Patent ID: 6953814

Claim:
A method for repelling insects away from a human or an animal, the method comprising: obtaining an insect repellant composition comprising a) a dermatologically acceptable carrier, and b) active ingredients comprising a mixture of fatty acids, each of the fatty acids having a straight carbon chain 6 to 12 carbon atoms long, wherein the mixture of fatty acids includes (i) a first fatty acid molecule having 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and a carboxylic acid group, and (ii) a second fatty acid molecule having 8 to 12 carbon atoms, and a carboxylic acid group, wherein the second fatty acid molecule is differ from the fast fatty acid molecule and wherein the first fatty acid molecule and the second fatty acid molecule are the insect repellent composition in an amount effective to repel more insects away from a test subject that has been treated with the insect repellant composition than a control subject without the insect repellant composition after about 3 hours or more; and applying the insect repellant composition to the human or the animal to repel insects, wherein the first fatty acid molecule octanoic acid, and wherein the second fatty acid molecule is nonanoic acid.