Product

Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly): Dermatologist Review

The most effective occlusive there is, with essentially no allergens, for a few dollars. When everything else stings, this still works.
Last Updated: September 8, 2026
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Key Facts What It Is What It Treats Not the Best For Texture A Dermatologist’s ConcernsMore
How to Use It Where It Fits in Your Routine What It Does Number of Ingredients Full Ingredient List Price per Ounce The Rest of the Line Similar Products FAQ
Dermatologist's Verdict

Vaseline is 100% petrolatum and the most effective way to stop water escaping from dry, cracked skin. Nothing in it is a common allergen, so it is what I reach for when skin stings with everything else. It adds no water, so use it on damp skin or over a moisturizer. For less greasy, Aquaphor spreads more easily.

Strongly recommendedRecommendedMixedNot recommendedAvoid

The cheat sheetKey Facts

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Key activePetrolatum 100%
TextureThick, greasy ointment
Best forExtremely dry, cracked, damaged skin; eyelid dermatitis; healing wounds
Approximate price$4–8 (by size)
FragranceNone
Essential oilsNone
Drying alcoholNone
LanolinNone

The short versionWhat It Is

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Vaseline is 100 percent white petrolatum, sold at every drugstore for a few dollars. It is an ointment, not a moisturizer — no water in it, nothing in it that treats anything. It seals skin rather than hydrating it.

One ingredient. Petrolatum is a semi-solid blend of mineral oils and waxes that fills the gaps between the flat dead cells at the surface and blocks water from leaving. No fragrance, no preservative, no plant extract. That is why it feels greasy and stays shiny, and why it does not sting on a crack, a lip, or an eyelid.

Where it earns its keepWhat It Treats

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Eyelid Dermatitis
Eyelid Dermatitis
Works some
Eyelid skin is the thinnest on the body, so whatever you put there reaches living cells fast and reacts easily. Vaseline is one ingredient with no preservative — nothing for the eyelid to react to. Antibiotic ointments and Aquaphor contain common allergens and often make an eyelid rash worse.
Eczema
Eczema
Works some
Eczema-prone skin does not make enough filaggrin, the protein that becomes the skin's own natural moisturizer, so what is missing has to be replaced daily. Vaseline is cheap enough to use in the quantity that actually takes.
Dry Skin (Xerosis)
Dry Skin (Xerosis)
Good fit
Dry skin loses water faster than it replaces it. Vaseline seals the surface but adds no water of its own, so put it on damp skin or over a moisturizer. On dry skin alone it just sits there.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive Skin
Good fit
Almost every reaction to a skincare product traces back to fragrance, preservatives, lanolin or plant extracts. Vaseline has none of them. When everything stings, this is where to stop.

Don't expect miraclesNot the Best For

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Sun Damage (Photoaging)
Sun Damage (Photoaging)
Doesn't work
Slugging gets called an anti-aging step, but there is no active here. Skin looks plumper the next morning because it is holding water, and that fades by afternoon.
Acne
Acne
Never use
Petrolatum on oily, breakout-prone skin traps oil and sweat under it. It is excellent on cracked hands and lips; the acne-prone face is where slugging backfires.

How it feelsTexture

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A thick, greasy jelly. The grease is the point — it holds the seal in place.

It does not sink in. It sits on top and stays shiny for hours, so it marks pillowcases and transfers to clothes. Under makeup it is genuinely unpleasant.

No smell, no sting. The tub suits large areas; the small tube goes in a bag.

ointment texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Ointment · this one
Almost all oil, no water. Sits on top and seals.
Good for very dry, cracked or raw skin. Easiest to use at night. Too greasy for most faces during the day.
balm texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Balm
Waxy and solid until it warms in your hands.
Good for dry patches, lips and hands. Useful in cold, windy weather. Heavy on the face.
cream texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Cream
Thick blend of oil and water.
Good for normal to dry skin. Good in winter. May be too thick for summer.
oil texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Oil
All oil, but spreads far thinner than an ointment.
Good layered over a moisturizer on dry skin. Sinks in faster than an ointment. Some oils clog pores on acne-prone skin.
lotion texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Lotion
Mostly water. Pours and sinks in fast.
Good for normal skin and for large areas like arms and legs. Comfortable in summer. Often not enough for very dry skin.
gel texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Gel
Water based, no oil. Cool and slippery.
Good for oily and acne-prone skin. Good in heat and humidity. The alcohol in some gels stings broken skin.
serum texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Serum
Thin and watery. Absorbs in seconds.
Usually carries active ingredients rather than moisture. Layers under a moisturizer. Rarely enough on its own for dry skin.
spray texture
‹ HeavierLighter ›
Spray
A fine mist. Barely there.
Good for the back and other spots that are hard to reach. Easy in summer. Does little for very dry skin.

The house rulesHow to Use Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)

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How much: A thin layer. It spreads much further than it looks.
Careful: Not on a fresh burn or an infected wound without medical advice.
What to expect: Tightness and stinging ease the same day. Cracks take one to two weeks of nightly use. It will not fade a mark or change texture.

Where It Fits in Your Routine

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Vaseline is the last step, and for most people a night-time one. It goes over a moisturizer, or over skin still damp from the shower, because it has no water of its own to give. Nothing goes on top of it, and in the morning most people use something lighter under sunscreen.

This product is good for

What's insideVaseline (Petroleum Jelly): What It Does in the Skin

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A moisturizer has three moves: pull water into the bricks, replace the glue between them, or seal the wall. Vaseline does only the third, and better than anything else — petrolatum cuts water loss through the skin surface by over 90 percent. No cream at any price beats that.

The second advantage is what it lacks. Almost every reaction to skincare traces back to fragrance, preservatives, lanolin or plant extracts, and Vaseline has none of them. That is why it is right for eyelid dermatitis, cracked hands and skin healing after a procedure, where more complicated products sting or make things worse.

The limit follows from the same fact. With no water in it, Vaseline cannot hydrate; it holds on to water that is already there. Over damp skin or a moisturizer it is remarkable. On dry skin you have sealed in the dryness.

Tap an ingredient to see where it works

In the skin barrier

SEALS WATER IN

Sits on top of the bricks so the water underneath cannot evaporate away. Nothing seals better.

The outermost layer, and the one every moisturizer is aiming at. It is dead — flattened cells stacked like bricks, with a mix of fats as the glue between them. That glue is what holds water in and keeps irritants out.

The outer layer, and the only one anything in a jar reaches. It renews itself constantly: a cell made at the bottom takes about a month to reach the surface and flake off. Most of what a skincare product does, it does here.

The living layer underneath, holding the blood vessels, the nerves and the collagen. It is where lasting change happens and it is hard to reach: most of what is sold for the skin never gets this far.

Short list or longNumber of Ingredients

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This is how many ingredients are on the label. The more a product contains, the more chances one of them bothers you. That matters most if you have sensitive skin, eczema, or a known allergy. If your skin tolerates most things, a long list is not a problem by itself.

This product has
1 ingredient
159

37 moisturizers reviewed, from Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) (1) to Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream (59). Tap a dot to see which.

Full Ingredient List

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Petrolatum

The fine printA Dermatologist’s Concerns

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May feel unpleasant under makeup: greasy, and genuinely unpleasant under makeup. Most people use it at night or on problem areas.

It seals, it does not hydrate: no water in it. Apply to damp skin or over a moisturizer, or you are sealing in dryness.

May feel heavy on acne-prone skin: it can be too heavy for an acne-prone face. Not truly comedogenic for most people, but it can feel suffocating.

Not for burns or infected wounds: not without medical advice.

What it runsPrice per Ounce

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Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) costs $0.42 per ounce. That is the lowest of the 37 moisturizers priced on Dermapedia, which run from $0.42 to $97 per ounce.

An ointment spreads much further than a cream, so a thin smear covers a lot and a jar lasts a long time. Of the several sizes, the smallest tin is the worst value.

This product costs
$0.42 per ounce
$0.42 per oz
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) · this one $0.42
$1.25 per oz
$1.75–$1.78 per oz
Aquaphor $1.78
$3.19 per oz
$97 per oz
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 $97
$0.42$97

37 moisturizers priced, from Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) ($0.42) to SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 ($97). Priced on the 13 oz size at $5.49. The scale is logarithmic. Tap a dot to see which. Prices current as of September 2026.

Its siblingsThe Rest of the Line

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Vaseline sells one jelly and a shelf of lotions that borrow its name. Only the jelly is pure petrolatum; the lotions are ordinary moisturizers with a little petrolatum in them.

Heaviest & most sealingLightest
Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum Jelly
Petrolatum 100%, nothing added. The most sealing thing on the shelf, and what to reach for when the point is to avoid ingredients.
You are here
Lip Therapy Advanced Healing
Lip Therapy Advanced Healing
The jelly in a pocket tube. Convenience, not a different idea.
Advanced Repair Unscented Lotion
Advanced Repair Unscented Lotion
A lotion, not a jelly. Much lighter, and the one sold without a scent.
Nourishing Moisture Lotion
Nourishing Moisture Lotion
The everyday body lotion. Scented, and far less sealing than the jar.

Shop aroundSimilar Products

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Options if you want something less greasy, or more than plain petrolatum. None seals better than Vaseline.

Aquaphor
Aquaphor
41% petrolatum plus humectants, so it sinks in rather than sitting on top. It contains lanolin alcohol — the American Contact Dermatitis Society named lanolin its 2023 Allergen of the Year.
About the same
CeraVe Healing Ointment
CeraVe Healing Ointment
46.5% petrolatum with ceramides, and CeraVe states it is lanolin-free. It costs more per ounce.
About the same
Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil
It may clog pores and can worsen fungal acne, and it does not seal the way petrolatum does.
We recommend less

Questions Patients Ask

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Does Vaseline hydrate skin?

Not on its own. It has no water — it seals, so use it over damp skin or a moisturizer.

Is Vaseline safe for reactive skin?

Yes. One ingredient, no common allergens, nothing to react to.

Can I use Vaseline on my face?

Yes, but it is greasy. Most people use it at night or on dry patches.

Is Vaseline good for eyelid dermatitis?

Often the right choice, since the common alternatives can themselves be allergens.

Should I use Vaseline on a fresh burn or wound?

Not without medical advice.

References

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  1. In vivo investigations on the penetration of various oils and their influence on the skin barrierIn a head-to-head in vivo TEWL comparison of paraffin and vegetable oils, petrolatum produced the most effective skin occlusion, backing the claim that nothing outperforms petrolatum at reducing water loss.
  2. Stratum corneum occlusion induces water transformation towards lower bonding state: a molecular level in vivo study by confocal Raman microspectroscopyThis in vivo Raman study shows petrolatum produces the strongest occlusion and stratum corneum swelling among tested oils, supporting the claim that petrolatum is the benchmark occlusive for retaining skin water.
  3. Petrolatum: Barrier repair and antimicrobial responses underlying this "inert" moisturizerCharacterizes petrolatum as an 'inert' moisturizer that repairs the skin barrier, supporting the claim that Vaseline works because it lacks reactive additives and is a safe fallback when skin is reacting to other products.
  4. Periorbital dermatitis - a recalcitrant disease: causes and differential diagnosesThis cohort study of 2,000+ patients found allergic contact dermatitis is the leading cause of eyelid/periorbital dermatitis, with fragrance mix and neomycin (the active in Neosporin) among the top allergens, supporting the claim that these common allergens drive eyelid dermatitis.