sunscreen more frequently than usual. Like sunscreen, repellent can wash off faster during heavy sweating or if your skin gets wet, so you will need to reapply it more often as well.



Now, while this article talk about applying DEET based insect repellent with sunscreen, the best option will be to use a DEET free repellent so as to avoid the harmful DEET substance coming into contact with your skin, and will improve the effectiveness of your sunscreen when applied together as well. DEET-free repellents are better for you as DEET may cause you allergic reactions and possibly seizures when ingested, so you should definitely avoid breathing in DEET-based repellents.

Therefore, our Award Winning Mosquito Repellent Spray and Mosquito Repellent Organic Java Citronella Lotion is bound to be the best choice for you! Our repellents are 100% natural, DEET-free and clinically tested to be effective for up to 7 hours!



So don’t hesitate and get yours here now!


Share this post



← Older Post Newer Post →