The hack
According to users on TikTok, wearing a petroleum-based moisturiser under your perfume can make a scent last longer on your skin.
The promise
Fine fragrances can cost a fortune, and the more often you apply them, the more of your money evaporates into thin air. By smearing petroleum jelly on your neck before spritzing your perfume, you delay the drying-out process and there’s no need to reapply.
The test
There is logic here: scents don’t last as long on dry skin, and the alcohol that forms the base of most fragrances dries it out even more. Some schools of thought suggest applying an unscented moisturiser, then spritzing on top, but TikTok recommends using petroleum jelly instead. So in the morning I apply the jelly to one wrist but not the other, then spray my light floral fragrance on each. By the end of the day, after a sniff, the jellied wrist definitely has a stronger scent. The next day I take my investigation further, using deeper, wood-based notes that are known to last longest on the skin (the best contain oud, which is extracted from one of the most expensive woods in the world). I repeat the process. By the evening, the difference is marked – I even have it verified by a pal to check that I’m not losing my mind.
The verdict
This was a cinch to try out. For once, I can safely say: the petroleum jelly hack undeniably works.
