Field-user acceptability of new camouflage face paint formulations in the Republic of Korea.

New formulations of camouflage face paint (CFP), one with 30% N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) and the other without DEET, were evaluated for soldier-user acceptability during a military field-training exercise in the Republic of Korea. Soldiers testing the CFP formulations were members of one of four U.S. Army infantry companies (A, B, C, or D). The formulations were evaluated while soldiers participated in simulated combat exercises for 5 days during hot, humid summer weather in Korea. Results showed that soldiers found both of the new formulations easier to apply (91.3% of respondents who used CFP without DEET and 87.9% of respondents who used CFP with DEET) and remove (82.6% without DEET and 81.2% with DEET) than the previous standard military-issue CFP. Soldier acceptability was higher for the new CFP formulation with 30% DEET (70.5%) than for the formulation without 30% DEET (52.9%). Soldiers recommended it more frequently (70.5%) than the formulation without 30% DEET (50.0%). The new CFP formulation with 30% DEET was rated more often (79.5%) as either good or excellent than the new formulation without 30% DEET (67.4%). Soldiers reported that the CFP formulation with 30% DEET more successfully camouflaged the face (92.7%) than the formulation without 30% DEET (80.0%).