How Safe Is Vaseline for Skin?

Vaseline, which is a type of petroleum jelly, is a fatty, greasy, odorless, and tasteless substance made from mineral oils and natural waxes. This product is suitable for people with dry skin because it acts as a coating on the surface of the skin to help soothe dry skin.

However, if you do not know how to properly use vaseline, your skin will be at risk of clogged pores, allergies, and wound infections. To keep your skin healthy and beautiful, let’s learn about the uses of Vaseline and the notes when using this wax.

12 Uses of Vaseline

What does Vaseline do? Vaseline moisturizing wax is often trusted as a familiar product in girls’ bags or family cabinets thanks to its softening, moisturizing, and wound-soothing effects.

1. Keeps the skin moist

Vaseline moisturizing wax contains ingredients from mineral oil in natural minerals, so it can help your skin improve flaking, cracking, and dry skin. This product can also moisturize your skin to make it more smooth and healthy.

You can make your face smoother by applying a small amount of Vaseline to your face. During the cold season, you can also use wax for the nose if you feel the skin on the nose is dry. In addition, you can take advantage of wax to protect your hands from calluses caused by handling too much.

2. Vaseline has the ability to support the treatment of eczema

Eczema is a chronic skin condition that causes irritation, itchiness, and scabs. When suffering from this disease, many people often use moisturizing wax to reduce itching and help treat the disease. However, you need to be extremely cautious to ask your doctor before using Vaseline moisturizing wax to make sure it is safe to treat eczema.

3. Soothe minor injuries

Mineral oil wax is used as a soothing agent for skin irritation and healing. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you can use this wax to aid in minor wound healing because it acts as a natural barrier so it works to prevent infection and reduce the risk of keloids after healing .

Before using Vaseline moisturizer to soothe minor wounds, you should also consult your doctor to avoid aggravating the condition.

4. Vaseline acts as a makeup remover

Many people often use mineral oil wax to remove makeup and keep skin moist, especially around the eyes. When you want to remove eye makeup, close your eyes and use a soft cotton pad that has vaseline to gently remove makeup. You should be careful when doing this to avoid causing eye allergies.

Mineral oil wax also helps hair dyes from sticking to your scalp and nail polish stick to your skin. Before dyeing your hair at home, you can apply conditioner along the hairline to prevent the dye from sticking to the scalp causing many side effects.

In case you want to remove nail polish, you can apply a layer of wax to the skin of your hands to soften and remove the polish. This product also works to prevent nail breakage and chipping.

5. Helps prevent diaper rash

According to the results of a 2013 study (Efficacy of petrolatum jelly for the prevention of diaper rash: a randomized clinical trial), mineral oil wax can help prevent diaper rash in babies. When you don’t have diaper rash cream available at home, you can use Vaseline moisturizing wax to help prevent diaper rash for your baby. You should wipe and let your baby’s skin dry before applying moisturizing wax

6. Helps nourish lips

Your lips are often dry and cracked, making it difficult in daily life. Don’t worry, Vaseline will help you not only achieve smooth lips but also achieve the look of a plump pout like lip gloss.

7. Vaseline supports the shaving process

During the shaving process, if you are worried about your skin being irritated or damaged, try rubbing a thin layer of Vaseline onto the area to be treated. 

8. Uses of Vaseline to exfoliate lips

You put finely ground sea salt and white granulated sugar in a small bowl and then add Vaseline to the mixture. Then, moisten your lips with warm water, then apply the mixture to your lips, and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub gently. Leave it on for about 30 minutes, then wash it off with warm water. You do it 2-3 times a week to clean and care for soft, smooth lips.

9. Uses of Vaseline to treat split ends

To limit dry hair and split ends, you can use Vaseline to apply to your hair. Your hair will recover and improve significantly after about 72 hours of use.

10. Vaseline helps shape eyebrows

Before using eyebrow pencil or mascara, you can use vaseline to shape your eyebrows to have sharp and neat arches.

11. Keep the scent of perfume

You can apply Vaseline before spraying perfume on your body to help the scent stay on your skin longer.

12. Avoid getting lipstick on your teeth

In important meetings and dates, lipstick is an indispensable friend for women, but this essential can sometimes make women embarrassed because lipstick sticks to their teeth. So, try applying Vaseline to the inside of your lips, adjacent to your teeth before applying lipstick so that this situation will no longer continue.

Besides the practical benefits that Vaseline moisturizing wax brings, you should also be aware of the risks that you may encounter when using mineral oil wax the wrong way.

Reminders

Compared to conventional mineral oil waxes, Vaseline moisturizing waxes may differ slightly in their dense texture, degree of softness, and characteristic scent. However, it is still safe to use If you use the product the wrong way, the product can still cause harm to your health. Therefore, you also need to keep a few things in mind when taking advantage of vaseline in body care.

1. Can clog pores

Mineral oil wax is also one of the factors that clog pores if the wax is not completely removed after a long day. This condition also causes blackheads, acne, and cystic acne.

Before moisturizing, you should clean your skin thoroughly to minimize the risk of developing acne. Also, completely remove vaseline after using it for a long time on the skin to allow the skin to breathe.

2. Vaseline side effects can cause skin allergies

Your body may be allergic to certain petroleum jelly-based waxes. You may experience allergic symptoms after using wax such as rashes, itching, red skin, swelling, blistering, or tightness in the chest and throat. When experiencing these signs, quickly go to the nearest medical facility for treatment.

3. Health effects

Some mineral oils of unknown origin can affect your health. When you use and inhale them for a certain period of time, you will be at risk of getting pneumonia.

Many people also often use this balm as a way to combat dry lips in the cold winter. However, your lips can become flaky and bleed if you use balms that contain unnatural fragrances, colorants, and other skin irritants.

To avoid unwanted effects, you should carefully apply a little mineral oil wax to your hands before use to see if the product is suitable for your skin. This is also a product you should not arbitrarily use when you have skin diseases; consult your doctor before using. During use, you also need to practice the habit of cleaning your skin and using the product properly so that skin can better absorb the product.

You absolutely should not use Vaseline on acne-prone skin, open wounds, or inflamed wounds. If you prefer to use more natural products to replace petrochemical ingredients, you can choose beeswax, coconut oil, and olive oil, etc. You still have to be careful when using natural ingredients because they can also cause allergies depending on where and how you use them. 

Learn more about Skin Care and Cleansing here.