• What Is Petrolatum?
• Petrolatum For Skin: What Does It Do?
• Frequently Asked Questions on Petrolatum In Skin Care Products

When it comes to skin care, there are some  products that have  stood the test of time and lasted for decades. Petroleum jelly  is one of them. You can find it in most households and it’s used by young and old alike. In fact, your grandmother must have told you that using petroleum jelly for skin can moisturise your lips, exfoliate, and remove wrinkles. In your growing years, most of you might have used it and  still  have a  container lying around somewhere in your house. But are they really safe to use or is petroleum jelly or petrolatum bad for skin? Let’s find out. 

What Is Petrolatum?

We all think of petrolatum as a petroleum jelly for skin, which is quite different. How is petrolatum unique in relation to petroleum jelly? extremely. Combined with waxes and mineral oils, petrolatum is a semi-solid, jelly-like substance. In the nearly 150 years since Robert Augustus Chesebrough discovered it, the product hasn't changed much. Petrolatum goes through a severe cleaning process that eliminates all its harmful, dreadful chemicals before it's added to skincare items. The final result isn't harmful at all but most people do experience petroleum jelly side effects on their skin. So should we consider petroleum jelly bad for skin? Let's find out.

Petrolatum For Skin: What Does It Do?

• Moisturises the skin: Petrolatum slows down water loss, keeping the skin hydrated for longer. Just to clarify, petrolatum slows down water loss and does not prevent it. Petrolatum restricts water from leaving your skin, but not completely. Some water still escapes from your skin, very slowly.
  
  
• Strengthens the skin: It also helps prevent germs from entering your body as well as keeps pollutants and harsh temperatures from damaging your skin.
  
  
• Acts as a Skin-Protectant: It briefly shields harmed skin from destructive sources that can cause rashes, scratches, and a wide range of things that lull the mending system. You may find your skin to be flaky, red, and irritated if your skin’s protective barrier is broken. The soothing layer will also help your skin heal more quickly if it can more easily withstand the irritants.
  With so many pros to petrolatum, there are few cons and myths too. Let us  bust some of the common myths around petrolatum below and understand  why many consider petroleum jelly bad for skin. 

Petrolatum Clogs Pores And Causes Acne: True

Petrolatum is thick and oily and it clogs pores and gives you skin inflammation. Petrolatum itself is non-comedogenic. In any case, it can trap comedogenic ingredients in - and that can cause breakouts. One of the petroleum jelly side effects is that it  creates a defensive barrier on the skin that traps dampness in. This barrier additionally traps in serums, abundance sebum, and whatever is on your skin at that point.

If you're using petrolatum on freshly cleansed skin, you are doing it right. Yet, in the event that you slather it on a serum/cream with oil or some other comedogenic ingredients, they'll be caught under the skin, where they obstruct pores and cause breakouts, which is why petrolatum is bad for skin that easily flares up.

Petrolatum rests on top of the skin: True 

One of the petrolatum side effects on skin is that it is a lubricant, which forms a protective film over the skin. On one hand, it is a moisturiser, but on the other, other skin care ingredients can be difficult to penetrate deeper in the layers of the skin to make them work. 

Cosmetic-grade petrolatum causes cancer: False

Impure petrolatum contains chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), so cosmetic-grade petrolatum isn't thought to cause cancer. The difference between cosmetic-grade petrolatum and impure petrolatum is that cosmetic-grade petrolatum meets standards for purification, so, if anything, cosmetic petrolatum is hypoallergenic.

Petrolatum isn't as harmful as you think- clean grade petrolatum is, overall, safe. The main two substantial worries, however, are ways that petrolatum should not be utilised with disturbing ingredients like lanolin, squalene, isopropyl myristate, and mineral oil. You must also check out our blog on harmful chemicals in skincare to get the list of all the chemicals that need to be avoided in skin care products. Beauty care products organisations are turning out to be progressively better with regards to doing exactly that.

If you are still wondering if you need to switch to cleaner skincare, the answer is yes. Coco Soul Body Butter Cream is made with Indian Ayurvedic wisdom, organic Shea Butter & Lodhra, Virgin King Coconut based Oil, and ancient Ayurvedic wisdom. This petroleum-free moisturiser from Coco Soul's skin care products range is packed with rich, nourishing formulas formulated with organic ingredients to nourish and hydrate your skin. Just like petrolatum, mineral oil is just another chemical that is bad for skin. Head over to our blog on the side-effects of prtrolatum in skincare to learn why mineral oil is bad for skin.

Taking full advantage of the antioxidant power of virgin coconut based oil and precious herbs, this natural body butter cream is ultra-luxurious, lightweight, and a powerhouse of antioxidants. As a bonus, it smells like heaven and works like magic.

Frequently Asked Questions on Petrolatum In Skin Care Products:

1. What does petrolatum do to your skin? 
   

   Petrolatum ideally works to protect your skin by sealing it with a barrier that keeps out water, allowing your skin to heal and stay moisturised. 
   
   

2. Can petrolatum clog pores?

   Despite its greasiness, petroleum jelly side effects are quite common for acne-prone skin, but there's no conclusive proof that it clogs pores and causes breakouts.
   
   

3. Alternatives to petrolatum in skin care?

• Unrefined Coconut Oil. Unrefined coconut oil is extracted from the kernels of the seeds of the coconut
• Cocoa Butter
• Shea Butter
• Olive Oil
• Jojoba Oil