Why does Aquaphor get watery?

Is the liquid actually water?

Aquaphor Healing Ointment contains 41% petrolatum, plus mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin alcohol, panthenol, glycerin and bisabolol. It is a mixture, not a container of pure petrolatum. Water is not listed among the ingredients on the US label.4

A thin liquid coming out first is consistent with some liquid material separating from the thicker mixture, but appearance cannot identify which component it is. Watery describes what comes out of the tube, not a chemical identification, however convincing the puddle looks.1

Does heat explain the change?

Heat is a plausible explanation for a softer ointment. In general, ointment manufacturing involves heating petrolatum and waxes until they melt, mixing in liquid components, then cooling the mixture to room temperature. The structure that keeps an ointment thick depends on how its components are mixed and cooled.1

Uniform softness and a separate stream of liquid are different observations: one describes the whole ointment becoming thinner, while the other suggests uneven distribution of its components. Those are general formulation explanations, not a confirmed diagnosis of your tube. There is no confirmed Aquaphor specific temperature or recovery time to give here.1

What should you do with a watery tube?

1. 1Check the exact product name and the ingredients on your packaging. Aquaphor updates ingredients, and the packaging takes priority over website ingredient information.
2. 2Describe whether the ointment is uniformly thinner or whether liquid comes out separately from thicker material.
3. 3Contact Aquaphor at 1 800 227 4703 about the changed texture before deciding whether to keep using that tube. Ask whether it should be replaced and whether any remixing method is appropriate.

Do not treat the texture change alone as proof that the ointment is spoiled, safe, ineffective or restored by shaking. The word "healing" on the pack does not answer a question about a separated tube, because product names are not troubleshooting departments.1

If you continue using Aquaphor

The usual label direction is to apply as needed to protect and help relieve chapped or cracked skin and lips. Keep Aquaphor out of your eyes, and do not use it on deep or puncture wounds, animal bites or serious burns. Stop using it and ask a doctor if the condition worsens, lasts more than 7 days, or clears and returns within a few days.4