Incredible Vaseline Hacks To Save Time, Money, And Stress
We all know that you can rub a bit of Vaseline on your lips if they get chapped, and some of us might even know that petroleum jelly is made out of dead dinosaurs—well sort of. The process by which oil is made in the earth actually predates the dinosaurs, but we're sure some dinosaur DNA got caught up in the mix.
Petroleum jelly was invented when people harvesting oil from the ground noticed that a waxy substance was forming around their oil rigs. Chemist Robert Cheeseborogh distilled the wax down to jelly and started selling it as a moisturizer and a cure-all. He named his product Vaseline. Of course, this isn't a sponsored post, and you can do any of the things on this list with any old off-brand petroleum jelly. Keep reading to find out some unexpected uses for Vaseline.
Get Gum Out Of Your Hair
There are few things more frustrating in life than getting a wad of gum stuck in your hair. If this happens to you, never fear. You don't actually have to cut a chunk of your hair off. You can just rub some Vaseline (or off-brand petroleum jelly) around the gum and the hair that the gum is stuck to.
The Vaseline will lubricate the hair and the gum, and then you'll be able to slide the gum right out of your hair.
Help Earrings Glide Into Your Ears
Sometimes, if you haven't worn earrings in a long time, it can take a long time to actually find that tiny hole in your earlobe. Sometimes that tiny hole has closed up a little bit, and sticking a metal pin into it can be kind of painful.
You can help earring glide effortlessly and painlessly into your ear by rubbing a bit of petroleum jelly onto your earlobe first. The earring should slide in right away.
Keep Germs Away From Minor Cuts And Scrapes
When Robert Cheeseborough was developing his Vaseline product, he noticed that the substance had skin-healing properties. People working at the oil drilling site were already using the stuff to help treat cuts, scrapes, and burns. Cheeseborough knew that Vaseline could help a lot of people.
You can apply a bit of Vaseline to your cuts, bruises, and other abrasions to prevent infection and ward off dirt and germs. It doesn't have antiseptic properties but it does create a barrier between your body and the rest of this unsanitary world.
DIY A Body Scrub With Vaseline
Body scrubs can be quite expensive when you buy them from places like Lush or Sephora, but if you have Vaseline at home, you can DIY your own body scrub. Just mix two tablespoons of the product with one tablespoon of rock or sea salt. Then you can add in essential oils to give the mixture a pleasant scent.
Apply the solution to a loofa or directly onto your body. Rub it into your skin and then wash it off. You'll have smooth skin in no time. This stuff also works great as a pre-shaving exfoliant.
Keep Paint Right Where You Want It
Painter's tape works great for getting really straight, clean lines while you're painting your house, but sometimes paint splatters can still leak onto surfaces such as glass windows where you don't want any paint. If you apply a thin layer of Vaseline on your windows before you start painting, any paint that does end up on the glass will just wipe right off.
This lifehack is also great for when you don't have any painter's tape on hand.
Keep Your Eyebrows Under Control
Thick eyebrows are all the rage nowadays, but maintaining thick eyebrows can be a bit tricky. If you're in between threadings and your eyebrows are getting a little bit wild, you can use a little bit of Vaseline to keep stray hairs lying straight.
If you have a small tin of Carmex, you can use that to get the same results. Carmex is portable, so you can carry that tin around with you everywhere for whenever your eyebrows need a quick touch up.
Protect Your Skin
Vaseline was originally developed to be a skin salve. This stuff can soothe, moisturize, and soften your skin. It's a great product to put on cracked elbows, dry feet, or chapped lips. You can also use this stuff on children and animals. Vasaline is a great cure-all when it comes to skin conditions. It has even been known to soothe minor skin conditions like eczema.
If you have any kind of dry skin, Vaseline is going to be your best friend.
It's Perfect For Cracked Cuticles
People who have to wash their hands constantly at work (here's looking at you chefs, doctors, and nurses) are bound to get dry skin around their hands and fingers. Dry hands lead to cracked cuticles which are quite uncomfortable and unsightly.
If you rub Vaseline on your cuticles on a regular basis, it will promote healing and make your hands softer and more supple. Your hands will be manicure ready in no time at all.
Stop Your Feet (And Your Pets' Feet) From Cracking
We use our feet every day to walk, run, hike, dance, and exercise. It's no wonder that they often get so cracked and dry. To fix this issue, just rub some Vaseline on any dry patches of skin on your feet. After you apply the Vaseline, put on some socks to help the product sink into your skin.
Vaseline is also a great treatment to put on your pet's paws, especially if they're out walking a lot in the winter. Vaseline can protect their paws against snow and road salt.
Keep Your Face Hydrated
If you're prone to dry skin, you may have a nighttime moisturizing routine to keep it supple. Vaseline is great because it won't clog your pores. This may sound surprising because it appears very greasy; however, the product won't cause pimples.
Vaseline is non-comedogenic and is actually a really effective moisturizer. It doesn't soak into your skin like other facial products, so it's best to use at night so you can wipe it off in the a.m.
Soften Your Eyelashes
One of the facial features that we often overlook in our beauty routine is our eyelashes. It may seem hard to believe, but petroleum jelly is a great product to use on your eyelashes. All you need to do is put a drop on your lashes each night.
When you wake up in the morning, your lashes will be much softer. Vaseline is also a good substitute for mascara. It makes them slightly moist so your lashes look longer and darker.
Put Split Ends Back Together
You only need a tiny bit of Vaseline to disguise those pesky split ends. Simply dab a little bit of the product on the tips of your hair to hold you over until you can get to the beautician for a trim.
This gives your hair the same benefits as expensive conditioning products. And as an added bonus, using it on healthy hair can help prevent split ends from occurring!
Moisten Chapped Lips
Chapped lips can be really uncomfortable, but if you have a bit of Vaseline on hand you can take care of the problem in no time. Simply dab a little bit on and pucker up!
The company has its own line of Vaseline lip products, but you can get creative and make your own lip therapy. Simply take some Vaseline and add a little essential oil or Vitamin E for extra protection. Then use food coloring, eye shadow, or even lipstick to add some color. Voila! Instant lip balm.
Get An Even Tan
If you know what's good for you, stay out of the sun. Avoid suntanning and go for a bottled look instead. Unfortunately, self tanners can be a bit tricky to apply. To avoid streaks and orange patches of skin look no further than petroleum jelly.
Rub the Vaseline on trouble spots such as the ankles, hands, and behind the knees. The product will ensure that you get a more even tan. No one likes to have weird looking, orange streaks on their arms and legs.
Use It To Start A Fire
Unlike the oil that it comes from Vaseline is actually not flammable. You can still use the stuff to start a fire, though. Rub a cotton ball in some vaseline and use it as a fire starter on your next camping trip. When you light the cotton it will turn into a sort of candle. The cotton acts as the wick and the vaseline acts as the wax that helps the wick burn more slowly.
The slow-burning action will allow for the flame to catch onto the wood in your fire pit.
Make Your Scalp Less Itchy
There are many things that can cause an itchy scalp. You may have a skin condition or dandruff that makes it feel dry and prickly. Or perhaps you didn't have time to shampoo it, and you're starting to feel the adverse effects. The good news is that petroleum jelly can make it feel better.
All you need to do is massage the product into the dry areas on you scalp. This will eliminate any itching and irritation. It's a simple and quick solution to make your head feel much more comfortable.
Make Going To The Bathroom A Bit Easier
If you suffer from hemorrhoids or other backside-related health issues, petroleum jelly is a great product to relieve some of the problems associated with these conditions. If you massage a little bit of the jelly around your tush it can help facilitate the evacuation of waste by providing a smoother path.
While Vaseline won't take away any of the pain, it will help make the process move a little more efficiently. And let's face it — any bit of help in this sensitive area will make you feel a little bit better.
Stop You Thighs From Chaffing
Men in particular have a big problem with chafing when it comes to playing sports, but it can be bothersome for women as well. If you play soccer, basketball, go cycling, or take part in numerous other physical activities, you may need a lubricant to counter all the rubbing you may experience.
Use the petroleum jelly on areas such as your thighs, groin, and armpits before you go on the field or take a run around your neighborhood. Your body will thank you for it.
Remove Eye Makeup And Eyelash Glue
If you wear eyelash extensions, i.e., fake eyelashes, you know how troublesome the glue can be sometimes. To avoid yanking out your actual eyelashes, all you need to do is dab on a bit of petroleum jelly. The product helps counter the affects of the glue.
Put a little bit of Vaseline between your finger and thumb and rub the jelly on the lashes until they and the glue comes off. It's much more pleasant than pulling out the lashes.
Make Your Perfume Stronger
Sometimes your perfume or cologne can wear off rather quickly, particularly if you sweat. That's no fun if you're going out for the night and want to smell really nice for your date. To extend the life of your sweet-smelling perfume or cologne, mix it with Vaseline.
The trick? Dab a bit of Vaseline on your wrists and/or neck before spritzing your favorite scent on your body. This will give your perfume and cologne a bit more staying power.
Remove Heavy Foundation
If you wear a lot of makeup, you know how trying it can be to remove it at the end of the night before you jump into bed. Rather than simply washing it off with a face cloth (and staining the cloth with lipstick and eye shadow), use some petroleum jelly.
Just put a bit of Vaseline on a cotton swab or Q-tip and gently wipe it across your eyelids to remove the makeup. This will make it a lot easier to rinse it all off when you wash your face.
A Perfect Nail Polish Application Every Time
Unless you're a professional manicurist, polishing your fingernails and toes can be a slightly messy activity. But you can avoid some of the drips and excess nail polish with just a little bit of Vaseline.
Put some petroleum jelly on a cotton swab or Q-tip, and rub it around your cuticles. Then apply the polish. Any polish that goes outside of the nail will be easy to wipe off. And as a bonus the Vaseline will act as a moisturizer for your cuticles.
Keep Lipstick Off Your Teeth
If you've ever worn lipstick, then you've probably experienced the embarrassment that comes when you realize that your gorgeous red lip color has made its way to your teeth during a conversation. You can prevent that unfortunate situation from happening again with petroleum jelly.
You just want to apply a very thin layer of the Vaseline to your teeth before putting on your lipstick. This is a trick that beauty pageant contestants have used for years.
Keep Drawers From Sticking
Nothing is quite as frustrating as a stuck drawer when you need to get something out of it quickly. Luckily, petroleum jelly can help with that problem, too! Just apply a small amount of it to the drawer bottom. It will lubricate the surface and just like magic, the drawer should slide right open.
Vaseline also works with other things that get stuck, such as hinges, lids, rings, and more.
Keep Hair Dye Off Of Your Skin
Petroleum jelly also comes in handy when you're dying your hair. To keep the dye away from your hairline, wipe some Vaseline across your forehead so the dye doesn't drip down your face and into your eyes. And don't forget to get the tops and undersides of your ears, which are also areas the dye will touch.
Just be sure you don't put Vaseline in your actual hair because then the dye won't stick.
Add Some Shine
Petroleum jelly truly is a miracle product to keep around the house. You can use it on so many different things. It's great to use on items that you want to make shiny -- everything from leather, shoes, wood, and more will positively gleam after you treat them to a thin coat of Vaseline.
Keep in mind that it's always good to do a spot test first, especially on something like wood floors that will be costly to replace if any discoloration does occur.
A Perfect Dewy Highlighter
People who enjoy wearing makeup are well aware of the wonders of highlighting. A good highlighting job can completely transform your face and make your skin absolutely luminous!
There's no need to shell out big bucks for an expensive highlighter, though. A small dab of Vaseline in the right places does the trick for a fraction of the cost. Even professional makeup artists swear by this cheap but effective beauty hack.
Stop Battery Erosion
Car batteries are expensive to replace, but there's an inexpensive way to keep yours in good condition. You can use petroleum jelly to stop corrosive buildup on your car's battery terminals.
SImply apply a tablespoon of the petroleum jelly to both the positive and the negative posts after you've removed the battery cables. Be sure to use gloves for this task, and remember that the positive cable is red and the negative one is the black one.
Turn Powder Eyeshadows Into Creams
For special nights out, some people enjoy wearing more dramatic makeup than usual. An easy way to amp up the sex appeal of your eye makeup is to use a shiny, creamy shadow instead of a matte one.
But you don't need to purchase a whole slew of new cream shadows. Just mix a little dab of Vaseline in your everyday matte shadow and voilà! Now you have a custom creamy color to wow everyone with.
Keep Shampoo Out Of Your Eyes
Shampoo is a great thing! It cleans our hair and scalp and smells really good. Unfortunately, it's a huge irritant for our eyes -- which happen to be very close to our hair.
To prevent shampoo from getting into sensitive eyes, our handy product Vaseline comes to the rescue yet again. You'll just want to smear a thin line of it right above your brows. Now, the shampoo and soapy water will run down the sides of your face instead of straight down into your eyes.
Soft Elbows Forever
Why are our elbows so dry? There are a bunch of different reasons for dryness in the elbows. These include outdoor temperature and humidity levels, genes, diet, neglect, and many others.
Don't neglect your elbows! Use the magic of petroleum jelly to keep yours moisturized and supple. Bedtime is the perfect opportunity to treat your dry and cracked elbows to a dollop of Vaseline. They'll be nice and soft when you wake up.
Keep Nail Polish Bottles From Sealing Shut
We've already seen how a dab of Vaseline can help with nail polish application, but did you know that the product can be used to make your bottles easier to open?
It's easy. After you've finished using a bottle of nail polish, just wipe a small amount of petroleum jelly around the thread before putting the lid back on. This works for all sorts of bottles and jars, not just nail polish.
A Fresher Jack-O-Lantern For Longer
Nothing puts a damper on Halloween like when your Jack-o-Lantern gets rotten well before the holiday even arrives. You can prevent this from happening to your next masterpiece, though. What's the trick? You guessed it -- Vaseline.
Thomas Andres is a pumpkin expert at the New York Botanical Garden. He recommends this tip for preserving your creation. Just rub the petroleum jelly on it after you're done carving it up.
Get That Distressed Paint Look
Furniture with distressed paint is very popular these days. People even "flip" old furniture they find at thrift stores by painting it, distressing the finish with sanding, and reselling it for big bucks.
There's an easier way to distress paint, though. Just apply a little smear of Vaseline anywhere you want the distressed look, such as corners and edges. The paint won't adhere to those areas and you'll be left with that coveted "distressed" look, minus the distress of sanding for hours.
Get Rid Of Makeup Stains
Similar to how we've learned that Vaseline can help keep lipstick off your teeth, it can also remove lipstick stains from clothing and other fabrics. Just blot the petroleum jelly onto the offending stain before putting it into the washing machine as you usually would.
Vaseline also helps to take care of other stains, such as oil or wax. Be sure to test it in an inconspicuous spot before applying to a large area to be safe.
Get Rid Of Athlete's Foot
By now, you've learned about so many great uses for Vaseline that you probably plan to keep several jars of it around the house. Here's another use: it cures Athlete's Foot. It works by suffocating the fungus that causes the uncomfortable condition.
Just coat the affected foot (or feet) with a thick layer of petroleum jelly and let it go to work. As an extra bonus, your tootsies will feel really soft afterward too!
Keep Slugs Off Of Your Plants
Vaseline's amazing benefits extend all the way to the garden. If you mix a bit of petroleum jelly with some salt, you can apply it to the edges of your flower pots. This will keep pesky slugs and snails away.
You can use this technique anywhere that you don't want slugs, such as the borders of walkways and patios. People who have tried many other methods to keep slugs away swear that this way works the best.
Stop Diaper Rash In Its Tracks
Petroleum jelly is great for preventing diaper rash by keeping moisture away from a baby's sensitive skin. If your baby already has diaper rash, Vaseline can help with that too. After a bath, dry your baby thoroughly and apply a generous amount of the petroleum jelly before putting on a new diaper.
The Vaseline acts as a barrier between the rash and any wetness, which will allow the rash to heal.
Remove Stuck On Wax
If waxing is your go-to method of hair removal, then you're probably familiar with the unpleasantness of having bits of the wax stuck to you after the process is over. A little bit of petroleum jelly can take care of the problem.
Simply put some Vaseline on a cotton ball or pad and apply it anyplace there's still wax on the skin. And it will give you a nice moisturizing benefit, too!
Treat Water Marks And Imperfections On Wooden Furniture
Home repair expert Bob Vila recommends this technique for fixing minor scratches, stains, or water marks on wood. Just cover the area with a thick layer of petroleum jelly and let it sit for about 24 hours.
The next day, wipe the jelly away, rub the reside into the wood, and apply your regular furniture polish to the entire area so everything looks blended together. Just like that, your furniture will look new again.
