3M
3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent
Lotion · EPA-registered repellent (Reg. #58007-1)
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Pros
- Long protection from less DEET: a controlled-release lotion that stretches 34% DEET to 6 to 7 hours, the trick the military version is known for.
- Lotion format rubs in and stays put, less greasy and drifty than an aerosol at this strength.
Cons
- It's still real DEET, so wash it off at day's end and keep it clear of sunglasses and synthetic fabrics.
The full review
This military-derived lotion lands firmly in our recommended, maximum protection tier, built on 34.34% DEET in 3M's controlled-release polymer. The evidence behind DEET is about as settled as repellent science gets, the skin safety reads clean apart from a minor aquatic-toxicity note, and all 6 audited marketing claims hold up. Our model puts complete protection at 6 to 7 hours for mosquitoes and 3 to 5 for ticks, so the label's 'up to 12 hours' counts reduced biting rather than bite-free time; the polymer's real payoff is durability against sweat. The one thing keeping it from the very top is a transparency gap, since 3M discloses the active and its strength but never accounts for the inert ingredients. Worth remembering this is real DEET, so wash it off at day's end and keep it clear of plastics and synthetics.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%94Mosquitoes: 6–7 h of complete protection. Ticks: 3–5 h of complete protection. Protection times are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format (see methodology). Scored on a saturating curve (each added hour counts less than the last), 65% mosquito / 35% tick, with reasonable confidence.
Mosquitoes: 6–7 h of complete protection. Ticks: 3–5 h of complete protection. Protection times are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format (see methodology). Scored on a saturating curve (each added hour counts less than the last), 65% mosquito / 35% tick, with reasonable confidence.
Evidence & honest claims25%97DEET is backed by definitive published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 85). Of 6 marketing claims audited: 4 strong, 2 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
DEET is backed by definitive published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 85). Of 6 marketing claims audited: 4 strong, 2 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
Safety15%96From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: no notable sensitization risk; low irritation; moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: no notable sensitization risk; low irritation; moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
Transparency15%75This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
Every pillar is scored from published rules. Read how we score.
How long it protects
Complete protection ends when the first bite gets through; partial protection keeps reducing bites as repellency decays. EPA label times are verified; the rest are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format.
Mosquito estimate basis (moderate confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a spray-style formulation, matching this lotion (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~12 h as repellency decays.
Tick estimate basis (moderate confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a spray-style formulation, matching this lotion (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~9 h as repellency decays.
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
Only active ingredients are disclosed. The full ingredient list (inerts/carriers) is not published, so this may not be the complete formula.
- DEETActive
Active repellent · 34.34%
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Repels mosquitoes that may carry West Nile, Zika, Chikungunya, Dengue, and deer ticks (Lyme)”
EfficacyStrong2017 Zika amendment
“Repels mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, chiggers, gnats, fleas, and deer flies”
EfficacyStrongEPA master label 58007-1
“Resists rain, sweat, and water splashes (time-release polymer formula)”
OtherModerate3M's controlled-release polymer technology claim; formulation originally developed for the U.S. military.
“Also repels ticks, biting flies, chiggers, gnats, and fleas”
EfficacyStrongHigh-concentration DEET is well supported against these pests; label/marketing claim. No EPA-listed tick protection time for this registration.
“Up to 12 hours of time-release protection against mosquitoes”
DurationModerateRe-evaluated against our corrected complete-protection estimate (~8 h): the claimed 12 h is 1.5× our estimate, so this duration claim is optimistic but plausible (a label maximum).
“DEET 34.34%”
EfficacyStrongActive ingredient concentration confirmed on the EPA-accepted label and in the EPA registration database.
How to apply it
Squeeze into hand and spread evenly in a thin layer over all exposed skin; use just enough to cover and avoid heavy application. For face and neck, apply to your palm first and rub on, avoiding eyes and mouth and applying sparingly around ears. Do not apply over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin, and do not use under clothing. Do not allow children to handle the product or apply it to children's hands; apply to your own hands first, then put it on the child. After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water and wash treated clothing before wearing again.