Petroleum jelly (commonly referred to by the brand name Vaseline) has been around since the 1870s and is an FDA-approved over-the-counter skin protectant, widely used in cosmetic skin care. However, some doctors believe this petroleum-based product ispotentially harmful because it can be difficult for your body to eliminate, sometimes causing toxic buildup in various organs.
So you have some choices! Which is a good thing…because whether you make your own, buy an alternative, or have a big tub of Vaseline in your bathroom cabinet right now….there are A LOT of ways you can use this versatile substance every day!
- Soften dry, chapped feet and hands by applying a liberal amount of jelly to them just before you go to bed and then putting on cotton socks and/or gloves. By morning, they’ll be soft and smooth. Put on your elbows too!
- Put a coat on your eyelashes before you go to bed. Lots of people swear by this – and say it will make your lashes grow longer and thicker over time.
- Use jelly as mascara! Apply it with your fingers on your eyelashes. It goes on clear and still gives your lashes volume.
- Eye-shadow/blush boost. Apply some under your eye shadow for a glossy effect. Apply on the apples of your cheeks for a dewy glow. Mix with lipstick for a cream blusher!
- Or, mix some jelly in with a bit of loose eye shadow powder. Make a pasty substance and apply it to your lips for the custom lipstick color of your choice.
- Lengthen the life of perfume by applying some jelly to the points where you spray your perfume, then spray your perfume on top of it.
- Control unruly eyebrows by rubbing just a tiny bit into your brows to make them behave.
- Heal wind-burned skin. Apply jelly liberally to your face or wherever you’ve been chapped.
- Have a matte lipstick that would look better shiny? Line your lips with a lip liner then mix some of your lipstick with a dab of jelly on the back of your hand. Apply it with a lip brush.
- Make flavored lip gloss by combining jelly with powdered Kool-aid. Or make a CHOCOLATE lip gloss by combining a chocolate chip with a dab of jelly in the microwave and applying to lips. Lip smacking good!
- Make a wonderful and inexpensive exfoliator! Just mix jelly with a bit of sugar or sea salt and scrub away!
- Use it to exfoliate your lips too! Put jelly on your lips and leave it on for a few minutes. Then scrub lips with a toothbrush and wipe off.
- Soothing shoe blisters. Smear on a little bit of jelly on the parts of the shoe that rub against your foot. Bye bye blisters!
- For back pain, heat the jelly in the microwave until it gets slightly warm. Have someone massage it into your back for a nice warming effect.
- Unstick a stuck ring! Apply jelly with a Q-tip around the ring area and gently move it back and forth, until it starts to slide off.
- To soothe a fever, put the jelly in the freezer for 5 minutes, then smooth it on your forehead.
- Relieve razor burn by applying some cold jelly (leave it in the freezer for 5 minutes) to your legs directly after shaving. A soothing moisturizer that provides your legs with a nice, healthy glow.
- If you have nail polish bottles that just won’t open, rub some jelly on the neck of the bottle next time and they won’t get stuck.
- Brighten up a dull complexion by applying some jelly to the top of your cheek bones, under your brow bones, and above your upper lip. This will brighten up the whole face and give it a dewy glow.
- To protect a new tattoo, rub jelly on it before taking a shower to prevent the ink from getting blotchy. Wipe it off after you get out of the shower so it doesn’t draw the ink out from the skin.
- Hide split ends, or just give your hair some much deserved shine! Apply it SPARINGLY to your top layer of your hair or use just a little bit on the ends of your hair to glue together split ends.
- If you have squirrels that eat your birdseed from the bird feeder, apply some Vaseline to the pole that holds it up or to the perches that the birds sit on, the squirrels will slide right off.
- If you have pets that have cracked paw pads, rub a little jelly on their pads.
- Dry nose? Apply some around the chapped area. Have allergies? Apply some jelly around your nostrils, and use a Q-tip to apply some on the inside. This will help prevent pollen and other allergens from entering your nose.
- Add a very small amount of jelly to your purse or shoes to restore shine again.
- Prevent hair dye from seeping onto your forehead. Softly dab jelly all over your hairline to keep hair dye from dying your forehead the color of your new hairdo and protect your skin from coming in contact with the chemicals in the dye.
- Use it on bruises, scabs, cuts, and other minor injuries to help heal them faster. It’s not a disinfectant, so it won’t sting, but it will prevent dirt and other things that can cause an infection from entering the cut.
- Use to remove candle wax. Apply it around the edges of the wax and let it sink in for a few seconds. Wipe away with a paper towel or cloth.
- If you have a squeaky hinge, dab some jelly on it and it should stop.
- Loosen a stiff bike chain by applying jelly to the chain and riding the bike around so that the whole chain gets coated.
- Use it as fly paper! Heat some up then pour a little into the lids of some jars. Place the lids in places where you see flies or other small bugs, they will get stuck in it.
- Massage into dry cuticles.
- Prevent car battery corrosion. Before winter starts, disconnect the terminals and clean them with a wire brush. Reconnect, then smear with petroleum jelly. The jelly will prevent corrosion and help keep the battery cranking all winter long.
- Remove chewing gum from hair. Apply jelly and work into the hair until the gum slides off.
- Stop a faucet from screeching. Remove the handle and stem, and coat both sets of metal threads with jelly.
- Repair stains, rings, and minor scratches in wood furniture. Cover each scratch with a liberal coat of jelly, let sit for 24 hours, rub into wood, wipe away excess, and polish as usual.
- Lubricate roller skate and skateboard wheels. Smear jelly around the cylinders on the wheels so they roll faster.
- Revive dried leather. Jelly, rubbed into a baseball glove, softens the leather.
- Key won fit into a rusty lock and you can’t find the WD-40? Spread it all over the key very thinly and it should slide right in.
- Keep ants away from pet food bowls. Spread a thin layer around the outer sides of the container all the way to the ground! Ants won’t cross the jelly and your pet can eat or drink in peace.
- Avoid splattered paint on windows, metal work, and floors. Before painting a room, dip a Q-tip in jelly and run it around the edges of the glass; coat door hinges, doorknobs, lock latches; and spread a thin coat of jelly along a linoleum or tile floor (obviously not carpet) where it meets the wall. Paint smears will wipe off with a cloth.
- Keep shower curtains sliding easily. Apply a thin coat of jelly to the curtain rod.
- Help prevent diaper rash. Apply a thin coat of jelly to a baby’s clean bottom before putting a fresh diaper on.
- Prevent outdoor light bulbs from sticking in fixtures. To make removal easy, rub a thin coat of jelly on the threads before inserting the bulbs.
- Stop refrigerator shelves from sticking. Coat the edges of the shelves with jelly so the racks glide easily.
- Keep shampoo from getting in a baby’s eyes. Rub a line of jelly above the eyebrows so shampoo runs off to the side.
- Removes foot odor if you don’t have soap and water available. Smear a thin layer over the feet and between the toes. Put feet in a stationary position and let the jelly soak in for about 15 minutes. Wipe off with a dry cloth.
- Remove chewing gum from wood. Squeeze some jelly on the offending wad, rub it in until the gum starts to disintegrate, then remove.
- Restore leather jackets. Apply, rub it in, wipe off the excess, and you’re ready to go.
- Protect stored chrome. Take some jelly and apply it to the chrome parts of the equipment. When it’s time to take the items out of storage, they’ll be rust-free.
- Lubricate cabinets and windows. With a small paintbrush, apply jelly to the window sash channel and cabinet door runners.
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