The (Not So) Secret Beauty Product that You Already Own

Did you know that one of the very best beauty products on the market costs less than $4.00? You probably already own it and have been using it for years. That’s right, I’m talking about good old fashion Vaseline. Petroleum Jelly is one of secret greats of skincare and makeup, it’s been used for years in households and in the beauty industry. It’s probably the secret tool that helped keep your Mom’s, Granny and Auntie’s skin so smooth and youthful for all of these years. Vaseline gets a bad rap as something that is a no-no on your face, and we’ll get into that a little later. However, it has so many uses in your skincare and makeup routine that it’s hard for me to ever discount it’s greatness. Recently, TikTok has discovered or rediscovered Vaseline and it’s use in “slugging”. Slugging is simply slathering your face in moisturizer and leaving it on overnight.

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First, let’s talk about Vaseline and makeup. Vaseline is an amazing eye makeup remover. It can get the most stubborn liquid liner and waterproof mascara off with a cotton ball and it is sensitive enough to use around the skin of the eyes. For my lips, Vaseline is what I use to make my lip scrubs. Vaseline and some brown sugar and you have the best DIY lip scrub. It’s also great for your every day lip moisturizer, it softens my lips without them feeling greasy. Pro tip: before applying a matte liquid lipstick, apply a thin layer of vaseline and massage it into your lips. Then take a tissue and gently wipe off the vaseline. This will leave your lips soft and prepare them for the liner and liquid lipstick so that your lips won’t feel so dry when the lipstick dries down. Vaseline is the plug for great looking brows. That’s right, take a little vaseline and spread it over your brow hair for a quick groomed look.

Next, Vaseline and skincare go together like PB&J. Not only does Vaseline help your elbows and knees stay soft, applying a THIN layer of Vaseline after your moisturizer helps seal it in. See, petroleum jelly locks in your skin’s moisture. Applying a thin layer before bed time will assist in keeping your face soft and supple while you sleep. I use my vaseline on top of my body lotions, especially on my feet, butt and legs where I tend to be the driest. Since the petroleum jelly is a sealant, using it on top of my lotion doesn’t make me greasy, it just adds to the softness. I put vaseline on my feet and then put on socks, boom, an instant softening foot treatment. I use it on my hands right before bed and that also keeps my cuticles looking health and soft. If you have little babies, vaseline has been used for decades to help with diaper rash. And it helps heal small cuts and bruises as well.

Now, let’s discuss some drawbacks with using Vaseline. I know some skincare experts discourage you from using Vaseline heavily or at all in your routine. However, as I stated above thin layers don’t hurt your skin unless you have an aversion to petroleum jelly. I would not use vaseline on acne prone skin, nor would I use it on your face if you have sensitive skin. Other areas of your body such as your legs and arms should be fine to use it on. If you have a skin condition such as psoriasis or rosacea, consult with your care provider before applying heavy amounts of vaseline. It may be good to use in small doses, but double check so that you won’t have any unnecessary reactions.

Using Vaseline to tan or treat sunburn is a hard pass. The petroleum can lock in heat and cause your sunburn to become increasingly worse. Tanning with vaseline causes your skin to burn and that is the opposite of what we want when we are in the sun.

In conclusion, Vaseline is a great tool and in my opinion a necessary one to keep in your beauty stash. It’s so versatile, very inexpensive and with it’s uses and it has been proven over time to be that secret ingredient to the best beauty and skincare for decades. Are you a believer in vaseline? Has it been a staple in your household? If you have an aversion or dislike for using vaseline, let me know in the comments and the reasons why? In the meantime, I’ll be over here with my vaseline, moisturized feet and elbows, and smooth, supple skin.

XOXO- Lydia Marie