When it comes to Vaseline, you may have heard mixed reviews. While some call it a miracle salve, others claim it may do more harm than good. To get to the bottom of this debate, this article explores the properties and uses of Vaseline, particularly focusing on its application as a lip balm.
What is Vaseline and How Does It Work?
First created in 1870, Vaseline, also known as petroleum jelly, mineral oil jelly, or petrolatum, was initially promoted as a topical ointment with healing properties. Primary care physicians still use it today to manage early-stage eczema, psoriasis, and actinic keratoses. When used topically, it forms a protective barrier that helps lock existing moisture into the skin and lips, preventing moisture loss. Vaseline is not a humectant, meaning it doesn’t add moisture to the lips or skin-it just seals it in. As one of the most effective occlusive moisturizers on the market, Vaseline can reduce water loss through the skin by nearly 99%.
Using Vaseline on Your Lips
Dry, chapped, cracked lips are a common skin concern for many, especially during the winter months. Widely used as an inexpensive, effective lip balm, Vaseline is a safe way to help lock moisture and hydration into your lips. That said, as noted above, it won’t add moisture, which is why you should hydrate your lips first if they’re dry. To use Vaseline on your lips, apply a thin layer using your finger or a cotton swab. For a healthy, hydrated pout first thing in the morning, leave it on overnight.
Vaseline may help keep moisture from escaping the lips. However, it’s not useful on its own if your lips are already chapped. Apply Vaseline on your lips after moistening them first with a humectant like aloe.
Just as Kleenex and Q-tips are commonly used brand names for tissues and cotton swabs, Vaseline is a brand name for 100 percent white refined petroleum jelly. Vaseline is an affordable, easy-to-find option in most grocery stores and pharmacies, and it’s said to relieve dry skin, help heal wounds, and even help moisturize chapped lips. Because there are no oil glands to protect the exposed pink mucosal surface of the lips, the lips are very prone to drying out, especially in cold, dry climates with little moisture in the air. This article will discuss whether or not Vaseline is a recommended product for dry, chapped lips.
Vaseline is known as an occlusive, which means it can hold in moisture. If you use Vaseline on your lips before they’re dry and chapped, you may be able to stave off dryness. However, petroleum jelly isn’t all that effective at restoring moisture once it’s been lost. On the other hand, humectants can actually pull moisture from the air into the skin and lips. Examples of humectants include:
- Honey
- Aloe
- Shea butter
- Calendula
Vaseline can be helpful for dry, chapped lips when used along with a humectant. Apply the humectant to your lips first, then seal it with Vaseline.
The skin on your lips is very thin and thus susceptible to being sunburned just like anywhere else on your body. It's important to protect your lips from the sun by using a product with SPF 15 or higher. There are certain moisturizing lip balms and oils that shield lips from UV rays, thanks to sun-protective ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide.
What Else is Vaseline Used For?
When it comes to Vaseline, lip balm is just one of its many uses. A multi-tasker in the skincare world, petroleum jelly is a favorite among many dermatology and medical providers. Here are a few additional uses for Vaseline that you may want to consider:
- It may help prevent infection: Vaseline is often used to prevent skin infections after some types of ambulatory surgeries.
- It may help repair your skin barrier: A recent study shows that Vaseline accelerated skin barrier repair following damage caused by acetone.
- It may help treat atopic dermatitis: Many dermatology providers recommend Vaseline to patients with this common chronic skin disorder.
- It may help relieve dry skin: Vaseline may help relieve flaking, itching, and cracking associated with dry skin. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends applying it while your skin is damp.
- It may help heal minor wounds: Apply Vaseline to minor cuts, scrapes, and scratches to keep the wound moist. This helps prevent the wound from drying out and may also help prevent scarring.
- It may help prevent chafing: If you’re experiencing chafing from two parts of your body rubbing together uncomfortably, Vaseline may help prevent painful friction and irritation.
- It may help keep your nails healthy: Apply Vaseline to your nails and cuticles between manicures and pedicures to lock moisture in and help prevent chipping. Apply to damp nails for the best results.
Mix and Match with Vaseline
A great way to enhance the potentially positive effects of Vaseline on your lips is to apply a different hydrating lip balm beforehand. If you have chapped lips, using lip products that contain the following ingredients before applying Vaseline is recommended:
- Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil is a humectant, meaning it attracts water to your skin and can help it stay hydrated. It’s a popular moisturizing ingredient in many skincare products and can also be applied directly to your lips and skin without needing to dilute it in a carrier oil. It’s also non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores.
- Shea butter: Shea butter is a powerful moisturizer that contains several essential fatty acids as well as antioxidants. Deeply hydrating, it’s a very common ingredient in many skin and lip care products, and it may also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Hyaluronic acid: This dermatologist-favorite ingredient is the cornerstone of many different anti-aging products. Hyaluronic acid helps attract moisture to your skin to provide the deep, long-lasting hydrating nourishment your lips crave. A potent humectant, hyaluronic acid absorbs 1,000 times its weight in water. Look for it in lip balms and masks as well as serums and creams.
For those looking for alternatives or complementary products, several other lip balms are noted for their effectiveness:
- Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: This product has reached cult status thanks to its thick, gloopy texture and sweet berry scent. It wraps lips in a deeply moisturizing film that sinks in and seemingly repairs them overnight. It contains vitamin C and other antioxidants along with hyaluronic acid, which gives lips a hydrated, plump look.
- Aquaphor Healing Ointment: An occlusive, Aquaphor contains petroleum jelly alongside other ingredients such as mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin, glycerin, and bisabolol, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. It is a go-to for many, especially those with unbearably dry lips or those on Accutane.
- Nudestix Intense Matte Lip + Balm: This lip balm offers a glossy finish without sacrificing hydration. It contains peptides, avocado and shea butters, which are moisturizing ingredients rich in vitamins A and E to soften and soothe dry lips.
- Paula's Choice Peptide Lip Treatment: This balm features peptides for plumping and smoothing lips over time. It is thick but not gummy, genuinely moisturizing, and has a curved silicone applicator that hugs the lips.
- Ole Henriksen Pout Perfection Refining Lip Treatment: This balm has a slight shine but isn’t too sticky. It can be built up to create a glossy sheen, making it suitable for those who want to control the shine level without sacrificing comfort.
- Polite Society Polite Pout: This balm is very shiny yet incredibly comfortable. It contains hydrogenated polyisobutene, a vegan emollient, along with sunflower, jojoba, and hazelnut-seed oils for moisture. It comes in translucent tints that can be layered for desired color intensity.
- Jordan Samuel Skin The Lip Balm: This balm is both an emollient and occlusive, softening the skin and locking in moisture. Key ingredients include castor-seed oil, shea butter, and palmitoyl tripeptide-1, which helps to smooth dry skin.
- Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm: This balm uses thick butters like shea and murumuru to moisturize lips, along with vegan waxes for a lip gloss-like shine. It comes in an easy-to-use squeezy tube with a curved applicator.
- Lucas Papaw Ointment: This salve is great for dry lips and has a waxy texture softer than Vaseline, containing fermented papaya with antimicrobial properties. It can be used to treat minor wounds and heal inflamed skin.
- Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25: This balm has a similar texture to Vaseline, comes in nice-smelling flavors, and offers SPF 25 protection.
- Coola Mineral Liplux Organic Sunscreen Balm SPF 30: For those who prefer a mineral sunblock, this balm uses cupuaçu butter and mongongo oil. It is known for elegant formulations and high-performance ingredients.
- Glossier Balm Dotcom: This balm works on lips and cheeks. It contains beeswax and lanolin for moisture and comes in various scents.
Potential Vaseline Side Effects
Petroleum jelly is typically well tolerated, but, like with any new topical ingredient or product, allergic reactions are possible. If you have sensitive skin concerns about a potential reaction, it is suggested to do a patch test first to see how your skin reacts. Vaseline can leave a greasy feeling on the lips that some people may not like, which is a personal preference rather than a potential side effect. It is labeled as non-comedogenic, which means it doesn’t clog pores.
Side effects of using Vaseline for chapped lips may include the following:
- Vaseline can feel heavy and slippery on the lips.
- If you sleep in Vaseline, the oil may stain your pillowcases.
- Vaseline is a by-product of petroleum, a fossil fuel, so it’s not very eco-friendly.
- Allergic reactions to Vaseline are rare, though they can occur. Signs of an allergic reaction include swelling of the lips and a burning or stinging sensation.
- If your lips are chapped to the point of bleeding, Vaseline that’s been contaminated with bacteria from your fingers could cause an allergic reaction.
- Vaseline may clog pores around the mouth.
If you’re not allergic, Vaseline isn’t likely to cause harm or make your lips drier - it just may not be the best option for hydrating lips and preventing the delicate skin from becoming chapped.
4 Skincare Ingredients That May Dry Out Your Lips
Not all skincare ingredients are created equal! There are a handful of ingredients commonly seen in skincare products that are not ideal because they may contribute to excess dryness. If you’re in the market for a new lip balm and you’re not going with Vaseline, make sure you read the labels and consider avoiding products containing the following:
- Citrus
- Alcohol
Other things to try for dry lips include:
- Try lip balms that contain: argan oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter.
- Don’t forget to protect your lips from the sun by using a product with SPF 15 or higher.
- Certain nipple balms can work wonders on the lips.
- Hempseed oil lip products can be helpful for dry lips, but be sure to store them in a cool, dry area so they don’t melt.
- If your lips are dry and flaky, try a lip exfoliator to slough off dead skin so that products penetrate better.
- Ask your doctor about using products that contain lanolin, which is very moisturizing but also a common allergen.
Preventing Dry, Chapped Lips
The best thing for chapped lips is to prevent them from getting chapped in the first place. You can prevent dry, chapped lips by doing the following:
- Avoid breathing out of your mouth constantly, as this releases warm air on the lips that can cause them to dry out.
- Don’t lick your lips. When they’re dry, saliva actually leaves your lips drier once it dries.
- Drink water to stay hydrated.
- Put a humidifier in your bedroom to add moisture to the air.
- Avoid known allergens like fragrance and dyes in certain lip products that can be drying.
- Wear sunscreen on your lips.
- Gently exfoliate your lips using a textured product or even a warm, damp towel once a week.
- Avoid irritating ingredients that can cause dryness, like cinnamon, menthol, and salicylic acid.