Common Name(s): Petroleum jelly,vaseline,white petrolatum

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides maximum skin occlusion for severe dry skin and barrier-compromised conditions with proven wound healing.

Why It's Used: The gold standard occlusive – the most effective tewl-reducing ingredient with the most extensive wound healing clinical evidence of any single cosmetic ingredient.

How It Works: Hydrocarbon wax/oil mixture forms impermeable film preventing water evaporation from skin (up to 98-99% tewl reduction). creates moist wound healing environment promoting faster re-epithelialization. chemically completely inert – no skin reactions.

Typically Found In: Wound healing,dry skin,lip balms,occlusive moisturizers,baby diaper creams

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Functional ingredient – petroleum jelly occlusive

Secondary Functions: Barrier sealing,softening

Application Areas:

Typical Concentration Range: 1%–100%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional - supplier confirmation required

Halal Status: Unverified - supplier confirmation required

Source Notes: Pharmaceutical-grade white petrolatum (usp) is required for wound healing applications. highly refined to eliminate potential carcinogenic pah fraction. vaseline is the branded pharmaceutical-grade petrolatum. [audit 2026-07-29 rev2: the record's own source_notes does not assert a non-animal origin, or instructs the reader to verify with the supplier; "yes" asserts knowledge the record does not hold. determination requires shariah-panel sign-off.]

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Petrolatum's near-complete tewl occlusion (98%) vs typical cosmetic moisturizers (30-50%) explains its clinical superiority for severe dry skin (xerosis, eczema, ichthyosis). a head-to-head comparison of petrolatum vs advanced moisturizers for atopic dermatitis consistently shows petrolatum provides equivalent or superior outcomes at a fraction of the cost, establishing it as the 'gold standard' baseline for dry skin therapy.

Last Verified: 2026-03-12

Primary Sources: Cosing database,loden petrolatum review,cir safety assessment