Avoid petroleum jelly in lip balm? The science

🙋🏻 I'm Michelle, a chemistry PhD, cosmetic chemist and science educator, here to explain how beauty products work, debunk myths, and help you make smarter decisions about your skincare, hair and makeup!

[lauryn]

i love how he implies occlusive doesn’t mean moisturiser because it only locks in water?? why does he think skin gets dry in the first place?? 😭

[thegreenmanofnorwich]

I hate "ooooh! Chemicals! Baaaad!" Okay, so go chemical-free, and good luck doing without oxygen.
A teeny little bit of petroleum jelly as my last step in nighttime skincare really, really helps my eczema.
I'm alarmed that he doesn't understand that occlusives are a form of moisturiser.

[asiphemzaza]

Thanks, Michelle. We honestly need more of these checks and balances against influencer culture.

[ThinlyCut]

I have extremely sensitive skin on my lips and pretty much almost all lip balms I've tried makes it swell up and "weep", like a very severe allergic reaction. Petroleum jelly is the only thing that doesn't make my lips react.

This is also the same for my mum, except it's for her entire face, rather than centralized on her lips like me.

[tkmccoywv]

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! I've heard since my teen years (I'm over 60 now, so a time) that petroleum jelly is really bad for your skin, that while it makes a slip over your skin that feels nice, in fact it is actually dehydrating, thus causing the exact problem you're trying to avoid. Then there's the whole "petroleum" argument. Thank you for making this clear.

[adriandatura]

The very instant I read "chemicals" I had to step away from my phone for a min and crawl into fetal position 💀

[DeirdreSM]

Thank you for this, especially as someone allergic to beeswax and coconut (both common alternatives for petroleum jelly in lip products).

[rl]

Vaseline is an excellent lip product, I slather it on at night and the next morning my lips are buttery soft

[crymeris]

Thank you for your knowledge once again <3. Also, i love how people bashed Nivea for having petroleum jelly in their cream but then made it a trend to slather their face with Vaseline

[shoresofreedom]

I admire your calm... That kind of guy in random videos make me so angry as a chemist... You have no idea how much. It just makes me wanna explode when I hear uneducated people say things like "a ton of chemicals in it" or "nasty chemicals" or "clean/natural/non-toxic". Everything is a chemical and natural products are actually the worst.

[milo]

Important note for those who care: Vaseline is not cruelty free.

[sourgreendolly]

Anyone who says chemicals are in something like the entirety of the known universe isn't comprised of chemicals isn't someone anyone should be listening too. Sorry, but he couldn't tell me he has no clue what he's talking about more than thinking that alone

[_empty_]

I love petroleum jelly! I use aquaphor on my lips and even use a tiny bit as an eye cream at night.

[julzbehr]

“There’s a lot of chemicals” what else should it be made of, the firmament???

[xelenaxyz]

The biggest problem I have with petroleum jelly is the huge negative impact crude oil and its refinement have on the climate and environment. As you say, it's a really purified product and that requires a lot of processing in addition to the already terrible oil extraction. We as a society should really strive to move away from oil dependency.

[lemonz]

Petrolatum saves my skin & lips
in harsh winters. Products w/ shea butter are good too but not as good.

[sasandbernard]

Yeah no way am I avoiding petroleum jelly in lip balms. All my faves have it (because it’s great). I carry around little squeezy tubes of Vaseline because they’re the best thing for split lips. You will pry my petroleum jelly from my cold, dead hands.

[TheWitch]

I always use an occlusive and a humectant in my night time skincare. Wake up with baby soft skin, meaning that i don't need to load up on moisturiser in the morning and just get on with my day with minimal prep. It's also one of the more affordable and effective ways to protect your skin from drying out and helping it heal itself. Which is probably the reason why you see businesses slandering occlusives.
You can take my vaseline from my cold, dead hands!

[mallowhoney]

I feel so awkward when I know there's people out there putting out misinformation about an ingredient when I just can't use it. I get a really weird dermatitis that baffles even my derm when I use lip balm with petrolatum.

[toaster]

I have dry sensitive skin and live in a country where it's windy most year around. I put a thin layer of Petroleum jelly on my face too keep it from drying from the strong winds (and often cold weather). So far im pretty happy about it. I do add few drops of essential oil for nice smell.