Oh, Aquaphor. My skin-care routine has changed (multiple times, in fact) over the past decade or so, but there are a few products that I keep coming back to and Aquaphor is invariably one of them. I'm typically a total sucker for luxe packaging and clever marketing, but when it comes to products that truly do what they say they'll do, Aquaphor is among the best of them — and I'll basically defend it to the death.
Aquaphor, which is "a mix of petroleum jelly, mineral oil, glycerin, and lanolin," acts as an emollient to "help soften and smooth the skin and create an occlusive protective barrier on the surface to seal in moisture," says Shari Marchbein, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine. This may be the reason I have multiple tubes of the stuff to throw in various purses, and I keep a giant, 14-ounce tub on my dresser.
Over the years, I've tried many products like moisturizers, lip balms, masks, and cuticle creams that claim to do the things Aquaphor does for me, but none work as well nor do they offer the same familiar feeling as my old love. Even dermatologists, including Marchbein, love it: "Some of my favorite uses for Aquaphor include applying it to my lips and eyelids before bed, especially in the winter," she tells me.
Here are all the ways I use Aquaphor — and all the reasons you should, too.
1. It makes an amazing lip balm and intensive lip mask.
Sure, there are plenty of other great lip balms on the market and I've tried many of them. However, Aquaphor always keeps me coming back. One of the main reasons it's so great is its texture: It can be thinned out and worn alone as a balm as well as worn over lipsticks. I also like to goop it on thick as a healing lip mask. This is best done overnight when you won't be talking or eating. Either way, as Marchbein says, it creates a moisturizing barrier that's great for soothing skin in the summer and winter months.
2. It works wonders as a cuticle cream.
I have a major problem when it comes to picking at my cuticles and my nails. It's partially due to anxiety and I'm working on it. Using Aquaphor on the affected areas help my cuticles heal faster and helps soothe the pain, especially when used overnight. It also makes my nails look nice and shiny.
3. You can use it as a general moisturizer.
I'll admit it: I have a fairly complex skin-care routine and I've found products at nearly every price point that work well for me. However, as recent debates will have you believe, it's not because I've bought into some scam or because I want to show off my wealth via the size of the pores on my face. It's because I want to feel good about myself and I have found something (backed by science) that I can control when so much of life feels out of control. Part of that skin-care routine happens to include Aquaphor.
I don't use it for this purpose all the time as it is pretty heavy for a facial moisturizer, but at night in the winter when my skin has been feeling particularly parched, I'll grab a pea-size amount from the tub on my dresser, rub it between my hands to warm it up, and apply it to the dry areas of my face. It creates a barrier between my serums and the rest of the world so they can do the hard work overnight. Come morning, my face feels extra soft.
4. It's also easy on the eyes.
While we're on the subject of faces, I have a secret: I'm almost 30 and I've never touched a proper eye cream. For as long as I can remember, rather than using a separate product for that tiny, nearly undefinable area around and under my eyes, I've been using Aquaphor. I put a tiny bit of the magic stuff on my pinky (the finger with the least amount of strength) and pat it on around my eyes without pulling. I don't have crow's-feet yet, and while I'm not sure if it's entirely because of Aquaphor, I'm going to keep on using it. In fact, though I can't attest to its crow's-feet avoidance capabilities, Marchbein says she also applies Aquaphor directly on her eyelids, which is said to "help prevent eczema or dry skin on the eyelids" during winter.
5. It helps repair cracked skin.
If you have super cracked or severely dry places on your hands or feet, you can use Aquaphor as a mask. (What, did you think masks were just for your face?) "It's also a fabulous treatment for the cuticles, hands, and feet to help soften thick, dry skin," says Marchbein. The best way to create your "mask," she says, is by slathering a decent amount of Aquaphor onto hands and feet at night and then putting on some thick socks and gloves before bed. In the morning, your skin will feel soft, smooth, and repaired.
6. You can also use it to heal tattoos.
Though I'm not exactly covered with them, I have more than a few tattoos. Every time I get a new one, I make sure I'm stocked up on purse-size tubes of Aquaphor for the healing process. There are plenty of tattoo-specific brands of healing oils, balms, and lotions (many of them made and sold by tattoo studios themselves), but Aquaphor is often much cheaper, has more uses, and is also fragrance-free, which is a must for those with sensitive skin.
7. It's a moisturizing makeup remover.
If you're like me and need at least an extra 20 minutes built into your morning when attempting a cat eye, you also know that wiping away at the eye area with makeup remover and a tissue can take a toll on your skin. It can leave your eyes feeling raw, red, and teary, which ruins your makeup even when it's been perfectly applied. That's why I use Aquaphor (applied to a cotton swab) to fix mistakes made with liquid eyeliner. Aquaphor removes the makeup while moisturizing at the same time, so there's no need for tears.
8. You can use Aquaphor to help prevent scars.
"As a dermatologist, I use Aquaphor in the office after surgical procedures and biopsies to speed wound healing, improve scar appearance, and prevent scabbing," says Marchbein. "Studies have clearly shown that keeping a wound moist — like a scrape, cut, or tattoo — allows for better and quicker healing." She notes that antibiotic ointments aren't always necessary, as they can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Keep in mind, though, that Aquaphor is made with lanolin, while Vaseline isn't, so for those with lanolin allergies, Vaseline may be the better choice for scar prevention.
If you want to try it out (and like to buy it in bulk like I do) you can grab a pack of three tubes here, or go for the 14-ounce tub here.
More stories to help you stay moisturized:
- Aquaphor's $12 Ointment Spray Is a Game-Changer for People With Skin Conditions
- Weleda Skin Food Is Saving My Dry Hands This Winter
- 7 Drugstore Skin-Care Products Dermatologists Recommend
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