Petroleum Jelly — should you use it on your skin or not?

June 12, 2011 by Alia 5 Comments

There seems to be an ongoing debate on whether or not you should use petroleum jelly on your skin.  There are some who swear by it and there are some who have sworn themselves off of it.

Until recently, I used Vaseline for years.  I put it on my lips each night to ensure they stayed nice and moist.  It worked like a charm.   I stopped that a few months ago, only because I discovered that I could make my own lip balm and that it did a better job of keeping my lip moisturized all night.  It was only after that point that I started reading about the debate on petroleum jelly.

There are those who focus on the fact that petroleum jelly is derived from crude oil, a non-renewable resource.  Others comment on the fact that it seals your skin, but doesn’t allow your skin to breathe.  When it comes to cosmetics, petroleum jelly seems to be in many of them.   Some authorities say that it is safe and others indicate that more testing is required to make that determination.

All of that to say that there are conflicting opinions out there.  I recently read the article and thought it outlined the various sides of this debate clearly.  It’s worth a read, if this is a question interests you.  http://www.besthealthmag.ca/look-great/skin/the-truth-about-petrolatum

For myself, I just don’t see the need anymore to use petroleum jelly.  I’ve discovered many other ways to use natural plant-based products that are good for my skin.