Women swear by ‘Vabbing,’ using vaginal fluid as ‘DIY perfume’
Feeling a little stuck being single? Try vabbing.
The latest dating phenomenon is a marriage of “vagina” and “dabbing,” which, as the name implies, involves using vaginal fluids as a scent. Supposedly, the modern-day love potion will attract potential partners due to the pheromones present — or at least that’s what hordes of ladies who “vab” believe.
On TikTok, #vabbing has garnered nearly 682,000 views, many featuring clips of women experimenting with the makeshift perfume.
One woman claimed men kept staring at her even while they were on dates. Others touted the hack as “genius.”
“I swear, if you vab, you will attract people, like a date, a one-night stand or you’ll just get free drinks all night,” TikToker Mandy Lee, @oldloserinbrooklyn, said in a clip with 1.4 million views. “Elle Woods should’ve been teaching vabbing instead of the bend and snap. It’s more effective.”
Since vabbing was definitely not included in “Legally Blonde,” Lee took it upon herself to teach ladies the methodology. “Get up there” and swipe, she advised, motioning with her index and middle fingers. Then, go to town and get dabbing. She wiped fluidy fingers behind the ears, on the wrists and down the neck.
“Proceed with caution — because it works,” she continued in the clip, adding that she learned the method from the podcast “Secret Keepers Club” hosted by comedians Carly Aquilino and Emma Willmann.
Although it may have been coined by the comics back in 2018, vabbing burst into the mainstream in 2019, when author Shan Boodram championed the sticky scent.
But it’s not as tacky as it seems. The idea behind vabbing is that vaginal fluids contain pheromones, which make you more attractive to potential partners — although there is a lack of official studies of how the smells work in human sexual activity, according to New York-based board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD.
“We cannot say for sure based on these studies that human pheromones affect human mating behavior,” Dr. Murphy-Rose told The Post, noting that most research has been done using animals, not humans. “While some may argue they have anecdotal evidence to suggest a significant effect in attracting a mate via one’s pheromones, we just don’t have the hard data to back it up at this point.”
In 2021, researchers in Egypt concluded that previous pheromone-phenomenon studies are “weak,” noting that, unlike most other mammals, humans have “large and complex brains” in which pheromones play minor roles in attraction.
“The data available on human olfactory communication is inconclusive to date with some results suggesting a significant effect exists and others the opposite,” Dr. Murphy Rose added.
However, the extra interest might be due to pumped-up confidence, she noted.
“In fact, it is thought that if those who have tried vabbing have experienced enhanced attraction abilities while vabbing it could be a placebo effect due to increased confidence out in the field, if you will,” she said. “We know many non-humans are strongly influenced by pheromones and there is reason to believe humans could be as well — we just don’t have the scientific data to back it up today.”
Data or not, some TikTokers in comments on Lee’s video were eager to swipe right while others weren’t quite sold.
“I’m on my period but ILL GIVE IT A GO,” wrote one user.
“What in the gwyneth paltrow??” joked someone else.
“Bestie are you telling me to put the juices from my veal cutlet on like it’s Chanel no. 5?” quipped another.
While there are pheromone perfumes on the market, Lee said in the comments that money spent on those is wasted, as commercial concoctions “cannot replicate the real deal.” Using your own fluids may be more affordable and authentic, but not everyone wants in on this juicy dating secret.
Lydia Dupra, who is no stranger to the power of pheromones as the CEO of Heaux Cosmetics, finds the trend “gross.” Even hugging a friend, she said, would be bizarre if she knew her own fluids were on her.
![Vabbing as explained by @oldloserinbrooklyn](https://mamardi.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/oldloserinbrooklyn-71.jpg)
“If you want to put your own secretions on you, that is your right,” Dupra, whose cosmetics line offers a pheromone perfume, said in a clip with over 47,000 views. “I just personally think it’s gross.”
As for safety, Dr. Murphy-Rose said the risk is low, but suggested using clean hands or a cotton tip before vabbing “to avoid transferring germs to your vagina.”
“Vaginal fluids can also feasibly spread certain contractable bugs to another person via physical contact, including STDs like gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis, though the risk of transmission is certainly much higher through forms of sexual intercourse,” she noted.
As to whether it’s effective, it’s all up to the wearer.
“So does it work? We cannot say for sure one way or the other,” Dr. Murphy-Rose said, “But a potential confidence boost in attracting a mate? Can be huge.”
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