Perfume is all about seduction and allure – but could you be unintentionally attracting the wrong kind of attention? This summer’s viral scents lean into whipped, creamy, snackable territory; the whole “clean girl” meets “edible baby” vibe (‘gourmand’ if you want to be technical about it). But tasty for who? According to internet lore, your summer scent might just be getting you swarmed… by bugs.

In June, a TikTokker posted a “PSA” warning people not to wear Ariana Grande’s Pink Cloud fragrance on walks. Claiming that she had been swarmed by wasps and biting flies who “chased” her a mile, she documented the plague-like plume of insects that were following her along the trails. On online forums, reviews of Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa 59 and 71 are filled with stories of wolf spider bites and hordes of bees, respectively. Guerlain, Dior’s Diorissimo, Armani’s Thé Yulong, Serge Lutens’ Fourreau Noir, YSL’s Y, a melon-scented Body Shop product, Givenchy Very Irresistible and Versace Dreamer, among others, all have had claims of attracting insects made against them as well. But how much truth is there actually to these stories, and is it really possible that your perfumes are turning you into a bug magnet?

WHAT DO THE SCIENTISTS SAY?

Unsurprisingly, the science is more complex than a Sephora urban legend, and there isn’t one scent to attract (or repel) them all. There is no evidence to suggest that Sol de Janeiro actually attracts spiders (an entomology expert told the New York Times it was “HIGHLY unlikely”), nor do we have much evidence of any scent able to reliably attract mosquitoes.

“Very few chemicals are known to be mosquito attractants, except the carbon dioxide in our exhaled breath (that they can smell),” says Professor Anandasankar Ray, who teaches molecular, cellular and developmental biology at UC Riverside. “The idea that certain known fragrances are mosquito attractants is mostly internet lore. Those claims rest on one‑off studies and are often not based on rigorous science using realistic mosquito assays – so take them with a grain of salt.”

Bugs are far more sophisticated than we give them credit for. Mosquitoes, ticks, bees and wasps each have their own sensory worlds, and what lures or repels one species might do absolutely nothing for another. Most reviewed research focuses on specific insects in controlled tests, so you can’t assume a molecule that draws in honeybees will have the same effect on mosquitoes, or vice versa. 

It’s something that Dr Immo Hansen, an entomologist at New Mexico State University whose research explores how insects detect – and can be deterred by – fragrance molecules, affirms: “If you really analyze a perfume, you might end up with dozens, if not hundreds of different chemicals, some of which might be attractants or repellents, but it’s not necessarily the specific notes or scents, it’s often chemicals we can’t even smell,” he explains. “Mosquitoes have about 146 odorant receptors, bees have 300 or so. They smell very differently to us, and to one another, and they react differently to each molecule. They’re complicated creatures!”

SOME INGREDIENTS DO ATTRACT BEES AND WASPS

Whilst we don’t know of any wearable scents that attract mosquitoes or ticks, we do know specific scents that will attract bees and wasps. Research shows that pollinators are strongly drawn to certain floral volatiles – compounds plants naturally produce to lure them in. Ingredients such as linalool, phenylacetaldehyde and benzyl acetate are abundant in white florals and heady fruity‑florals. To an insect, these molecules essentially create a nectar signal, so when they’re bottled and worn as perfume, you can end up smelling like a walking bouquet.

Scents that lean heavily into jasmine, tuberose, ylang‑ylang and orange blossom tend to be rich in these compounds. They’re lush, creamy, and humid on the skin – dreamy to humans, but also blooming with the same molecules bees use to navigate towards flowers. Think of the heady florals in Dior J’Adore or the indolic rush of Gucci Bloom: both are built around white flowers packed with those pollinator‑friendly notes.

Even more alternative takes, like the coconut‑laced Mugler Alien Goddess or Byredo’s technicolour Flowerhead, combine those same jasmine‑derived molecules with sweet facets like lactones, mimicking ripe fruit or nectar. Writer and scent savant Sable Yong knows the feeling: “I remember wearing Mugler Alien Goddess and being chased by bees all afternoon. It’s a super nectar-y bee bait.” Fruity accents, such as the strawberry and violet notes in Marc Jacobs Daisy, add another layer of appeal, echoing the profile of ripe summer fruit that insects can’t resist.

WHILE SOME REPEL MOSQUITOES AND TICKS

Mosquito behaviour is very different from that of bees and wasps. They’re not hunting for nectar; instead, they follow cues like the carbon dioxide in your breath, skin‑emitted acids such as lactic and butyric acid, and certain short‑chain alcohols. But here’s the good news: some fragrance ingredients contain molecules that lab studies have shown actively and effectively repel them.

Victoria Secret Bombshell famously popped up in a 2015 Journal of Insect Science study as a surprise mosquito shield, holding its own against pungent deterrents like DEET. Not just a mall‑rat classic, the perfume’s blend of jasmonic acid and eugenol come together to overwhelm a mosquito’s radar, rendering them “olfactorily blind”, Dr Hansen explains.

Contrary to popular belief, citronella is not the most effective essential oil for repelling bugs. According to Dr Hansen’s research, clove and cinnamon oils are by far the most successful repellents for both mosquitoes and ticks. Loaded with eugenol, lab tests show that cinnamon and clove oils diluted to five to ten per cent in a lotion can buy you around two hours of protection. The vibe is spicy, nostalgic, almost Christmassy, except you’re at a BBQ in July.

And then there’s the future‑facing fragrance research. Professor Ray, who also founded the start-up Sensorygen, uses new technology to identify pleasant-smelling repellents for day-to-day use and protection. “Our machine-learning work highlights grape-like, soft floral molecules that strongly repel mosquitoes,” he says. “Perfumers could start blending mosquito‑repellent molecules into everyday products – laundry detergents, shampoos, lotions – so you smell fantastic but bugs think twice before landing.”

Choosing your summer scent isn’t just about vibe shifts and TikTok virality – it’s about knowing who and what you’re attracting, even on a microscopic level. Gift a jasmine-and-tuberose bomb to someone you’d like to see surrounded by bees, or dab yourself with eugenol-rich essential oils to beat the bites. Smelling good is only half the battle, surviving swarm season is another.