Petroleum Jelly, better known by the brand name Vaseline, is the pharmacy equivalent of a can of oil – you can use it for just about anything. It is a superb moisturizer; petroleum jelly takes the soreness out of chapped lips; it eases skin disorders such as eczema; and as if that weren’t enough, you can also use it to coat car battery terminals to prevent corrosion.
What’s it good for?
- allergies
- blisters
- chapped lips
- cold sores
- cuts and grazes
- dry skin
- eczema
- head lice
- haemorrhoids
- nosebleeds
- psoriasis
As you can tell from the name, petroleum jelly is made from petroleum, the same basic stuff that lubricates a car engine and goes in the petrol tank. The reason that petroleum jelly smears instead of pours is that it’s made from heavier petroleum products, including mineral oils and paraffin wax. It makes an excellent base for salves and ointments and is also useful by itself.
Doctors will often recommended petroleum jelly as a winter moisturizer because it’s heavier and traps more moisture than ordinary lotions. It’s perfect for dry hands and feet, especially when you put on an extra-thick coating and cover up with gloves or socks before going to bed. To get the best skin protection, apply petroleum jelly after a shower or bath. This traps moisture next to the skin where it’s needed. At the same time, the oils seep into the skin and make it supple and soft.
What else is petroleum jelly good for? Plenty: For instance, you can use it to:
- Prevent windburn Petroleum jelly makes an excellent protective barrier between your skin and the wind.
- Get relief from psoriasis Apply petroleum jelly to dry skin patches caused by this chronic skin disorder. It lubricates and helps to remove hard, itchy scales.
- Eliminates lice Irritating head lice that are resistant to over-the-counter lice medications might succumb to a thick layer of petroleum jelly, applied to the scalp. Leave it on overnight and repeat several nights in a row. When you remove it with baby oil, you get rid of lice at the same time. Note that this treatment does not eliminate the need for nit-combing. Some mums find this remedy more trouble than it’s worth, as the petroleum jelly can be difficult to remove. If baby oil doesn’t work, try the trick one mother uses: apply a runny paste made from washing-up liquid and cornflour. Let it set hard, then wash it out with shampoo.
- Soothe chapped lips Rub petroleum jelly on the lips to stop rapid evaporation, which has a drying effect. It’s an ideal moisturizer and makes a nice lip gloss, too.
- Protect cuts and grazes A layer of petroleum jelly keeps moisture in and air and bacteria out.
- Moisturize healing burns Do not apply petroleum jelly immediately when you have a burn, because it will trap heat and increase skin damage. However, after three days or so, when the skin is starting to heal itself, moisturizing with petroleum jelly can be useful for reducing dryness and promoting better healing.
- Trap pollen Dab a little petroleum jelly just inside your nostrils to trap pollen spores that are wafting around before they make it further into your airways.
- Prevent nosebleeds If you want to avoid nosebleeds, keep your mucous membranes moist by dabbing the insides of your nostrils with petroleum jelly. This is an especially useful tip when flying.
Multi-purpose gloop
Canny householders keep a tub of Vaseline in the toolbox as well as in the medicine chest. When you’re painting, apply a coating to door handles and hinges to prevent paint from sticking. Mechanics often coat their hands with petroleum jelly to seal the skin and keep oil and grease out. You can even use petroleum jelly to slide stuck chewing gum from hair, slip off too-tight rings and remove-make-up.