If your lips are ever dry, cracked, or perpetually peeling, chances are you’ve slabbed on a layer of Vaseline lip balm for quick relief. Petroleum jelly (aka petrolatum), its main ingredient, is the lip-care equivalent of a plain white tee: functional, unfussy, and relied upon for generations. But lately, chatter online has sparked questions about whether it actually does anything—or even causes harm. So are products that contain petroleum jelly actually good for your lips, or is this a habit we need to kick?
Does petroleum jelly moisturize your lips?
Some of petroleum jelly’s bad PR stems from the idea that it’s not technically a moisturizer to begin with. By definition, it’s actually an occlusive—meaning it creates a physical barrier to prevent moisture loss rather than actively adding hydration, says Jeremy Fenton, MD, board-certified dermatologist and medical director at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City and Long Beach, New York.
Lips are notoriously bad at retaining moisture since they don’t have a thick layer of skin cells on the surface to protect them. That’s where petroleum jelly earns its keep. “It helps to moisturize in that it allows the skin to retain and replenish its own moisture without battling against the constant transepidermal water loss (TEWL) that occurs without an occlusive,” says Dr. Fenton. It also has emollient properties that smooth and soften dry, dehydrated, or cracking lips, says Ava Shamban, MD, board-certified dermatologist and the founder of AVA MD in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, California.
The bottom line: Petrolatum helps seal in existing moisture, soften the lips, and keep everyday dryness in check—but it doesn’t exactly hydrate on its own.
Is it safe to use?
Another claim floating around is that petroleum jelly products are toxic or unsafe. Because they originate from petroleum refining (as does gasoline), some assume they must be carcinogenic—but experts say that fear is largely misplaced.
“If you are talking about a brand like Vaseline or Aquaphor sold by the hundreds of millions of tubes, jars, vials, and sticks, it may have an origin as a petroleum-based product, but it has been highly-processed and refined to remove the impurities that would be toxic or unhealthy,” says Dr. Shamban. It’s also hypoallergenic, widely used for wound care in hospital settings, and safe enough to use on babies. Plus, it can’t go deeper than the top layer of skin so it doesn’t get absorbed systemically, adds Dr. Fenton. “Properly refined petroleum carries virtually no risk of carcinogenicity,” he says. That said, both derms advise sticking to major, reputable brands for optimal safety and quality assurance.
Should you use petroleum jelly for your lips?
There’s no need to toss your tubs if you have them on hand, as petrolatum certainly won’t exacerbate dryness. “As it seals and prevents moisture loss, it allows the natural hydration that is being produced in the tissue to remain and allows the skin on the lips to recover,” says Dr. Fenton. Plus, David Kim, MD, board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Soho Dermatology in New York City, champions the ingredient outright. “Vaseline Lip Therapy is the best lip balm, period,” he says. “There is nothing else that works nearly as well to moisturize the lips.”
Yet if your lips are extremely dry, adding a prep step can help. Drs. Fenton and Shamban suggest applying a humectant—such as hyaluronic acid or polyglutamic acid (PGA)—to introduce a surge of hydration before sealing it in with petrolatum.
Alternative lip care to consider
Drs. Fenton and Kim agree that petrolatum is hard to beat. But if you want options, a few ingredients are worth seeking out.
Beeswax, for one, has a stickier texture than petroleum jelly, which helps it stay put longer and cuts down on reapplication, Dr. Fenton says. He also recommends shea butter for its supreme moisturizing benefits. Both ingredients are included in Aquaphor’s Lip Repair, which topped GQ’s list of the best lip balms. He’s also a fan of Jack Black Lip Balm with SPF 25, which combines petrolatum, shea butter, avocado oil, antioxidants, and broad-spectrum sun protection.
Jack Black intense therapy lip balm
A hot vaxxed summer with masks off means you'd better get some good-ass lip balm with SPF.
Dr. Kim also calls out ceramides—a tried-and-true staple to strengthen the skin barrier—as another standout ingredient for lip care. They appear alongside shea butter in the Allies of Skin Peptide and Ceramide Repair Lip Balm, and with hydrating glycerin and soothing panthenol in the Dr. Jart Ceramidin Lip Balm.
Lanolin is another strong alternative in the fight against dry lips, says Dr. Shamban. A key ingredient in Aquaphor’s Healing Ointment, it works as an emollient, occlusive, and humectant all in one. “It can mimic lipids in the skin that can penetrate the stratum corneum [i.e., the outermost layer of the skin] so it will both hold moisture and seal it in, too,” she says. (Some people are allergic to lanolin, warns Dr. Kim, so exercise caution if you’re sensitive to or unfamiliar with the ingredient.)
Just as important as what to look for is what to avoid. If your lips are dry or reactive, Dr. Fenton advises sticking with minimal-ingredient formulas and skipping fragrances and dyes. Meanwhile, Dr. Shamban recommends avoiding flavors, alcohols, and mint, which can aggravate severely chapped lips or cheilitis (a type of lip inflammation that causes cracking and scaling, especially at the corners of the mouth). “Also, don’t fall for the beef tallow varieties,” she adds. “There’s nothing to see here.”