The Science Behind Bear Grylls Mosquito Repellent
When you’re exploring the outdoors, confidence in your equipment matters. Bear Grylls Mosquito Repellent is built around a single principle: use an active ingredient that is proven to work, reviewed by regulators, and suitable for real-world adventure.
This page explains the science, safety and regulation behind our active ingredient in clear, plain English.
What Is the Active Ingredient?
Bear Grylls Mosquito Repellent uses Citriodiol®, a registered ingredient brand derived from the oil of the Lemon Eucalyptus tree.
From a scientific and regulatory perspective, the insect-repelling activity comes from its active component:
PMD (p-menthane-3,8-diol)
PMD is the compound that has been independently studied in laboratories and field trials, and it is the substance evaluated by health and environmental regulators worldwide.
In simple terms:
Citriodiol® is the branded formulation, and PMD is the scientifically tested repellent molecule.
How Does It Repel Insects?
Biting insects locate humans by detecting natural body cues such as carbon dioxide from breathing, body odour and skin chemicals, as well as heat and moisture.
PMD works by interfering with the insect’s ability to detect these cues. Rather than killing insects, it creates a protective “invisible shield” around the skin that makes it difficult for them to recognise you as a target.
This is why PMD-based repellents are effective against multiple insect species and provide reliable protection when applied correctly.
Why Not Just Use Essential Oils?
Many plant-based products rely on essential oils alone. While some can offer short-term deterrence, most essential oils evaporate quickly and lose effectiveness within minutes.
PMD is different. It is refined, stabilised and tested to ensure consistent performance over several hours. This is why PMD-based repellents are recognised by regulators, while most essential-oil-only products are not.
How Effective Is PMD?
Independent studies and real-world testing have shown that PMD-based repellents can provide multi-hour protection against a wide range of biting insects, including mosquitoes, ticks, midges, sand flies and other nuisance insects.
In most real-world scenarios, PMD performs comparably to synthetic repellents, while offering a plant-based, less intrusive alternative.
Why We Use the Highest Permitted Skin Concentration
Bear Grylls Mosquito Repellent sprays use Citriodiol® at the highest concentration permitted for use on human skin under current regulations.
This ensures maximum effectiveness per application, longer-lasting protection and reliable performance in demanding outdoor conditions. Our formulation prioritises function over fragrance, in line with Bear's approach to gear and survival equipment.
Is It Safe?
Very - when used as directed.
PMD-based repellents have been assessed by multiple regulatory authorities for human safety and environmental impact. These reviews consider skin irritation, long-term exposure and environmental breakdown.
As a result, PMD is approved for use in insect repellents across the UK, EU and other regions.
Spray vs Bracelets and Patches
Bear Grylls offers multiple insect-repellent options, including sprays, bracelets and clothing patches.
From a scientific standpoint, skin-applied sprays provide the most reliable and well-supported protection. Bracelets and patches offer local or supplementary protection but deliver lower levels of active ingredient.
Keep this in mind when deciding on which product is best suited for your adventure.
Children and Pregnancy
Regulatory guidance allows PMD-based repellents to be used by adults and children from around six months of age.
As with all insect repellents, apply sparingly, avoid hands, eyes and mouth, and apply by an adult when used on children. Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals can use PMD-based repellents as directed.
Approved by Bear
Bear Grylls has spent decades operating in environments where insect exposure is unavoidable. The choice of PMD-based Citriodiol® reflects a simple requirement: it must work when conditions are tough.
By combining a plant-derived active ingredient with rigorous scientific validation and regulatory approval, Bear Grylls Mosquito Repellent delivers protection you can rely on.
In Summery
Citriodiol® is a registered ingredient brand, while PMD is the scientifically studied active repellent component. PMD-based repellents are globally reviewed and approved, with sprays providing the most reliable protection.
Bear Grylls Mosquito Repellent uses the highest permitted skin concentration to deliver dependable performance for real outdoor adventures.