Vaseline, a.k.a. petrolatum jelly is a beauty staple that every girl should have in their makeup bag. There are a zillions of uses for it and it is so inexpensive! Here’s some beauty related tricks you can do with vaseline:
1. Lip balm: moisturizes and soothes chapped lips but it doesn’t taste good.
2. Moisturizes dry skin.
3. Hand and feet moisturizer: it hydrates and smooths chapped hands and feet. Apply some petrolatum jelly to your hands and feet and then put on mittens and socks. Wait about 10-15 minutes for the vaseline to soak into the skin. The result? Smoother and softer skin.
4. All over moisturiser: apply petrolatum jelly all over your body after a bath. It will leave your skin soft and smooth.
5. Eye makeup remover: removes even the most stubborn mascara and soothes the eye area.
6. Scrub: mix petrolatum jelly with sea salt to make your own scrub.
7. Night cream: it can be used as a night cream but you need to warm it up first.
8. Protects manicure: putting some vaseline on the base of your nails will stop the color from running.
9. Shaving: just put a very thin layer on the area that needs shaving and shave. Don’t use water. Also don’t apply too much product or it will plug up your razor. In addiction, vaseline can get a bit greasy, but it will leave your skin soft, smooth and moisturized.
10. Highlighter: apply it on cheeks and undereye area for that dewy look.
11. Softens elbows: apply some vaseline to elbows daily. It will soften them.
12. Lipgloss: apply some lipliner all over your lips and top it off with vaseline for instant shine.
13. Maintains fragrance longer: apply a thin layer of vaseline on your wrist before spraying perfume on. It will make the scent last longer.
14. Lip exfoliant: apply petrolatum jelly to your lips and wait a few minutes. Then, using an old toothbrush, scrub your lips. This will exfoliate lips, leaving them very soft.
15. Protects skin from hair dye: apply some vaseline around the hairline before coloring your hair to protect your skin from the harsh chemicals contained in the dye.
16. Conditioner: Apply some to the scalp before shampooing to condition it.
17. Seals in split ends: if you put some vaseline on your split ends, it will seal them in and make it look like they aren’t there. But don’t do this too often as it will take a couple of shampoos to remove vaseline from your hair.
18. Cream blusher: mix some vaseline with your lipstick to make your own cream blusher.
19. Prevents uneven tanning: just put some on dry spots before applying fake tanning lotions.
20. Moisturize and tame eyebrows: putting a small amount of vaseline on your brows before going to bed will not only moisturize them, but it will mould them into place too.
21. Prevents chafing: just apply some vaseline on the areas that need it, such as heels and the balls of feet.
22. Stains remover: it removes makeup stains from clothes.
Do you know other ways to use vaseline? Let me know in the comments!
{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }
this helps for my super dry skin too!
I swore on this! 
I’m glad vaseline helps you. It is really good for dry skin
I use it to remove eye makeup as well!
I’ve seen a girl use it to “gel” her eyebrow before shaping them…Most of the time I just use it as lip balm (works better than anything else in my opinion…)
You can mix it with your mineral eyeshadow/blush for a personalized lipgloss or tinted lip balm as well.
I use it to soften cuticles.
fabulessbeauty: I use it for that too at times. It works a lot better than some cheap makeup removers I’ve tried.
Citrine: I mostly use it as a lip balm too. But I love it that such an inexpensive poduct can be used for a lot of things. It’s a quick fix for almost anything.
Dao: I never thought of doing that! Thanks for sharing, I’ll try it soon!
Karen: Thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely try that soon!
Having been in the hair biz for 18 yrs and love my industry, I WOULD recommend P.J. as a barrier cream for hair coloring, but nothing else having to do with the hair or scalp. P.J. is NOT water soluble and will COAT the skin and hair not condition it.
Living in Santa Monica Ca. the best way to get that freshly bake tan is to exfoliate first them use a moisturizing lotion (well made moisturizes DO NOT contain PJ ) then go for the bake.
P.J. is a mixed bag !!
Thanks for your comment Auburn. PJ acts like a barrier that keeps moisture in but it is also greasy and thick. It is very good at moisturizing severely dry skin. However, some of the uses listed are quick fixes. I wouldn’t really recommend using it to seal on split ends often for example, but it works great once in a while if you’re in a ruch or something like that.
Hi,
I have oily skin. Can I benefit from using PJ on my face as a moisturizer?
Thanks in advance!
Fiza
Fiza, PJ is as good as moisturizer as any, so it will make skin soft and help retain moisture. It is very thick though, so only apply a very thin layer on th skin.
do NOT put it in you hair!!!
trust me!! yes vaseline is great for moisturising ans etc, but once ou get it in you hair it’s almost impossible to get it out!!
i used it as a hair mask after someones suggested it, i couldn’t get it out for weeks! i tried everything! it felt so nasty! like you hair would be like a grease shell but you scalt is dry from all the washing, argh!
so be aware! unless you want to spend hours in the shower DO NOT PUT IT IN YOU HAIR!!!
woops! just realsed i made a ton of spelling errors =[
ignore them please =P
Chikoduck, I’m sorry that happened to you, sounds really bad! Yeah, vaseline is a pain to remove from hair and that’s why I think it should be used only in emergencies and in very tiny amounts.
And don’t worry about the spelling mistakes, we all make them sometimes
I like to apply vaseline to pimples that have gotten really bad, basically when they are no longer a zit and more of a scab. The vaseline keeps them from growing a really think scab, therefore making it less painful (in my opinion). I assume it has something to do with help keep the area moisturized, they seem to heal faster when I apply the vaseline. Hope this works for someone else out there!
Erika, I had never thought of that but I’m glad it works for you. I’ll give it a go next time I have a zit. Thanks for the tip.
PJ will also dissolve cream wax. I use it after I get waxed to get the wax that sticks to my legs and armpits if any gets missed — moreso now I’m doing it myself
You can also use it while you’re waxing to keep your hands from getting sticky.
Grace, I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing
i also use it as a clean mascara, i just get a small amount onto my finger and put it onto my lashes in the same motion as when i use a mascara brush. its a really fast, inexpensive option
Lilian, what a handy trick! I never thought of that, but now I’m curious lol. Thanks for sharing.
Are you sure it’s okay to use around the eye?
Pauline, lots of people swear by it and they have no problem at all. But of course, we are all different, so vaseline may not work well for some people around the eyes. Just be careful when you apply the first time and see how your skin reacts. Also, while vaseline works well on dry skin, I wouldn’t recommended it as a moisturizer for oily skin as it’d probably be too rich.
i heard about how it can soften the hand but leave it on for 10-15 minutes or u leave it on for the whole night u sleep……also the next day is it ok to take a shower to take of the vaseline
Mary, yes, valine is very good at moisturizing and softening skin. Whether you leave it on for about 10-15 minutes or the whole night is up to you. Just do whatever works best for you and I think taking a shower the next day should be ok.
I like to use Vaseline to help dark undereye circles. Because its so rich in moisture and locking it in it helps the under eye area become a lot smother making the application of concealer the next day flawless. I also like to use it as a eye lash treatment, It’s great for thickining and repairing the lashes. I expecually recemend you do this if your wearing mascara everyday, mascara is pretty bad for the lashes so PJ makes a big improvement! I use this every nite and i deffently see how much longer my lashes have gotten!
Daienna, thanks for the tips. I had never thought of using vaseline on my dark circles but I’m gonna try that now. I have horrible, very dark circles and I need all the help I can get to remove/conceal them. And I’m glad vaseline works so well on your lashes too
i tryed on my eyelashes and it really does make thicker!!!!!
is it true that i’ll get bumps if i put it under my eye?????
Saeran, I’m glad it worked for you.
What do you mean with bumps? Milia seed? That’s always a possibility when you apply something around your eyes. Maybe try apply a very tiny quantity and see how that goes. Milia seeds are easy to remove when they are newly formed. It’s when they harden that’s almost impossible to get rid of them.
hi everyone! i’m so shocked at all the uses vaseline has! and how cheap and convenient it is too!
I get extremely itchy/irritating flaky red patches around my mouth at winter due to cold weather. I put some vaseline/PJ on my dry patches overnight and after about 2-3 days the red patches are gone!! if i didnt put the PJ on, the dry patches would usually take about 2 – 3 weeks (and sometimes even more) to disappear! I would highly recommend it for dry patchy sensitive skin like mine!
Also when i get a cold my nose goes bright red and is extremely painful and stings terribly! It goes all flaky and inflames. I put vaseline on to sooth the stinging and it seems to slowly get rid of the red flakiness around my nose. It works wonders!
Does anybody else use vaseline this way? How does it work for you?
Thanks for the brilliant tips!
I hope mine work out for you!
Alice x
Alice, vaseline is a miracle worker, isn’t it? So effective but very cheap!
I’m glad it works so well for you and thanks for the tip. I’ll give it a go next time I have a cold and my nose is red and flaky.
I like to use vaseline/PJ on my bruises, since i recently got attacked and bitten multiple times by my friends dog, it left some pretty bad bruises and swelling on my arms hands and wrists. It really helps minimize swelling and discoloration pretty quickly. (:
Taylor, I’m sorry that happened to you, it’s awful! I hope you’re well now and I’m glad to hear vaseline helped.
Actually Vaseline is not very good to apply anywhere on your skin because it contains Petroleum which is gas based. There’s also been studies on TV like the Oprah show proving that Vaseline is not safe for you and can cause cancer in the future. The product does not even say “Dermatologist Recommended” or “Dermatologist Tested” so i don’t trust it
I admire your list though! I personally would replace the Vaseline with Aquaphor instead, though i’m not sure if it would have the same effects.
Hi Rissa, thanks for your comment and sorry for my late reply. I’ve been away at the beginning of the week and still catching up on blog comments and emails.
Petrolatum may be derived from gas, but once refined it has no resemblance to it at all. I have never come across any scientific studies that say vaseline is bad for skin or can cause cancer and I’m not gonna believe Oprah over science. TV shows aren’t always the most reliable source and as for Dermatologist Tested that doesn’t mean anything. It’s just another marketing technique to make consumers think those products are gentler but truth is all ingredients, whether they are synthetic or natural, will give an allergy or irritation to someone.
As for Aquaphor, if I’m not mistaken (please correct me if I am) that contains petrolatum and mineral oil too. I do understand your concerns though. We’re living in a time where we are constantly bombarded with lots of contradictive information, marketing nonsense and scary claims about ingredients so it’s understandable you wanna be on the safe side, but so far, there is no reason to avoid Vaseline. But if you have any scientific studies saying the contrary that I overlooked, please let me know and I’ll reconsider my position.
Just had some skin biopsies done at the dermatologist and they told me to apply Vaseline to the biopsy sites to help prevent scarring. So it’s used in place of neosporin or something else like that. I’d never heard of using Vaseline in this way so I thought I’d share!
Caren, thank you for sharing this tip and I hope you are well.
Oh my goooood, i lovee you! thank you SOO much, you’re so awesome!! im definitely going to try the vaseline mixed with lipstick to create a cheek blush, that sounds SOO AMAZING! haha… i recently got dark circles because i havent been sleeping properly and have been eating a lot of salt and not drinking enough water (plus ive been in the sun a lot, yikes) so im going to go ahead and try vaseline under my eyes. ill be sure to report my results back to you
THANKSS AGAIN! <3
May, you’re welcome. I’m glad you find these tips useful and I can’t wait to hear how they work for you.
I have had problems with dry/cracked heels for as long as I can remember. In addition to being unsightly and embarrassing, they were very painful. At times, the cracks were so severe they would bleed. Over the years I have bought and tried endless products in hopes of healing my rough/cracked heels (I shudder to think of the money I have spent on various “miracle” products). Less than a month ago, my aunt noticed my heels and asked if I had ever tried using vaseline (which I had not). Willing to try anything, I started applying vaseline to my heels and covering them with a sock before bed. One month later and the cracks are completely gone! I am stunned! Why had I never heard of this before? Not only did it work wonders, but the $2 jar hardly looks like I’ve put a dent in it. I have since recommended it to anyone who will listen. My sister (who’s heels were as bad as mine if not worse) has recently started using it as well and noticed an immediate difference. It’s wonderful!!!
Nosie Parker, that’s awful! I’m sorry you had such bad cracked heels but I’m glad they’re ok now. Thanks for sharing your experience, I’m sure people will find it useful.
Vaseline is a fantastic moisturizer that can also heal skin well. 
These are great tips. I use a lot of them, and find the one to guard your skin agains hair dye especially useful. My hairdresser told me that one.
The term Dermatologist Tested means nothing. Maybe they tested it and found out it was crap. Just the words Dermatologist Tested doesn’t tell you what the results of that test was. It’s just a marketing ploy.
Susan, I love vaseline, you can do so many things with it.
And I agree about Dermatologist Tested, it doesn’t mean nothing. Maybe they tested the product on a few people and didn’t notice any adverse reaction, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t cause irritation in some else.
I read somewhere that it is useful for removing/decreasing the size of skin moles too. Any comments on that aspect?
Molly, I’ve read that too but I’ve never tried it so I don’t know if it works. I guess no harm in trying it though.
I am too young to use makeup so I use the next best thing…Vaseline! I put it on my eyelashes as a “clear mascara” and on my lips as a lip gloss. I sometimes put it right on the apples of my cheeks(very little or it gets greasy) as a blush. The vaseline blush looks really good in the sun and photos
Lasya, what a great way to use vaseline as makeup. It’s such a great multi-tasking product, isn’t it? And so cheap. Thanks for sharing the tips, I’m sure a lot of young girls will find them very useful.
It is also said to make your eyelashes longer if you apply it before sleep.
Bethany, really? I’d have to try it then. Thanks for the tip.
Im extremely sensitive to cold weather, so in the winter I put Vaseline on my hands and feet before putting on my gloves and boots, it keeps me sooo warm and makes my skin sooo soft ! Another tip is after getting out of a hot shower putting vaseline on the eyebrows and then plucking them makes it so easy to get the hair out and almost if not completely painless ! I’ve been reading a lot of contradictory ‘facts’ about PJ and whether or not it clogs pores and causes acne. I have dry-combination skin but it’s acne prone and I’d love to try it on my face but in afraid it’ll make my skin break out. Does petroleum jelly clog pores and cause acne?
Jewel, those are great tips, thanks for sharing. As for your question, Vaseline is not comedogenic. People think it is because it can feel greasy when applied but greasiness doesn’t necessary mean comedogenic. Here’s a study that confirm Vaseline doesn’t cause breakouts: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3097361
Hope this helps.