Skip the citronella. Use lemon eucalyptus.

Lemon eucalyptus oil works better. Not a little better—significantly better. Citronella is the beer of mosquito repellents: it sort of works if you’re not paying attention, but lemon eucalyptus is the real deal.

Citronella’s protection fades fast—usually under 30 minutes. The CDC recommends lemon eucalyptus oil (or its synthetic version, PMD) as a legitimate alternative to DEET. It can keep mosquitoes off for a couple hours. The trade-off: it smells stronger and might irritate sensitive skin, but it actually works.

Most citronella products are more about ambiance than actual repellency. That candle on your patio is doing more for your mood than your ankles. If you’re serious about not getting bitten, lemon eucalyptus is the natural option that’s backed by data.

Don’t waste your money on citronella candles if you need real protection.