Pestly Is a Better Essential Oil Bug Repellent (But We Still Don't Recommend It)

New York Times

5 days ago

There is no question that Pestly represents a significant step forward for essential oil repellents. But does it go far enough to replace a picaridin- or DEET-based spray? We asked repellency researcher Laurence Zwiebel, a professor of biological science and pharmacology at Vanderbilt University, and he told us that, even with Pestly's advancements in mind, essential oil repellents 'to me, have not shown the level of robust, prolonged, durable repellency, full stop.'
Another significant difference holding this newcomer back: Although Pestly has shown decent repellency against mosquitoes, it makes no claims against ticks. Considering the prevalence of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, we believe that this is a serious issue, and one we can't ignore. Both picaridin and DEET have proven repellency against those harmful little bugs.
'What I tell people is, if you want to go for a walk in the woods, you should bring some serious stuff,' Zwiebel told us when we asked him to share his general advice on using repellents. 'If you wanna just sit on your back deck, I would not put anything on and just stick a big-ass fan on the deck to blow at you, and you'll be more comfortable, and you won't have any insects bothering you.'
If you don't like the idea of spraying picaridin or DEET on your skin, he suggests spraying it just on your clothing. He also likes permethrin-treated clothing: 'A barrier is always a better thing than a chemical, and a barrier treated with a chemical is the best,' he explained.
When you talk to an expert like Zwiebel, or the many other researchers we've spoken to over our several years of reporting on this topic, you get the impression that taking any unnecessary risk, while knowing what is at stake, doesn't make sense. That's especially true considering that more effective repellents, like those containing picaridin and DEET, are so readily available.
So although we appreciate what Pestly is doing and admire its willingness to set a new standard for essential oil repellents, we stand by our recommendation to use a repellent with a 20% concentration of picaridin or a 25% concentration of DEET. It will provide all-day protection against mosquitoes and ticks.
But still, Pestly has provided a glimmer of hope for folks seeking an alternative, and it represents a solid step forward toward a repellent that we might someday recommend for general use.
This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Harry Sawyers. We don't recommend using any essential-oil bug repellents. There's no way to know what kind of protection you're getting (if any) or how long it will last.
Our repellent recommendations are EPA approved, backed by experts, and tested by us.
Bug zappers kill the wrong bugs—to control bugs without a spray repellent, use a spatial repellent or a fan instead.
These products create a bug-free barrier, and the best ones are long-lasting, effective, and easy to refill or recharge.