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Bug Spray and Sunscreen: Which Goes On First, How Long to Wait, and Why Not a Combo

By Andrew Rothaus, Founder ·

Short answer: Sunscreen first, then repellent, as two separate products, and let the sunscreen dry before the repellent goes on. That is the CDC's guidance and the American Academy of Pediatrics'. A human urinary study that tested the order recommends a 15 minute gap. Then reapply each on its own schedule, and skip the combination products.

A tube of SPF sunscreen on a beach towel beside sunglasses and a phone

Which goes on first, sunscreen or bug spray?

Sunscreen first, then bug spray. The CDC's mosquito bite prevention page puts it in one line: if you are using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second. The CDC Yellow Book tells travelers the same thing: in general, use separate products, apply sunscreen first, and then apply the repellent. The American Academy of Pediatrics gives the identical order: if using a separate sunscreen product, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

The National Pesticide Information Center, NPIC, reports the CDC's advice with one extra step. If you decide to use both, NPIC says, the CDC recommends applying sunscreen first, letting it dry, and then applying an insect repellent over the sunscreen. The drying step is the one that gets left out.

A 2015 human urinary study by Yiin and colleagues explains why the order matters. The results suggested that applying oxybenzone sunscreen over DEET on the skin led to significantly higher absorption of DEET. Using both products in the reverse order, sunscreen and then repellent, did not result in significantly more DEET absorption. Their recommendation: should concurrent use of both be necessary, apply sunscreen first and then insect repellent, with a 15 minute interval.

How long should you wait between the two?

Fifteen minutes is the interval the study recommends. The 2015 human urinary study's recommendation is sunscreen first and then insect repellent with a 15 minute interval, should concurrent use of both be necessary. NPIC's report of the CDC advice is less exact but points the same way: sunscreen first, let it dry, then repellent.

That number also fits the sunscreen side of the routine. The American Academy of Dermatology says to apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes before going outdoors. So: sunscreen on dry skin, 15 minutes, repellent, out the door. Do not stack them wet.

Do sunscreen and bug spray cancel each other out?

Not evenly. The repellent keeps working; the sunscreen loses some of its rating. On the repellent side, the CDC Yellow Book reports no reduction in repellent activity when a repellent is used with sunscreen. A 2000 study by Murphy and colleagues found that insect repellent had the same efficacy even when sunscreen was applied with it; in the formulations tested, sunscreen did not reduce the efficacy of insect repellent.

The sunscreen is the one that suffers. The Yellow Book says limited data show that DEET-containing insect repellents applied over sunscreen decrease the sun protection factor of the sunscreen by one-third. The same 2000 study's abstract describes a previous study that demonstrated a 33.3 percent decrease in sun protection factor when insect repellent and sunscreen were applied sequentially to the skin. The FDA's 2007 request for information reports the same effect, citing a study indicating that separate application of sunscreen followed by DEET resulted in a decrease in SPF after application of the insect repellent.

The practical consequence, in the Yellow Book's words: because SPF decreases when a DEET-containing insect repellent is used, travelers might need to reapply sunscreen more frequently. Our insect repellent for hiking guide walks the trailhead routine in that order, sunscreen first.

Why is there no good sunscreen and bug spray combo?

Because the two ingredients want opposite reapplication schedules, and one product cannot follow both. When the FDA looked at these products in a 2007 request for information, published in the Federal Register, it described the conflict in its own words. A repellent label's reapplication time relates to the effectiveness of the insect repellent portion of the product and not to the sunscreen protection. The directions for sunscreen products, which encourage frequent reapplication, relate to the effectiveness of the sunscreen component of the product and not to the insect repellent component.

The same FDA record quotes the EPA's DEET reregistration decision: the agency was concerned about consumer use of products that combine sunscreen and DEET, since directions to reapply sunscreens generously and frequently may promote greater use of DEET than needed for pesticidal efficacy, and thus pose unnecessary exposure to DEET. The FDA also reported that both studies it had on combined products demonstrated increased absorption of DEET and of different sunscreens when the components were combined. That document is a request for information, not a rule.

The health bodies are blunter. The CDC Yellow Book says travelers should avoid products that combine sunscreen with repellents, because sunscreen might need to be reapplied more often and in larger amounts than what is needed for the repellent component to provide protection from biting insects. NPIC reports that the CDC does not recommend products that have both sunscreen and an insect repellent, and gives the reason plainly: many repellents work for many hours, sunscreen may need to be used more often than a repellent, so combined products may not be used as often as they should be for sun protection.

The American Academy of Dermatology says sunscreen with insect repellent is not a product the AAD recommends, and tells people to purchase and apply each product separately, since sunscreens need to be applied generously and often while insect repellent should be used sparingly and much less frequently. The American Academy of Pediatrics tells families to avoid products that combine repellents with sunscreen, and its HealthyChildren.org site warns that applying such a product may expose your child to too much insect repellent.

Does it matter whether the repellent is a lotion or a spray?

In the study that measured it, yes, by a wide margin, with two caveats attached: the study was in vitro, and the repellent was DEET. Gu and colleagues, in a 2005 in vitro study, tested five commercially available products: a repellent spray, a repellent lotion, a sunscreen lotion, and two combined repellent and sunscreen lotions. Penetration of DEET from the repellent spray increased by 1640 percent, and from the repellent lotion by 282 percent, when the sunscreen lotion was applied concurrently.

Those numbers do not tell you what happens on a person's arm, because the test was in vitro, and nothing about picaridin, because the products contained DEET. What they do show is that the form of the repellent changed the size of the effect under the same sunscreen in the same test.

NPIC states the general point without numbers. Mixing an insect repellent with sunscreen can affect how your skin absorbs both products, and using both can increase repellent absorption through skin.

What about picaridin and sunscreen?

In the studies below, picaridin is the repellent and oxybenzone is the sunscreen, and nothing in this piece measures sun protection from picaridin.

The picaridin evidence is about skin absorption, from two places. The first is a 2010 in vitro study by Chen and colleagues, run across human epidermis, which found that transdermal permeation of picaridin was significantly lower than that of DEET, both alone and in combination with oxybenzone. Concurrent use of picaridin and oxybenzone resulted in either no changes or suppression of transdermal permeation of picaridin and oxybenzone, which the authors note was different from concurrent use of DEET and oxybenzone, where a synergistic permeation enhancement was observed. The authors concluded from their comparative study that picaridin would be a better candidate for concurrent use with sunscreen preparations in terms of minimizing percutaneous permeation of the chemicals.

The second is a 2016 dermatology review by Rodriguez and Maibach, which states that picaridin used simultaneously with sunscreen may decrease percutaneous absorption of both compounds, while combined use of DEET and sunscreen results in significantly higher absorption of both compounds.

Those are absorption results reported by one in vitro study and one review, not a claim about any product. On the SPF question, the picaridin file is empty: we could not find a published test of a picaridin repellent's effect on SPF, so the one-third figure above stays a DEET figure. Our picaridin vs DEET comparison has the fuller picture.

How do you use sunscreen and repellent on kids?

Same order, separate products, and a lighter hand with the repellent. The American Academy of Pediatrics tells clinicians to advise families to avoid products that combine repellents with sunscreen and, if using a separate sunscreen product, to apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second. It also says to use just enough repellent to cover clothing and exposed skin, because using more does not make the repellent more effective.

The AAP's HealthyChildren.org site spells out the combo problem for parents. Its sunscreen interval is every 2 hours while in the sun, and after swimming or sweating; applying a combination product on that schedule may expose your child to too much insect repellent. For ages, amounts and the rest of the routine for children, see our mosquito repellent for kids guide.

How often should you reapply each one?

Sunscreen gets reapplied often. Repellent does not. The FDA says to reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, and more often if you are sweating or swimming. The American Academy of Dermatology says the same: when outdoors, reapply sunscreen approximately every two hours, or after swimming or sweating, according to the directions on the bottle.

Repellent runs on the label, not the clock. The CDC Yellow Book's rule is that regardless of the product used, if you start getting bitten, reapply, but not more often than the label allows. The EPA's guidance is to apply and reapply according to the label instructions; its exact words: "Don't overuse the products, but be sure to apply the amount of repellent indicated by the label." The Yellow Book adds that heavy application and saturation are generally unnecessary for effectiveness; use just enough to cover exposed skin or clothing. And the EPA says never to use repellents over cuts, wounds or irritated skin.

Reapplying repellent every time the sunscreen goes back on is how people end up past the label. Our how long does picaridin last piece covers the duration side.

None of this is medical advice. If you are choosing repellent and sunscreen for a baby, or you have a skin condition, ask a pediatrician or clinician what to use.

Common questions

Can you put sunscreen on after bug spray?

You can, but the order has been tested and it loses. A 2015 human urinary study reported results suggesting that applying oxybenzone sunscreen over DEET led to significantly higher absorption of DEET, while the reverse order did not add significant extra absorption. NPIC reports the CDC's order: sunscreen first, let it dry, then repellent over it. Do it that way round next time.

Is there a sunscreen and bug spray combo?

Such products exist, but the CDC Yellow Book says travelers should avoid products that combine sunscreen with repellents, and the American Academy of Dermatology says sunscreen with insect repellent is not a product it recommends. The FDA's 2007 request for information named the reason: a repellent's reapplication time relates to the repellent portion of the product, not to the sunscreen protection.

Do sunscreen and bug spray cancel each other out?

Not evenly. The CDC Yellow Book reports no reduction in repellent activity when repellent is used with sunscreen, but says limited data show DEET-containing repellents applied over sunscreen decrease the sunscreen's SPF by one-third. The repellent keeps working; the sunscreen needs reapplying more often. That figure is a DEET figure; we found no picaridin SPF test.

Is picaridin a sunscreen?

In the picaridin studies this piece cites, picaridin is the repellent and oxybenzone is the sunscreen, and nothing here measures sun protection from picaridin. The research on picaridin and sunscreen is about skin absorption: a 2010 in vitro human epidermis study found picaridin permeation significantly lower than DEET's, alone and with oxybenzone, and concurrent picaridin and oxybenzone use gave no change or suppression of permeation. Those are reported study results, not a product claim.

Can I apply repellent directly on top of sunscreen?

Yes, once the sunscreen has dried. NPIC reports that the CDC recommends applying sunscreen first, letting it dry, and then applying an insect repellent over the sunscreen. The 2015 human urinary study that tested the order recommends a 15 minute interval between sunscreen and repellent. Sunscreen on dry skin, 15 minutes, then repellent.

About Longsleeve

Longsleeve is an EPA-registered picaridin lotion (EPA Reg. No. 101457-1). It repels mosquitoes and ticks for up to 14 hours. Its label directions say to apply evenly to skin in a thin layer, no more than two applications a day, and not to apply to excessively sunburned skin, which is why it cannot ride a sunscreen's two-hour schedule.

Sources

  1. CDC, Preventing Mosquito Bites. https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/index.html
  2. CDC Yellow Book, Mosquitoes, Ticks and Other Arthropods. https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/environmental-hazards-risks/mosquitoes-ticks-and-other-arthropods.html
  3. National Pesticide Information Center, Insect Repellents. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/repellents.html
  4. American Academy of Pediatrics, Insect Repellents. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/environmental-health/promoting-healthy-environments-for-children/insect-repellents/
  5. Yiin LM, Tian JN, Hung CC, Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2015;22(9):7062-70 (PubMed abstract). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25491253/
  6. American Academy of Dermatology, Sunscreen FAQs. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen-patients/sunscreen-faqs
  7. Murphy ME, Montemarano AD, Debboun M, Gupta R, J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43(2 Pt 1):219-22 (PubMed abstract). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10906641/
  8. FDA, Insect Repellent-Sunscreen Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use, Request for Information, Federal Register 72 FR 7941, February 22, 2007. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2007/02/22/E7-2890/insect-repellent-sunscreen-drug-products-for-over-the-counter-human-use-request-for-information-and
  9. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, Insect Repellents. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Insect-Repellents.aspx
  10. Gu X, Wang T, Collins DM, Kasichayanula S, Burczynski FJ, Br J Dermatol 2005;152(6):1263-7 (PubMed abstract). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15948991/
  11. Chen T, Burczynski FJ, Miller DW, Gu X, Pharmazie 2010;65(11):835-9 (PubMed abstract). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21155391/
  12. Rodriguez J, Maibach HI, J Dermatolog Treat 2016;27(1):11-8 (PubMed abstract). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26811157/
  13. FDA, Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun
  14. EPA, Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/using-insect-repellents-safely-and-effectively

Last reviewed 2026-09-09 · every claim on this page is sourced above