The Viral TikTok Trend: A Homemade Mosquito Repellent
On TikTok, content creators promote a homemade mosquito repellent solution, claimed to be more effective than commercial products. The large amount of rain, followed by high temperatures, has encouraged the proliferation of mosquitoes. Females lay their eggs in puddles or flooded meadows. There are many reasons why you might be a prime target for mosquitoes, as well as methods for dealing with them.
A new trick is about to go viral on TikTok and is taking hundreds of thousands of users by storm. Mary (@itscontrarymary) posted a video in which she thanks a commenter on another video for her advice: she learned that vanilla extract is particularly effective protection against mosquitoes. The video has already garnered over 6.5 million views.
Using Sugar-Free Vanilla Extract
Mary says she lives in Florida and her “blood is particularly tasty,” which is why she says no commercial mosquito spray works for her. She now uses a mixture of vanilla extract, water, and a pinch of cinnamon, which she sprays all over her body. “With this, not only do I smell like a delicious summer treat, but it really works,” she says.
The video has garnered more than 14,000 comments, in which most say they’re delighted, while others wonder if the mixture isn’t sticky. “My mixture isn’t sticky because I use sugar-free vanilla extract,” Mary replies. This is an important point, as sugar would tend to attract mosquitoes.
Explaining the Effectiveness of Vanilla Extract
In fact, neither the smell of vanilla nor that of cinnamon is in itself effective in repelling mosquitoes. But it can still work, as general practitioner Ross Perry explains to Yahoo Life online magazine. “It works because it masks our natural body odor, which mosquitoes are attracted to,” he says. He stresses the importance of using sugar-free vanilla extract. Otherwise, the so-called mosquito repellent will only attract them more.
Other experts consider the effect to be rather weak, but the numerous videos and comments go against them. Whether it’s the placebo effect or a real solution, many users on TikTok are finding success with this homemade remedy.
