Seared by the scorching sun outside his apartment in Beijing, Zhang Peng took out a bottle of clear liquid from his backpack and sprayed the contents over his upper body. The 29-year-old immediately shuddered from the chill caused by the liquid, which has peppermint extracts to refresh users on hot days.

"My cousin introduced me to it the other day, and I liked its cooling effect," said Zhang, who spent 40 yuan ($6) for a spray bottle on Taobao, a Chinese online marketplace.

Zhang is among a growing number of consumers who have been shopping online for innovative ways to beat the heat during the recent sticky weather, which is expected to last until August 10 in many parts of China, according to the National Meteorological Center.