Ranger Ready picaridin insect repellent is made of just five simple ingredients to provide users with the most effective protection from insects:12 hours of protection against mosquitos and ticks, and 8 hours of protection against all other biting insects, like flies, gnats, and chiggers.

Popular DEET insect repellents are made up of upwards of 13 total ingredients, and almost all of those ingredients are irritants, chemicals, and other substances that cause damage to many materials.

It’s important to know what’s in your daily-use insect repellent, so here’s a breakdown of what is in Ranger Ready’s picaridin tick and mosquito repellent.

Picaridin 20% is the leading active ingredient in all Ranger Ready products. Picaridin is a synthetic compound that mimics piperine, which is found in the plants used to create black pepper. The effective concentration is 20%, which provides 12-hours of tick and mosquito protection while remaining safe to skin and clothing.

40% is the effective concentration in DEET bug sprays, which is twice as much as picaridin, meaning twice as many chemicals in a single use. DEET is very different from picaridin as it is a neurotoxin (picaridin is not) and can be damaging to the body’s nervous system; you want as little of it on your body as possible.

The other four ingredients that remain in Ranger Ready Repellents are simple: Water provides a liquid base for the product, and alcohol is used to keep all of the ingredients evenly distributed – this is very common in cosmetic products.

Ranger Ready also contains propylene glycol. This ingredient is recognized by the FDA as generally safe when used as an additive in cosmetics, unless an allergy or sensitivity exists. Propylene glycol is another type of alcohol and it has two main uses: to help the skin retain moisture and to help active ingredients absorb into skin. This ingredient allows Ranger Ready to provide higher levels of efficiency by helping picaridin do its job.

Lastly, Ranger Ready insect repellent contains fragrance, which makes our products smell good and gives wearers a pleasant experience, unlike the caustic and bitter smells typical DEET repellents have. Ranger Ready is available in three premium scents: Ranger Orange, Amber, and Night Sky; as well as Scent Zero, which is an unscented bug spray.

Our goal at Ranger Ready is to encourage people to wear repellent every day, and we know it’s vital to feel good about what you put on your skin, as well as knowing it’s safe. To learn more about picaridin, the safe and effective DEET alternative, read our article The New Standard for Tick and Mosquito Repellent.