Women across the internet are talking about a body butter that allegedly attracts wolf spiders, so much so that they are being chased by the aggressive arachnids across the room.
Being a man and a heterosexual, I'm not even going to pretend to know what "body butter" is, but I have found myself eye to eyes with many a wolf spider, while my daughter runs around screaming in terror, so I don't feel too out of my depth in weighing in on the situation.
It all started with a Sephora reviewer who gave Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Body Butter a one-star review:
"If you're scared of wolf spiders — watch out for these lotions lol. I wanted to love them sooo bad, but one of the ingredients is like! When I put it on instantly one will come out. Normally I'll see one every like 3 years, used this and it was every day. I stopped using it and haven't seen one since.
"Oh and one time, the spider wanted to eat whatever ingredient it is so bad that it chased me. I swear on everything. I'd run left, it ran left, I ran right, it ran right. Like it was legit following the scent. And no, the scent isn't that good, nothing a $5 vanilla cream can't match. So yeah, do be careful if you're frightened of spiders, especially the big wolf ones."
More reviewers began to post similar observations:
Cream is great but it brings along spiders I don't know how to get rid of them they sleep with me shower with me eat with me. They are always watch they see me writing this review... help
Loved this product, until the spiders came. As I am writing this a military of spiders has taken me captivate. SOS please send help!
If you're a fan of soft, hydrated skin with a tropical scent that screams vacation (and spiders), then this is the cream for u. had to call multiple people because I can't even sleep in my own house anymore. there is a literal family of wolf spiders living in every room in my house.
—
I like the smell and the consistency. However, every time l've worn this l've noticed spiders. Yes I said it, spiders. Google image named them as wolf spiders. I'm now Leary to wear it, especially to bed.
Then comments began to spread across Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) about similar experiences.
One Reddit user claims to have done an experiment to test the attractiveness of the body butter to wolf spiders.
I will experiment today and keep you updated
Update 4 hours: I have seen 2 spiders at work, one came at me one didn't. I putted some cream on a tissue to see if it would interest a spider will update soon
Update 10 hours: Spiders went to the tissue paper, I think they are attracted to the pheromones of the cream.
Some speculated that the body butter might have Farnesyl acetate, diisobutyl phthalate and hexadecyl acetate in it because these are commonly found in women's beauty products, as well as in female spider pheromones, and drives male spiders crazy.
(Which you have to admit is pretty funny. Someone was having a good time when they came up with that idea.)
However, the manufacturer, Sol de Janeiro, denied those rumors:
"Farnesyl acetate, diisobutyl phthalate and hexadecyl acetate are not present in any of our Sol de Janeiro products, particularly Delicia Drench Body Butter and Cheirosa 59 Perfume Mist. Any claims that say otherwise are false and have no merit whatsoever. While we cannot speak to the affect these aforementioned chemicals have on arachnids, we confidently can say that these chemicals are not present in any of our products."
So what is attracting the spiders then?
It's probably all the social media attention.
It turns out the original reviewer, who goes by "chemkats," has left several different reviews on several different products claiming the products attract spiders.
Either she's making it all up for a laughs, or at some point, she might just have to accept that it's not the products drawing the spiders. They just like her!
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