All the Buzz: 7 DEET-Free Insect Repellents that Are Safer for Your Family

Summer vacation has been a blast but I could really do without the mosquitoes! August is particularly itchy here in the northeast and we haven't been fairing well this year at all. Tiger mosquitoes? Whaaa?! I take solace in knowing the season is winding down for us. Part of my personal mosquito problem is that I never knew which insect repellents were "safe" to use, especially for my children. When I saw "DEET-free" popping up on labels, I assumed DEET was bad and should be avoided. I decided to research the subject should you be wondering the same. Insect protection is legitimately complicated, much like sun protection. The problem simply is that chemicals, such as DEET, are the most effective and long-lasting way to repel insects. While the EPA, The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health, and the CDC have all concluded that products containing some level of DEET are safe when used correctly for brief periods of time, no definitive studies exist about what concentration of DEET is safe for children or what the long term consequences of exposure are. In an effort to guide you in your search for the right insect repellent for your family, I've rounded up 7 affordable DEET-free insect repellents with proven ingredients at recommended levels, to help limit your exposure to potentially toxic chemicals for use in areas with low risk of disease-carrying insects. - By Jill Seiman

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