Natural Alternatives to Petroleum Jelly

Waxelene, $17

Waxelene, with its familiar-sounding name, is marketed as the number-one petroleum jelly alternative. The claim? Whatever you use petroleum jelly for, Waxelene is the natural substitute—for everything from moisturizing skin and reducing diaper rash irritation, to protecting against chapped lips. The list goes on.

Waxelene's cruelty-free ingredients include vitamin E oil, beeswax, organic rosemary and organic soy. According to the brand, the beeswax is unbleached and raw, and it contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant benefits. Rosemary oil improves blood circulation, and with its anti-bacterial properties, works as a natural preservative. Natural unrefined vitamin E oil also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and helps protect skin.

Waxelene softens the skin, and thankfully, it does so without the waxy, greasy feel (and smell) of petroleum jelly. 

Jao, Goe Oil, $52

Jao really hit it out of the park with their Goe Oil. Made of Jojoba oil but with 28 natural ingredients, it's managed to make a name for itself online as one of the best alternatives to petroleum jelly.

Jao's Goe Oil is semi-solid, but is light and absorbs into the skin quickly. Like petroleum jelly, it's multi-purpose, so it's great to have around in case you need something moisturizing that glides on with ease. Plus, it smells like monoi, a warm Tahitian gardenia and coconut scent—much better than petroleum.

Simple Skin Softener

Ingredients

4-ounces olive oil

1-ounce shaved beeswax

OR

4-ounces almond oil

1-ounce shaved beeswax

Directions

Melt beeswax in a double boiler at low heat. Heat until the wax has melted and stir in the oil. Remove from heat. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Grapefruit seed extract can also be added as a preserver. Pour into a sterile, heatproof glass jar. Let cool before covering.

About the ingredients:

Beeswax acts as a humectant and is found in numerous body and lip balms. It helps lock moisture in the skin and provides a protective coating from the environment. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, and is often used with other skincare ingredients to treat eczema and psoriasis.

Olive oil contains vitamins A, E and polyphenols that provide anti-aging benefits by protecting the skin against free radical damage and aids in skin cell repair. Olive oil contains squalene, which may regulate sebum secretions. It is also proven to help with healing wounds and acne scars.

Almond oil is excellent for moisturizing and softening the skin. The non-greasy oil is high in oleic, linoleic and other fatty acids. It can be used to treat dry, chapped skin and helps relieve skin irritation, rashes, and burns. It also helps acne-prone skin, eczema, and reduces the appearance of stretch marks and dark under-eye circles.

Healing Emollient Cream

Ingredients

4-ounces cocoa butter

4-ounces almond oil

2-ounces shaved beeswax

Directions

Melt beeswax and cocoa butter in a double boiler until melted. Stir in almond oil. Remove from heat. Pour into a heatproof glass jar. Let cool before covering.

About the ingredients:

Cocoa butter is well-known as a moisturizer for dry skin. It is considered an occlusive that provides a coating on the skin, creating a protective barrier and slowing the natural escape of moisture from the skin, making it a natural replacement for petroleum jelly. It also helps relieve irritation and inflammation of the skin and therefore, is good for conditions like eczema. Cocoa butter is often used to reduce scars and stretch marks. Though it is not proven that it actually gets rid of stretch marks, it does increase skin elasticity, improving the appearance of the skin.

Cocoa Butter & Jojoba Skin Protector

Ingredients

4-ounces cocoa butter

4-ounces jojoba oil

2-ounces shaved beeswax

Directions

Melt beeswax and cocoa butter in a double boiler until melted and stir in jojoba oil (and essential oil if using) into the mixture. Then pour into a glass jar and let it cool down before covering.