Aquaphor is one of the most popular skincare brands in the world, and mostly sells healing ointments. The brand claims that their products create a protective barrier and an “ideal healing environment” for skin.
But do Aquaphor products contain research-backed ingredients for skin healing and moisturizing, or are these just marketing claims? Does the brand use any questionable additive ingredients? What retailer sells Aquaphor for the best price? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Aquaphor products?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Aquaphor Healing Ointment based on medical studies to give our take on whether the product is likely to be effective, or if it’s a waste of money.
We’ll provide a cost comparison featuring the retailer that sells Aquaphor Healing Ointment for the best price, and feature customer reviews of the product.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Aquaphor Healing Ointment are shown above.
This is a simple formulation, and does contain research-backed ingredients for promoting skin healing.
Petrolatum is the active ingredient, and was shown in a 2016 clinical trial to optimize skin barrier function, and to upregulate antimicrobial peptides in skin.
Glycerin is included as an inactive ingredient, but may have synergistic effects with petrolatum.
A clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that a cream containing glycerin and petrolatum “presented combined effects” and increased skin hydration and reduced skin dryness.
Panthenol is a type of B-vitamin that’s clinically shown to increase skin moisture content, as we documented in our review of another cosmetic product containing this ingredient called The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid.
Bisabolol is a plant-derived compound shown in a 2014 clinical trial to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
There are no unhealthy additives in this formulation. No fragrances, artificial dyes, or synthetic preservatives. The simplicity and purity of this formulation is one of its benefits.
Overall, we consider Aquaphor likely to improve dry skin, to increase skin moisture content and to aid in skin barrier repair.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment is one of the best commercial skincare products we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health, and we recommend it from a formulation perspective.
But how do real users rate and describe the effects of Aquaphor? We’ll review in the next section.
Real People Try Aquaphor
A TikTok creator named Nicole explains how she uses Aquaphor and the benefits she’s experienced:
@nikkmatt Reply to @lace051 #over30 #over30sclub #antiagingskincare #skincaretips #over30tiktok ♬ original sound - Nicole
A TikTok channel called “Clean Girl Hacks” shares an interview with Megan Thee Stallion explaining why she uses Aquaphor every day after showering:
@cleangirlhacks Aquaphor is a game changer #cleangirl #skincareroutine #skincaretips #SelfCareRoutine #selfcarecheck #skincare101 #skintok #megantheestallion #beautysecrets ♬ original sound - Clean Girl Hacks
Where to Get the Best Price
Here’s a price breakdown for the 14-ounce jar of Aquaphor Healing Ointment at the time of publishing this article:
Walmart: $18.37 (plus shipping, link)
Target: $18.39 (free shipping, link)
Rite Aid: $17.99 (link)
Amazon: $15.97 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)
18 Surprising Ways to Use Aquaphor
A YouTube video from POPSUGAR with over 70,000 views shares 18 surprising ways to use Aquaphor in only 90 seconds:
Real Customers Review Aquaphor
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment has been reviewed over 83,000 times on Amazon with an impressive average review rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Shaina” who suggests the product can heal any minor skin issue:
“I use it for EVERYTHING. My lips, eyebrows, body moisturizer, heel softener, I place it on my minor, small cuts and it relieves the dryness and irritation so well…You can use this ANYWHERE. And I have super sensitive skin and this is the best thing ever!”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “A reader” who claims the product is uncomfortable to use:
“It goes on super sticky and stays that way. Eventually, it gets a tiny bit less sticky... but only to become greasier…this nasty product remained on the surface of my skin and did not absorb at all, even an hour later. It coated the inside of my bathrobe, which ended up a sticky mess that had to be immediately washed in hot water (after I literally had to peel it off my body.) It coated the slipcover on my sofa.”
Does Aquaphor Help Tattoos Heal?
Because of the healing claims made by the brand, many consumers are curious about whether Aquaphor can be used to help tattoos heal.
A YouTube creator named Alyssa Nicole has a video with over 400,000 views explaining how she uses Aquaphor along with two other popular skincare products to help heal new tattoos:
Our Clean Skincare Picks
Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top anti-aging serum.
It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.
Ritual HyaCera is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains wheat oil extract which is clinically shown to "improve skin damages induced by aging."
Both of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Pros and Cons of Aquaphor
Here are the pros and cons of Aquaphor in our opinion:
Pros:
- Many research-backed ingredients
- Zero unhealthy additive ingredients
- Should improve skin hydration
- Should help with dry skin
- Should help repair skin barrier
- Extremely affordable
- Simple formulation
- May help tattoos heal
Cons:
- Hard to find unsponsored user reviews
