Despite what you've somehow been led to believe for years and years, Vaseline does not, in fact, cause acne. Nor does it clog your pores or lead to breakouts or blackheads or any other scary skin problem. In fact, a layer of Vaseline could very possibly be the exact cure for your zits you've been looking for.
"It won't heal acne—it will literally cause it." Since petroleum jelly does have some anti-inflammatory effects that can help diminish the look of redness, Dr. Lain says.
Although Vaseline® Healing Jelly doesn't directly treat acne, its protective formula means it could help your skin recover faster from a breakout.
Not for acne
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, Vaseline can trigger outbreaks if you have acne-prone skin. Don't put petroleum jelly on your face if you're having an active breakout. There are plenty of other moisturizing options if you have acne-prone skin.
Vaseline is a moisturizing product that is safe for most people to put on their face. People can apply Vaseline to help with short-term skin concerns, such as temporary skin dryness or irritation. Vaseline is also suitable as a long-term moisturizer.
It can be used to treat itchy skin, heal cuts, burns and protects the skin from damaging effect of sun. It restores your skin and makes it very soft and smooth with its non-greasy formula that easily penetrates deep into the skin to heal it from the inside out. Vaseline contains healing properties.
"I would never recommend this method to any patient," San Francisco-based dermatologist William Kwan, MD, tells Health. "Vaseline can clog pores and applying plastic wrap is physically occluding the pores.
The skin does not easily absorb petroleum jelly. This means that it is not really a moisturizer, but a barrier that can keep dirt out and prevent moisture loss. People can try applying it to irritated skin before spending time outside in cold, dry, windy air.
Is Vaseline® Jelly Non-comedogenic? Yes! Vaseline® Jelly is made from 100 percent healing jelly, so – like petroleum jelly – it also doesn't clog pores. (If a product is non-comedogenic, it will not clog or block your pores).
Vaseline is an occlusive moisturizer that can be used effectively on dry skin and eyelashes. It can't make eyelashes grow faster or longer, but it can moisturize them, making them look fuller and lusher.
Use Vaseline® Jelly Under the Eyes
Now that your skin is clean and dry, it's time to apply a moisturizer to the skin that will help keep moisture in and keep skin from drying out. Putting a thin layer of Vaseline® Jelly under the eyes will lock in moisture, and form a protective barrier.
Chesebrough noticed that oil workers would use a gooey jelly to heal their wounds and burns. He eventually packaged this jelly as Vaseline. Petroleum jelly's benefits come from its main ingredient petroleum, which helps seal your skin with a water-protective barrier. This helps your skin heal and retain moisture.
First, apply a generous amount of Vaseline to your nose or designated area with blackheads and keep layering it on. Second, once the petroleum jelly is applied cover it up and wrap in plastic wrap until it stays in place and is formed to your face. Third, go to sleep with the mask on.
Vaseline: Yes, Vaseline, too can be used to lighten and get rid of dark circles. Add a drop of lemon juice to Vaseline, and apply under the eye. Let it sit there for about 45 minutes, and then gently rinse with cold water.
As mentioned before, it can actually cause breakouts because it is greasy and could be trapping acne-causing agents on the skin. If a breakout occurs after trying Vaseline on the face, wash it off and stop using it for this reason.
Use Vaseline® Jelly for Scars
By sealing in moisture it also helps to reduce dryness of scarred skin, once your skin has healed. This may help to improve the appearance of scars, making the skin look smoother and softer, as well as help to reduce itchiness caused by dryness.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using white petroleum jelly throughout the day and before bed to moisturize and sooth dry, cracked lips. Petroleum jelly seals in water longer than oils and waxes. It's also inexpensive and easy to find online and in drugstores.
Key takeaways
However, petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) is safe to use on your eyes, and even eyelashes. The mineral oil in the jelly will help condition your brows and leave them soft and shiny. Vaseline works as a brow gel, too.
According to researchers , petroleum jelly is one of the most effective moisturizers on the market. It works by sitting on top of the skin, where it forms a barrier and prevents water from leaving your skin. Vaseline can be used as an everyday moisturizer for very dry skin.
It's water-repellant and not water-soluble, meaning it merely seals the barrier so that moisture does not leave the skin. So while you might feel the instant gratification of a softened surface, you're actually drying out your pores by keeping out air and moisture.
It might protect your hair against breakage and dryness, but it won't encourage your hair to grow at a faster rate. Some people also warn against applying Vaseline to your scalp or face, claiming that it can create a breeding ground for bacteria or even block hair follicles.
For the best results, always apply petroleum jelly when your skin is damp. Help injured skin heal. For minor wounds such as cuts, scrapes, and scratches, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. This helps prevent the wound from drying out and forming a scab, as scabs take longer to heal.
The history of Vaseline® Jelly starts in 1859, when Robert Chesebrough travelled to Titusville, a small town in Pennsylvania. That's where oil workers had been using rod wax, an unrefined form of petroleum jelly – then just a simple by-product of the drilling they were working on – to heal wounded or burnt skin.