Ingredients by brand
What's in Cutter repellents?
The 10 Cutter products we've scored use 6 different active ingredients: DEET, Phenothrin, IR3535, and Picaridin, plus 2 more.
By the Notch Wellness team · Updated July 24, 2026 · Reviewed against our scoring methodology
We make Notch, so we're not a neutral third party. Ingredients and concentrations come from each product's label; scores come from our published methodology.
Active ingredients in Cutter products
DEET 7%–40%
In 5 of 10 products
The most widely used synthetic active ingredient in insect repellents. Effective against mosquitoes, ticks, and many biting flies.
Phenothrin 0.15%–0.2%
In 2 of 10 products
EPA Substance Registry Services (SRS) listed active ingredient for pesticide products.
IR3535 20%
In 1 of 10 products
Chemical name ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate, or EBAAP. A synthetic repellent derived from the amino acid beta-alanine, in wide European use since the 1980s and valued for how gentle it is on skin.
Picaridin 15%
In 1 of 10 products
Synthetic repellent modeled after piperidine compounds in black pepper. Odorless and non-greasy compared to DEET.
Tetramethrin 0.2%
In 1 of 10 products
EPA Substance Registry Services (SRS) listed active ingredient for pesticide products.
In 1 of 10 products
Botanical repellent derived from Corymbia citriodora. PMD (p-menthane-3,8-diol) is the primary active component in many products.
Every Cutterproduct we've scored
Open a product for its full ingredient list, protection time and review.
| Product | Active ingredient | Mosquito protection | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutter All Family Insect RepellentSpray | IR3535 20% | 4–8 h | 94 |
| Cutter All Family Mosquito WipesWipe | DEET 7.15% | 0.8–2 h | 70 |
| Cutter Backwoods High DEET Insect RepellentSpray | DEET 40% | 6–7 h | 94 |
| Cutter Backwoods Tick Defense Insect RepellentSpray | Picaridin 15% | 5–7 h | 93 |
| Cutter Backyard Bug Control Outdoor FoggerFogger | Tetramethrin 0.20%, Phenothrin 0.20% | — | 43 |
| Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus Insect RepellentSpray | Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus 30% | 4–6 h | 85 |
| Cutter Propane Insect FoggerFogger | Phenothrin 0.15% | — | 52 |
| Cutter Skinsations Insect RepellentSpray | DEET 7% | 1–2 h | 72 |
| Cutter Sport Insect RepellentSpray | DEET 15% | 3–4 h | 90 |
| Cutter Unscented Dry Insect RepellentSpray | DEET 10% | 3–4 h | 84 |