When you think about the order of the classic hookup metaphor and baseball – first base being a kiss, second base being hand stuffyou get the idea—you might not think that making out would be any hotter or more intimate than hitting a proverbial home run. But according to many people on TikToka smooch is really steamier than going all the way.

In a viral video posted on October 7, creator @disturbedbigsis said, “Bring back the dry hen 2025!” while talking about how real sex is rarely as good as a passionate kiss. “Why do we have to go from having sex to having sex? Can we dry the hump with clothes at least three times first, please?”

TikTok now has 350,000 likes and over 1,700 comments. “Finally someone said it,” one person wrote in response. Another said: “Queen, you’re so right,” while another said: “It’s the tension it creates, I swear!”

For many, a passionate makeout sesh it is a very important part of going through sex, like any other prelude that gets you in the mood. For others, it’s the main event – and that seems to be an increasingly common POV. Below, a dating expert weighs in on how it’s done, what makes it so hot, and why Gen Z might be its biggest fan.

Why is it so hot to make out?

When it breaks down the steam factor of a kiss worthy of a movieit makes sense why it might be the coolest option in the login menu. First, you’re literally face-to-face with your partner, which immediately ramps up the intensity and also involves a lot of grabbing, breathing, and, um, dry hump — three things that don’t sound so hot, but they are.

This closeness is the key. “You can’t hide (…) if you want to kiss someone,” he says Leigh Norénsex therapist and coach. “Kissing involves our mouths and tongues, which they contain a lot of nerve endingsand it’s quite intimate to caress someone’s tongue with your own.”

There are often many feelings and emotion in a kissalso. Makeouts are full of a sense of desire and what could be hotter than being wanted? Of course, there’s also the fact that a makeout has the potential to lead to something more – which can be half the appeal. “Sexual anticipation can sometimes be better than having sex, because that’s what it is intense sexual chemistry that means aggravation without ever having a release,” says Norén. “It’s all about ‘where is this going to end up?’ as opposed to satisfying the itch immediately.”

Why Making Out is Gen Z’s Go-To

Running can get your heart rate up and is also a good alternative to hooking up, which millennials and Gen Zers are less interested than previous generations. Several researchers believe that sex is not seen as a major milestone as it once was, in the same way that bto build a house or get married it is no longer a major goal for some young people. There is an observable increasing abstinence due to lack of access to reproductive health care, and there is also a broader definition of what constitutes “sex,” says Norén, emphasizing sexting as an example.

“(Thanks to technology) you don’t have to go out and have sex with someone to experience sexual connection, and you don’t have to spend your time having sex out of boredom,” she says. It might explain why Gen Zers no longer have the strong desire to throw themselves on the bed and “go all the way”. Instead, a sexy makeout might be more than enough.

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Leigh Norénsex therapist and coach