Sephora-sold lotion accused of attracting wolf spiders. Are Florida shoppers at risk?

Did you happen to get lotion in your Christmas stocking this year? Make sure it doesn't double as spider bait.

A review of Sol de Janeiro’s Delícia Drench body butter went viral last week after it claimed the lotion attracted wolf spiders, prompting further discussion across most social media platforms.

Sold at Sephora for $48, the Delícia Drench body butter is meant to nourish the skin's protective barrier and microbiome. But does it accidentally also cater to another (arachnid) audience?

What are wolf spiders? Are they native to Florida?

Wolf spiders are large, hairy and athletic arachnids that belong to the members of the family Lycosidae. They typically have usually brown, gray, black or tan with dark markings, ranging from about half an inch to 2 inches in length.

According to Florida Pest Control, they are active hunters with excellent vision. Some wolf spider species prefer to chase down and overtake their prey, while others wait for prey to walk by and then ambush it.

The wolf spider is found not only across the country but across the globe. In Florida, experts say it is rare that the spiders are considered major pests but they are known to wander into homes.

Why are people saying the Sol de Janeiro lotion attracts wolf spiders?

The reviewer is seen throughout social media. It all started when an anonymous user commented on a 1-star review for the Delícia Drench body butter, claiming it attracted the wrong type of attention.

“One time, the spider wanted to eat whatever ingredient it is so bad that it chased me,” the reviewer wrote. “I swear on everything. I’d run left, it ran left, I ran right, it ran right. Like it was legit following the scent.”

The reviewer urged those who are “scared of wolf spiders” to “watch out," adding that the body butter wasn't worth the alleged swarm of spiders.

This review made its way to the "r/Sephora" section on Reddit, causing further discussion and analysis from users. One user conducted their own experiment, saying they put the body butter on a piece of tissue at work and found several spiders after 10 hours.

Another Reddit user tried to find an answer within a 2009 study. They suggested that farnesyl acetate and hexadecyl acetate ― two chemical compounds sometimes used in skin care ― might be mimicking similar pheromones exhibited in "sexually receptive females.”

The user did note they didn't know if the body lotion's fragrance actually included those chemicals but it could explain why the spiders could be attracted to it.

Both the review and the first Reddit user's comment made their way to X, formerly known as Twitter, where user, and comedian, Samantha Ruddy said "they're doing spider science over on the Sephora Reddit." Reactions ranged from horror to mockery of the situation, many celebrating the situation as the last meme of 2023.

"So for a mere $48, I can send my enemies a cream that has them attacked by spiders … Noted," one user joked.

Has Sol de Janeiro released a statement regarding the wolf spider claims?

Sol de Janeiro took some time to respond to the accusations in a post on its Instagram story. The beauty company said its products do not contain any of the ingredients that could purportedly attract spiders.

“While they may attract a lot of attention from people, they won’t from arachnids (even though we love all creatures at Sol de Janeiro),” the statement said.

But for real, does the Sol de Janeiro actually attract wolf spiders?

For those with arachnophobia, you don't have to throw out your body butters. Experts took to social media and various outlets to clear the air on the creepy, crawly claims.

“It is highly unlikely that the skin cream company through random chance combined enough things in just the right proportion to mimic a spider compound,” Floyd W. Shockley, the chair of the Entomology Collections Committee at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, told the New York Times in an email.

Javon Ford, a cosmetic chemist for cosmetic brand Éclat Naturals, said on Tiktok that the evidence was not “adding up" first pointing out that study noted on Reddit wasn't even for wolf spiders.

He said there’s also no evidence farnesyl acetate and hexadecyl acetate are found in the body butter.

In case you do get bitten by a wolf spider, here's what to do

For those who are still creeped out by the review and don't want to take any chance, here's what to note about wolf spider bites.

Good news — they are not poisonous. WebMD does note that some may be allergic to the spider's bite but if anything, the bite may be painful due to their large size.

"The pain should go away within minutes. The swelling should go down slowly, and the itching may last a few days as the skin heals," WebMD officials write.

If you think that your spider bite needs medical treatment, here are the signs:

• Cramping or having tight muscles around the bite

• Headache or feeling dizzy

• A rash that spreads outward from the site of the bite and may include itching that spreads

• Sweating whether you feel hot or cold

• Nausea or vomiting

• Trouble breathing

• Fever‌

• Weakness or uncontrollable shaking

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Lotion attracting Florida-native spiders? Experts' word on body butter