Vaseline is one very popular ‘petroleum jelly’ brand that has been used for over 140 years as a healing balm/ointment for wounds, burns, and chafed skin. It contains a mixture of waxes and minerals that are highly proliferating. Similar to most byproducts of petroleum, Vaseline has a sleek, opaque texture.
Vaseline and the Skin
Many of us like to make use of Vaseline as a moisturizer (which is perfectly safe) but we need to understand that it doesn’t actually moisturize the skin – it only helps to lock in already existing moisture into your skin.
Vaseline can effectively do following;
- Help to protect injured or inflamed skin by sealing up and creating a film on affected areas.
- Serve as a great make-up remover.
- Prevent your lips from drying out or becoming chapped.
- Smoothen and slick out your eyebrows.
- Treat certain skin conditions like psoriasis.
- Lock in moisture into your face/skin.
However take note – Vaseline cannot and should not be used as an immediate treatment for sunburn or acne. This is because it may aggravate symptoms of sun damage and trigger acne out-breaks (especially on acne-prone skin types).
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Well, why then does Vaseline make your skin dark?
Vaseline is an oil-based product that seals in ‘already present’ moisture into your skin without actually hydrating your skin and in the process of sealing in moisture, it also locks in every other thing, including dirt and oils, that may be on the surface of the face/skin.
Therefore, the possible dehydration and locked up dirt can cause the face/skin to become darker.
Furthermore, Vaseline takes a while before it is finally absorbed by the top layer of the skin, thus, making it stay for a while – during this period of stay, external forces can act upon the Vaseline, thereby causing a reaction that may eventually darken the skin.
Now this is only a downside, Vaseline boasts many medically reviewed benefits.
You could try rubbing less amounts of the Vaseline on your face or skin and only after a clean bath.
For a deeper and more concise understanding of how Vaseline works on the skin, consult a dermatologist.
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