In 2019, it was a major story that showed many the decay of modern times: The South African influencer “Belle Delphine,” then 19 and a star on Instagram, sold her bathwater over the internet. The bathwater was supposed to cost $30 per bottle. Now the influencer reveals: Because she violated PayPal’s rules, the PR stunt was a loss for her for 5 years. Only now does she get her money, and only after public outrage.
This was the story back then: It was a PR stunt that made headlines worldwide:
- The 19-year-old Belle Delphine, described as a “social media star” with 4.2 million followers on Instagram, sold bottles of her bathwater for $30.
- As the Guardian reported with astonishment, the bottles sold out quickly.
- Delphine said: The idea came to her after Instagram comments, when people wrote to her that they would pay money to drink the water she bathes in.
The Twitch streamer Amouranth also knows how to make money from her fans’ desire for closeness.
“Gamer Girl sells bathwater” was viewed critically
How was this viewed? The action was seen by critical people as a prime example of “simps”: Men who become so infatuated with an unattainable woman online that they make fools of themselves and spend a lot of money just to feel close to her.
The “bathwater” was seen as a prime example of an internet trend:
- Men chasing after women in a one-sided relationship.
- Women consciously exploiting this to finance a comfortable life.
- One speaks of “parasocial behavior.”
Belle Delphine says: $90,000 were withheld by PayPal
How much did she earn from the bathwater? In a X post from May 6, 2024, Belle Delphine reveals that for years she only lost money with the bathwater:
- She says she didn’t earn money from the bathwater, but only lost money: PayPal had closed her account without warning and withheld the $90,000 she had on PayPal at that time.
- She says she unknowingly violated PayPal’s terms and received penalties.
- Through these penalties, PayPal apparently justified withholding the money in her account.
She noticed the rule violations and the accumulating penalties too late and does not even know which rule she violated. All communication was rejected by PayPal. PayPal support only told her: They could do nothing. For security reasons, they did not want to reveal any further information to her.
She suspects that PayPal wants to dissuade “sex workers” from using their platform. Or PayPal simply has a specific problem with her.
Belle Delphine says that despite the difficulties, she sent out the bathwater, but kept the problems to herself because it made for a better story.
She describes the bathwater as “the biggest loss she had to endure” – but says she is still glad to have sold the bathwater because it was “such a fun time on the internet.”
Due to public interest from the press, PayPal backs down
How did this turn out? The site Business Insider followed up on this information with PayPal and it appears that this set some gears in motion.
They informed Business Insider that PayPal changed its rules on penalties in 2023.
PayPal has now decided to pay the influencer the money that was frozen at that time. After a 5-year delay, the “gamer girl” has thus received her $90,000 that she still had on PayPal.
How much did she earn now?
In a podcast, she said she sold about 600 bottles of the bathwater – that would amount to $18,000 (via indy100). However, from that money, high shipping costs still apply: it costs $11 to send packages from South Africa to the USA, as she reveals.
In the Twitter post and to Business Insider, she mentions that she made $90,000 from selling the bathwater. She would have had to sell many more bottles than just 600 to achieve that.
Influencer criticizes PayPal: How are “normal people” supposed to do this?
This is her criticism:
The influencer told Business Insider that she wonders how people with a ban from PayPal cope when they do not have as large a social media presence as she does. She followed the regulations, was stalled, and gave up. That sucks.
Only through public attention do the blockades at PayPal seem to have been resolved for her.
In the gaming sector on Twitch, there is an exemplary “gamer girl” with influencer Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa, who explains how she generates her income. Amouranth, long the largest streamer on Twitch, uses the streaming platform as an advertising billboard: 29-year-old explains how she coldly exploits Twitch and makes $1.7 million a month
