How Rebel Wilson Squashed Her Fear of Bugs

The Pitch Perfect star shares her No. 1 tip for keeping a serene house, her self-care staple as a new mom, plus her favorite beauty products.

Do bugs freak you out? If you answered "yes," you're not alone. According to a recent study, 71 percent of Americans suffer from bugxiety (or a fear of bugs). Actress and new mom Rebel Wilson partnered with Zevo to make sure bugs, well, don't bug you anymore.

When I chatted with the actress (via Zoom, while she was in Savannah for work), Rebel shared that her worst bug encounter happened during a trip to Africa when she forgot to put up her net. "I actually got malaria back in the day, and you know, malaria is terrible," Rebel shared. "I woke up one morning and I had 50 mosquito bites on the side of my face," she said. "I didn't put my tent up and I was sleeping outdoors." But there's a plus to this scary story: "It ended up changing my life because while I was sick with malaria, I had a hallucination that I was an actress and then that changed the whole course of my life," she explained. So after that experience, Rebel wanted her environment as "clean and serene" as possible. That's where Zevo, an at-home pest control brand, comes in.

"I never thought I'd be doing a commercial for bug spray, but when they sent them [Flying Insect Trap Starter Kit] for me to try, I was like, 'these are genius,'" she shared. The company makes plug-in blue and UV lights with adhesive that attracts bugs. "You don't even have to do anything; they just get caught in this little thing and you can change it out every two weeks—it's very satisfying when you pull it out and see the tiny gnats," adding that the devices are family-friendly. "They're bad for bugs, but not for people," she confirmed. The brand also makes an odorless bug and tick body spray that Rebel uses during sunset walks with her new daughter, 9-month-old Royce. "It's very lightweight and I mix it with sunscreen as well," she said. Lastly, the brand also makes a surface spray, which Rebel says it great for countertops and pantries. "I had ants once—I called it ant-ageddon," she said.

Other changes Rebel has made as a new mom:

"I want everything to be good and serene at home," she said. "Now the floors have to be really clean because Royce is on the floor, and I can't wear the outside shoes in the house because of the baby."

Tips for juggling life as a busy mom:

"Between work and being engaged; I love working out, but haven't been able to do that as much lately," she said. "Also, constant communication with your partner, that takes time; it is hard. At one point, my mom was a single mom with four kids, and I was like, 'How did she do it?'" Rebel shared. "I have help; I'm lucky, and a supportive partner, but it's still hard," adding that "I cut down on some of the things: I used to watch a lot of trashy reality TV before I had a baby. I haven't been able to hang out with friends as much. I just try to be present when I'm with Royce. And be present when I'm at work. And what I think I need to do next year is prioritize work situations and think, 'Do I really need to do that job?' and being a bit more selective," she said.

Favorite thing to do for self-care:

"Oh, massages," she said, adding that she schedules massages for her and her partner at her house for after Royce goes to bed. "And then we just, like, go to bed." She also loves a good epsom salt bath. "Royce is like 22 pounds, and that gets heavy!"

Beauty product picks:

"I went to an all-girls' high school and we weren't really into makeup; it's not like how I see young people now watching tutorials," she said. "But when I moved to Hollywood and my acting career was taking off, I got more interested in it." But she says her style is simple. "I've been using a lot ofCharlotte Tilbury makeup," she said, explaining "her colors seem to go with my colorings." Her every day look takes about five minutes: "Foundation, mascara, blush, a little lip, and maybe a little eyebrow pencil from Anastasia."

Hair routine:

"I'm terrible at doing my own hair," Rebel admitted (celebs, they're just like us, amirite?). "It's curly and it's a real struggle, but Ramona sometimes volunteers to do it so she spends 30 minutes blow-drying my hair while I scroll on Instagram," Rebel laughed.

For more with Rebel (her commercial is hilarious) and how you can help your bugxiety, check out zevoinsect.com.

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