What Is Vabbing? (The Controversial Sexual Trend Explained)
Everything you didn’t know you wanted to know
Vabbing — aka, vaginal dabbing — is a practice that has recently gained notoriety as an innovative method for attracting a mate.
Also known as “ovule marking” and “aphrodisiac scenting,” it involves strategically placing your own vaginal fluid in key areas, such as behind the ear, on the wrists, or even on objects like clothing items or bedding.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Wash your hands because we are about to do a full examination of this topic.
Why Do People Vab?
This scent of vaginal fluid is believed to increase sexual attraction and provides potential suitors with an alternative tactic for finding their perfect mate.
Tinder and Hinge be damned.
So, why do some women engage in vabbing?
The reasons include:
- Following a trend
- Attract a better partner
- Beat out competition from other women
With its rising popularity, vabbing may become the latest go-to approach when it comes to love at first…whiff?
How Vabbing Works
Vabbing is based on the theory of pheromones.
Pheromone research is not a recent concept, with many studies dedicating large amounts of time and effort to understanding how humans can communicate chemically through smell.
The belief that all mammals, including humans, could produce scents to attract others of their own species is an idea that has been studied for many years now.
While the idea carries some weight, it is yet uncertain if it holds true for people as much as animals. Nevertheless, researchers and scientists continue to investigate pheromones for possible new applications.
Understanding the science behind human chemical communication is truly an interesting concept.
Research into whether or not vabbing actually does make a partner swoon over you is inconclusive at best, but sex and relationship therapist Jodie Slee is fully in support of its underlying message.
She says:
I am all for anything that helps women feel more positive, confident and empowered towards their bodies and specifically their genitals. If vabbing helps women realise that their natural body odour is not just normal but attractive, then this is something I can get on board with.
Ultimately, if it helps women feel positive about themselves and boost their confidence, then perhaps vabbing can only be seen as a positive thing with many potential benefits.
Does Vabbing Really Work In Attracting A Mate?
Despite the presence of many anecdotes to the contrary (mostly on social media sites like TikTok), vabbing is not a guarantee when it comes to attracting a mate.
According to Dr. Karenne Fru, a fertility specialist at Oma Fertility, there is no solid evidence that backs up that claim since there have been no scientific studies conducted on the matter.
She believes that the idea of relying on smell to attract potential partners in crowded environments like gyms is unlikely as there are so many other smells present, making any vaginal secretions hardly noticeable.
Moreover, Dr. Fru believes that it is possible for the scent of sweat and pheromones to mix with vaginal secretions, making them almost imperceptible in comparison.
As such, instead of relying on vabbing as a way to attract potential partners, she advises people to focus more on their own body language and physical appearance as a more reliable indicator of attraction.
In other words, more standard flirting and less vabbing.
Furthermore, she believes that engaging in healthy lifestyle habits to make sure your body is looking and smelling its best can be much more effective than relying on questionable pheromones or other scents.
Ultimately, Dr. Fru’s advice is clear — if you want to attract potential partners, focus more on yourself and your own body language than the scent of your vaginal secretions.
By taking care of your health, you can make sure that you put your best foot forward when it comes to attracting potential partners.
Thus, people who believe in vabbing as a way to find love do so cautiously and don’t look too much into it as something magical.
TikTok’s Viral Fragrance Trend
TikTok has officially made a statement with the emergence of its viral fragrance trend.
Although vabbing has been around for years (decades even), TikTok brought it to the masses — especially the younger generation of daters eager to jump on the latest trend.
Take for example, this TikTok video by Palesa Moon:
What Are The Health Implications Of Vabbing?
Vabbing has been advocated by some as a strategic way to entice potential romantic partners.
However, health professionals are warning that vabbing may be a risky activity and could lead to complications.
Shocker, right?
Taking part in vabbing can come with risks if you don’t practice good hygiene. To ensure safe and sanitary vabbing practices, it is essential that those interested adhere to healthy hygiene habits.
These extremely important guidelines include washing hands before and after, ensuring areas you’ve “vabbed” don’t touch anything or anyone else, and proper care and keeping of your vagina.
Firstly, it is important for individuals to consider any underlying infections that may be present in the vaginal fluid, such as bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections.
Final Thoughts
Should you try vabbing?
I can’t really advise you for or against it — perhaps try it out and see how it goes on your next date.
If nothing else, it may give you a psychological boost of confidence.
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- Body Mapping for Better Sex (Explained With Examples)
- Snowblowing Sex Guide: Everything You Want To Know
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