New TikTok trend: Victoria’s Secret Bombshell for Mosquito Repelling

A sad fact about me: mosquitoes love me. They will eat my skin, so you’re safe if you are near me. This happens regardless of who I’m with, or where I’m at, e.g. One time, I returned from Thailand with 37 bites. My then-boyfriend who I was traveling with brought back none. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect myself against what I consider to be the most irritating insects in nature. When the internet suggests that there is a way to repel these little creatures, I’m all for it. My FYP is being overtaken by TikTok’s latest hack: I use the famous Victoria’s Secret Bombshell or Amber Romance mosquito repellent sprays.

This TikTok beauty hack is supported by evidence. According to a 2015 study, Victoria’s Secret Bombshell’s fragrance repels mosquitoes for 120 minutes. However, Amber Romance has received numerous first-hand reports in the comment section. These fragrances can replace DEET spray. We need to consult the experts for a definitive answer.

What is it that attracts mosquitoes?

Before we can discuss what repels them, it is important to first understand what attracts them to us. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. Floyd W. Shockley PhD is the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s entomology collections managers. He says that mosquitoes use a variety of olfactory cues in order to locate their source of protein. The three most important cues are body heat, skin odor, and carbon dioxide. Although he does not know the exact mechanisms that make a person more attracted to mosquitoes than others, he says that skin odor is the most important. This is because it is different from body odor and can vary from person to person.

He explains that while body odor is the same for all people, each person’s skin odor will be unique. This means that every individual’s skin odor may have a biological and genetic basis. You may also be more attractive to mosquitoes if you’re pregnant (some studies have shown that this can increase your attractiveness to mosquitoes), the composition of your sweat, diet, and alcohol intake.

Can Victoria’s Secret perfumes repel mosquitos?

The short answer is that it could. However, don’t replace your DEET-based sprays yet. Bombshell’s main notes are violet passion fruit, Shangri La peony and vanilla orchid. Amber Romance’s main notes are amber and cherry. Shockley states that Amber Romance is not as effective in repelling mosquitoes as Bombshell. However, both have vanilla notes and studies have shown that pure vanilla extract can repel mosquitoes for a shorter time (about 30 minutes). These ingredients are not known to repel mosquitoes from biting you. He says that he doesn’t see any ingredient in the list that would be specifically repellent to mosquitoes.

Cosmetic chemist Ginger King, founder of FanLoveBeauty, says that perfume is complicated. She notes that although studies have shown that Bombshell repels mosquitoes, it’s not clear if the formula listed has any known repellents. The perfume might smell like vanilla and peony but it may not contain the ingredients.

Dr. Shockley believes that Bombshell worked in the study, which would have been impossible in real life. This is due to the fragrance used. The volume used in the 2015 study was much higher than the average spritz that an individual would use. For the study, they used 0.5ml of perfume and thoroughly sprayed the volunteers with it. To make the method effective, you’d need to use the same amount of perfume every few hours and do the same thing.

Dr. Shockley states that perfumes are more likely to camouflage the body and smell chemistry that mosquitos are attracted than repellents. He says that mosquitoes are influenced by smell, heat, carbon dioxide and smell. «Mosquitoes won’t see you as a potential host if you don’t use enough perfume,» he says.

This plan can attract other types of pests. Dr. Shockley warns that floral scents may attract insects, so be cautious when spraying them with floral fragrances. He explained that male mosquitoes only eat nectar so you may be making yourself more attractive. Although only female mosquitoes need to eat blood to allow egg maturation to progress, it’s not a good idea to have male mosquitoes flying around.

How can I repel mosquitoes?

There are many chemical repellents on the market, as well as essential oils, that claim to repel mosquitoes. For the commercial chemical options, all the experts interviewed for this piece say the absolute best defense against mosquitoes is the ones that contain active ingredient N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, a.k.a DEET. DEET’s scent and taste are what repel mosquitoes. DEET-based commercial chemical sprays have the longest protection period, lasting up to two hours before you need reapply.

Joshua Zeichner MD, an associate professor of dermatology in the Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai, and director of cosmetic research and clinical research in dermatology in Mount Sinai Hospital, says that DEET is the best way to prevent insect bites. DEET can be used on intact skin. He recommends looking for concentrations containing 10-30 percent to ensure safety. For short periods of time, you can use lower concentrations.

King suggests that citronella can be used to repel mosquitoes if you opt for essential oils. She points out that Avon Products Inc. was first to discover the effectiveness of citronella against mosquitoes. Dr. Shockley also stated that both lemon eucalyptus and lavender oils have shown repellency against mosquitoes. However, all oils do have limitations.

According to him, the citronella’s specific formulation and its concentration have an effect on its effectiveness. It can have the opposite effect, or even evaporate very quickly, if its concentration and formulation are wrong. Only oils derived from lavender are effective. A lavender oil that smells just like lavender will not work. He recommends lemon eucalyptus essential oil, but it must be high in concentration for it to work. In clinical trials, other natural repellents such as garlic and vitamin B have not been shown to repel mosquitoes. Dr. Zeichner says that natural repellents without DEET are often of limited effectiveness.

Dr. Shockley suggests that you take the study on Victoria Secret Bombshell with a grain. He reminds everyone that only two species of mosquitoes were tested and that the fragrances were added as an afterthought, an opportunity rather than a deliberate selection by the research team. «I think it was an interesting and fun finding from their research, but most people shouldn’t expect either of these fragrances to work in normal doses.»