The Moment
Some people swipe. Some people speed-date. And then there’s Cassy from Boston, who is putting a whole new spin on “wearing your heart on your sleeve.”
In a new episode of My Strange Addiction on TLC, Cassy, who says she’s in her 30s and has never been in a relationship, reveals that she “vabs” – using her own vaginal fluids as perfume – up to 50 times a day in hopes of attracting a man.
In a preview clip shared ahead of the episode, Cassy explains that she uses two fingers to collect her discharge, then dabs it on her neck like a natural scent. She even says she turned to coconut oil to make the process easier on her body, because doing this dozens of times a day is, unsurprisingly, rough on delicate skin.
The episode positions this as an addiction, with Cassy convinced her “essence” will finally bring her the relationship she’s never had. The network is promoting her segment for a primetime slot, 9 PM ET/PT on TLC.
The Take
I’ll be honest: my first reaction was somewhere between “Absolutely not” and “Is this what dating has come to?” But after that wears off, there’s something deeper – and sadder – going on here.
On one level, this is just the latest evolution of an old idea: people have been sold “pheromone” perfumes, love potions, and “irresistible” sprays since forever. Cassy’s just taken that fantasy and cranked it up to 11 with her own body as the bottle. It’s like using a sledgehammer to hang a family photo – way too much force for the job at hand.
On another level, you can feel her loneliness from a mile away. A woman in her 30s, never in a relationship, clinging to the hope that this extreme ritual might finally unlock love? That’s not gross; that’s heartbreaking. The spectacle might be wild, but the emotion underneath is very familiar: “If I just try harder, maybe I’ll be worthy.”
Reality TV loves that cocktail of vulnerability and shock. The more extreme the behavior, the easier it is to market the episode. But we should be honest about who’s really winning here. Cassy’s body is the headline; the network gets the ratings.
If vabbing once in a blue moon makes someone feel sexy, empowered, and they’re safe and comfortable with it? That’s their business. But when you’re doing it 50 times a day, wincing enough that you need coconut oil just to keep going, that’s not a flirty “life hack” – that’s a red flag that something emotional is going on that TV cameras probably aren’t equipped to fix.
Receipts
Confirmed (from the aired preview and show promotion):
- Cassy is featured on an upcoming episode of TLC’s My Strange Addiction.
- She lives in Boston and describes herself as being in her 30s.
- She says she has never been in a romantic relationship or “had a man.”
- She describes herself as addicted to “vabbing,” using her vaginal fluids as a kind of perfume on her neck.
- Cassy states she does this up to 50 times a day.
- She says she uses coconut oil to reduce irritation from the repeated contact.
- The episode is promoted to air at 9 PM ET/PT on TLC.
Unverified / Up For Debate:
- Whether vabbing actually attracts men in any reliable, measurable way.
- Whether Cassy’s behavior meets any clinical definition of “addiction” (on the show, that word is more a label than a diagnosis).
- How much of what we see is Cassy’s everyday reality versus scenes heightened for television.
Sources: An exclusive preview clip and write-up from a major entertainment news outlet dated Jan. 21, 2026; TLC’s official programming guide and description for My Strange Addiction (January 2026).
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
My Strange Addiction is a long-running TLC reality series that follows people with unusual behaviors or obsessions – think intense fixations on specific foods, objects, or rituals. The show walks a very fine line between empathy and exploitation. On its best days, it shines a light on people struggling with real compulsions and helps them get support. On its worst, it feels like a modern-day sideshow dressed up as a “docu-series.”
The “vabbing” concept itself isn’t brand-new; it’s popped up on social media and in beauty/dating corners of the internet over the last few years, usually framed as a risky-but-intriguing way to boost attraction. Cassy’s case is the first time we’re seeing it turned into a full-blown televised storyline.
What’s Next
Once the episode airs, you can practically script the reaction: viral clips, jokes about “pheromone perfume,” debates about whether this is body autonomy or just televised self-harm in slow motion. There will be think pieces about dating pressure, about what women are willing to do for love, and about where reality TV should draw the line.
For Cassy herself, the real question isn’t whether the cameras capture a first date; it’s whether she gets any meaningful support once the crew packs up. If you’re dabbing your body fluids on your neck 50 times a day because you feel unlovable without a man, that’s not just quirky – that’s pain.
And for the rest of us, it’s worth asking why we’re so glued to this kind of story. Are we watching to be shocked, or to recognize a tiny piece of our own dating anxiety turned up to a hundred? The methods may be extreme, but the fear underneath – that we’re running out of time to be chosen – is painfully common, especially for women in their 30s and beyond.
If you see yourself in Cassy’s desperation, the better next step probably isn’t a TV casting call or a new “hack,” but a quiet conversation with a professional you trust – a therapist, a counselor, even a grounded friend – about how you’re feeling and what you really want from love.
So here’s the question: when you watch stories like Cassy’s, do you see them as helpful windows into real struggles, or as reality TV going way too far with people who need care more than cameras?
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