How to use Vaseline for skin care

How to apply Vaseline to your face

1. 1Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Petroleum jelly belongs on clean skin.
2. 2Apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp. Moisturizer helps trap water in the skin.
3. 3Spread a small amount of plain petroleum jelly over the dry areas. Choose pure petroleum jelly or a formula with minimal added ingredients.
4. 4Let the products settle for about 30 minutes before bed. A towel over your pillowcase can protect it from the ointment.
5. 5Wash your face the next morning to remove the petroleum jelly and anything that has collected on it overnight.

Vaseline is one way to moisturize dry skin, not a reason to expand the rest of your routine. Limit face washing to twice daily and after sweating to reduce irritation. During the day, protect exposed skin with sunscreen offering broad spectrum protection and SPF 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours or after swimming or sweating.2

Do you need to use it every night?

No. Overnight facial use, called slugging, is generally more useful during dry winter weather than warm, humid weather. A couple of consecutive nights can help dehydrated skin, but an every night routine is rarely necessary. Petroleum jelly reduces water loss and helps the skin's protective barrier recover.1

Who should skip facial slugging?

Skip facial slugging if your skin is oily, prone to acne, infected or has an open wound. Avoid trapping retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids beneath petroleum jelly because this can increase irritation. If slugging leaves your skin red or irritated, stop and see a dermatologist.1

How to use Vaseline on hands and nails

Apply hand cream, then cover it with a layer of petroleum jelly before sleep. Covering hand care with petroleum jelly is called nail slugging, which is a surprisingly elaborate name for putting a lid on moisture. Moisturize your hands during the day between exposure to water or hand sanitizer, too. Frequent washing and sanitizing can dry nails out. Leave cuticles alone rather than pushing them back or trimming them: they protect the new nail as it grows. Moisturizing your hands helps prevent ragged cuticles. Contact a doctor if the skin around a nail becomes red, swollen or sore, or the nail develops grooves or separates.3

Can you use Vaseline on a wound?

Petroleum jelly can help care for minor injuries. Directed wound care is different from coating an open wound as part of facial slugging. After a skin biopsy, follow your dermatologist's instructions; basic home care usually starts the next day. Wash your hands, gently clean the wound with mild soap and water, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Apply enough petroleum jelly from a squeeze tube to cover the wound, then cover it with an adhesive bandage or sterile gauze and paper tape. A tube reduces the risk of transferring germs from a jar. Repeat daily for as long as instructed. Moist, covered wounds heal faster; most biopsy wounds heal in 7 to 10 days, although lower legs can take longer. Call your dermatologist promptly for worsening pain, increased swelling, warmth, pus or fever.24

Keep petroleum jelly out of your eyes

If petroleum jelly gets into your eyes, flush them with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Swallowing large amounts or inhaling petroleum jelly can be harmful. For suspected poisoning, contact your local poison control service; do not induce vomiting unless instructed.5