Warning behind 'dangerous' cost of living perfume hack: 'I would not recommend this'

The cost of living crisis is like the too-drunk, conspiracy touting relative at Christmas lunch. No one wants them there, they ruin everyone's fun and don't know when to pack it up and GTFO.

Sadly, unlike your great Uncle Shane, these cozzy livs can't just be ignored by feigning interest in your sister's new boyfriend's DJ-ing aspirations instead. Instead, it's affecting all of us Aussies and so we are counting every penny, cutting back on luxuries, and trying to hack the system so we can still enjoy a few simple pleasures here and there.

This is why social media is positively flooded with 'how-tos' from people sharing their tips for saving money or getting more bang for your buck from your favourite products.

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In one such video which recently racked up 21 million views, creator Daria demonstrated how you can make your favourite perfume last longer - which is especially handy if you are addicted to Le Labo, Baccarat Rouge or any other fragrances that carry eye-watering price tags.

While the video has been saved more than 88k times, a scent expert warns there are dangers involved and says she "would not recommend this vaseline 'trick'".

What is the viral cost-saving perfume hack?

In the video, Maria throws two tubs of Vaseline into a pot of boiling water to melt the petroleum jelly and then takes them out and adds a few drops of her perfume to one tub and her husband's cologne to the other. She gives them a good mix, marks which one is which and then pops into the fridge for the Vaseline to re-set.

The result, allegedly, is that you now have a tub of jelly that smells like your favourite spritz yet you've only used a few drops of the actual bottle. Simply rub the Vaseline on the areas you'd like to add scent and you are supposedly good to go.

Does the Vaseline hack work?

But does this really work? According to perfumer, fragrance expert and owner of Scent Smith Ainslie Walker, yes - but it's not so straightforward.

"Dissolving fragrance in perfume can 'work' to create what we call a solid perfume as the vaseline is petroleum-based," Ainslie told Yahoo Lifestyle. "However this would further dilute the perfume unless you were using a concentrate."

The comments section of Daria's TikTok video was a mixed bag too with some people not understanding the point of the hack and suggesting that people "just spray the perfume."

Others suggested that Daria didn't need to go to such lengths and that simply rubbing Vaseline or lotion on the area you want to spritz can be just as effective.

Alternatives to boiling Vaseline

"Don’t have to go to that extreme I simply apply a tiny dot of Vaseline on all 'fragrance spots' it’ll last all day and night! My grandmother gave me this tip been doing it since middle school. 😍," one person wrote.

"OR you could use the Vaseline stick on your arm then spray your arm? That’s what I’ve been doing instead of using an entire bottle and rubbing that stuff on yourself," said another.

"I always put lotion, Vaseline, or Aquaphor on my pulse points and then spray the perfume," added a third.

Ainslie agrees that this approach is just as good, if not better, telling Yahoo Lifestyle, "To put Vaseline or any moisturiser on skin before spraying can indeed help fragrance last on skin. This we call layering. Even better layering is to use the moisturiser scented with your favourite scent under the perfume.

So in this case they could put the scented vaseline under some spritzes of the fragrance. It could make some difference, but not a lot."

Dangers of viral perfume hack

While there were quite a few people who said that they were "absolutely going to try this hack" there were several that expressed concerns about the dangers involved.

"Love the toxicity of the plastic container and petroleum being absorbed into my skin 🤪," one person said.

"I just think of all the microplastics boiling 😅," said another.

"That was my first and only thought," said a third.

Says Ainslie, "I would be more worried about burning yourself, especially when taking off the lid if it pops a little and splashes."

So is this hack worth the trouble?

"Personally I would not recommend this Vaseline 'trick'," Ainslie says. "Spraying your perfume on top of moisturised skin would give a better effect and be less dangerous and more concentrated."

Which perfume can you use?

However, if you are still keen to try it out, it bears remembering that the quality of the perfume matters.

As one commenter said, "The Vaseline makes it last all day...but it must be a good perfume - not the cheap one."

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Of course, the more concentrated the perfume, the higher the price tag but Ainslie confirms that the better perfumes are the ones to use if you insist on trying out this trend.

"The more concentrated the perfume, the better," she says.

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