A Must.

Now the winter tyres are on the car, the ice and snow clearing equipment is on standby in the garage (we don’t want to get caught out this year….), indoors the central heating is belting out we are suffering again. Dry flaky skin. If you are not able to solve the problem with your carefully selected products (I hope at least that that was successful with the help from advice in my blog), there is one last resort. The good old fashioned jar of Vaseline. A must!

Vaseline: a must!

What very few people realise is that virtually all scientific research into the hydrating properties of skincare ingredients are being compared to petroleum jelly (in other words vaseline). This substance is really the champion re-hydrater!
Why then, you are probably thinking, is it not found in all skincare products? The answer is simple: your skin feels sticky and it makes your forehead shiny. More importantly, long term use of vaseline will make your skin become over hydrated (yes that can also happen) and different processes in your skin will work less efficiently. But it is perfect as a “troubleshooter”. A couple of tips:

• Use it at night. This way you won’t frighten others around you!
• Dampen your skin before applying it
• Smear a thin layer over your normal moisturiser once in a while in the daytime.

And for those of you who think that using vaseline gives you acne; vaseline doesn’t block the pores. There are more than enough studies where this has been established (abstract/ Cosmeceuticals, Zoe Diane Draelos, 2009). The chances of getting an allergic reaction to petroleum jelly is also very small. So you see why I call a jar of Vaseline a must?

Regards Jetske
(Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)

Read also:
‘Such Dry Skin…’
‘Make Your Own Mask’
‘Myth: A Night Cream Is Only for at Night’
‘Effects of Stress on Your Skin’
and the blog ‘Babycare’