In preparation for the next mosquito season, a group of scientists from the New Mexico State University found an interesting pesky bloodsucker buster. The team discovered that Victoria Secret's perfume tagged as Bombshell can be as effective as the diethyltoluamide (DEET), the most active ingredient found in mosquito busters.
The researchers conducted a testing study to defeat two well-known mosquitoes that can cause dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and other illneses. They used mosquito repellants and included bath oils and perfumes to determine which one can attract or defend users against these insects.
To test the experiment, one of the authors, deemed to be a mosquito magnet, placed his two hands on two different ports. One hand is sprayed with an anti-mosquito repellant, while the other was covered with a glove. After releasing the mosquitoes in the holding area, researchers found that if the insects were attached to the scent, they flew towards the gloved or bare hand, but if they repelled, they either hover towards the opposite tube or stay put.
Over time, the team measured to find out which of the repellants lasted long and found that in keeping mosquitoes off, those with the DEET component were most effective. While those without DEET and contain citronella and geraniol instead were not as efficient.
Stacy Rodriguez, lead author, also wanted to debunk earlier theories of wearing flowery perfumes. "There was some previous literature that said fruity, floral scents attracted mosquitoes, and to not wear those," she said on a press statement.
The study proved that results revealed otherwise. In fact, Victoria Secret's Eau de Parfum even repelled these insects two hours after putting the scent on. "It was interesting to see that the mosquitoes weren't actually attracted to the person that was wearing the Victoria's Secret perfume - they were repelled by it," she said.
It is to be noted that DEET-containing products are still more effective though. The team is now on the verge of testing efficacy of mosquito repellant bracelets and clip-on devices.
The experiment is beneficial to make an informed decision for consumers in choosing which repellants to pick. The study was published in the "Journal of Insect Science."
