Vaseline is used to relieve dry skin, particularly on the body. But many consumers are curious about whether it can improve skin quality and hydration on the face as well.

Does Vaseline contain research-backed ingredients for improving facial skin quality and reducing signs of aging? Does it contain any unhealthy additives? What does a dermatologist say about using Vaseline on the face? And is it better or worse than other popular products like Aquaphor?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Vaseline to give our take on whether or not it’s good for the face.

We'll also feature a dermatologist's review of Vaseline use on the face, and compare Vaseline to other popular facial treatments to pick our winners.

Key takeaways:

• Active ingredient has a significant hydrating effect
• No unhealthy additives
• We consider Vaseline to be good for your face

Ingredient Analysis

Vaseline is unique in that it only contains one ingredient, as shown below:

White petrolatum has been studied in clinical trials.

A 2016 clinical trial investigated the effects of petrolatum on skin, and the researchers found that this ingredient had an antimicrobial effect and supported skin barrier repair.

A clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology also found that Vaseline supports skin barrier repair, and suggests that it may have a hydrating effect, describing its mechanism of action as trapping water under the skin’s surface.

A 2016 medical review found that petrolatum reduces water loss from the skin by up to 98% when applied topically.

Petrolatum was also shown to protect skin against environmental irritants in a clinical trial published in the Dermatology journal.

Based on the available research, we consider Vaseline to be good for the face and to help protect skin and "lock in" moisture.

We have not come across any clinical trials suggesting that petrolatum, the active ingredient in Vaseline, has any toxic or harmful effects.

Dermatologist on Vaseline for Face

A popular YouTube creator and dermatologist named “Dr Dray” has a video about using Vaseline on the face that answers questions about whether the product clogs pores, if it’s safe, how to properly apply it and more:

Vaseline vs. Popular Facial Products

Here's how Vaseline compares to other popular facial products in terms of helping to support facial moisturization, in our opinion:

Bubble Moisturizer

Contains a synthetic preservative that's clinically shown to be harmful to human cells.

We prefer Vaseline's simple formulation.

Winner: Vaseline

Aquaphor

This brand, like Vaseline, is a highly popular skincare product made primarily with petroleum jelly.

The key difference from a health perspective is that Aquaphor contains several inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy, as we documented in our Aquaphor reviews article.

Winner: Vaseline

Coconut Oil

While coconut oil is a natural, whole food, it's also shown to be comedogenic.

This means it can clog pores, and we consider the risk of this to be higher than Vaseline.

Winner: Vaseline

Conclusion

We consider Vaseline to be a good option for facial use based on a review of the clinical research backing its active ingredient, petrolatum.

This ingredient has been clinically shown to improve skin water content (hydration), help repair the skin barrier and protect against irritants.

One major benefit of Vaseline for use on the face is that it’s free of any unhealthy additives like fragrance or synthetic preservatives. Facial skin can be thinner and more sensitive, and can be especially reactive to such additives in cosmetics.

Most of the online user reviews of Vaseline for the face were positive, with some users noting benefits like reduced acne.

We consider Vaseline to be a better option for facial moisturization than Aquaphor, Bubble Moisturizer and coconut oil.