The Receipt
- 01One of the best occlusives available, at one of the lowest prices.
Education, not a diagnosis. If something changes quickly, hurts, bleeds, or worries you, see a dermatologist.
Ingredient Receipt · Barrier & soothing
Petrolatum
INCI: Petrolatum
Petrolatum is one of the most effective occlusives in skincare. What it does for dry skin and barrier repair, and the clogged-pore question.
- Dryness
- Barrier
01 · In plain English
Petrolatum is cheap, plain and surprisingly well studied. It’s also behind the “slugging” trend.
02 · What it does
Petrolatum is an occlusive: it forms a film that greatly reduces water loss from the skin.
A study in human skin found petrolatum also changed markers of barrier function and antimicrobial defense, suggesting it isn’t entirely inert.
Cosmetic-grade petrolatum is highly refined.
03 · Who it’s for
- Very dry, cracked or irritated skin.
- Protecting areas like lips, hands and around the nose during colds.
04 · What the evidence says
- Reducing water loss and supporting dry, compromised skin.well-supported
- Barrier recovery in irritated skin.limited evidence
05 · Myths, checked
“Petrolatum always clogs pores.”
It’s generally considered low risk for clogging, but very heavy occlusion can feel too much for some acne-prone faces. Try it on dry areas first.
limited evidence
06 · Insufficient evidence
- Slugging as an anti-aging treatment.
07 · How to use it
- A thin layer as the last step at night on dry areas, or over moisturizer (“slugging”).
- Apply on slightly damp skin to seal in hydration.
08 · Pairs well / go carefully
Pairs well with
- Humectants underneath (glycerin, HA).
- Retinoids, as a buffer around eyes and mouth.
Go carefully with
- Using it over strong actives you haven’t tolerated yet, which can increase penetration.
Sources (3)
- Czarnowicki T, et al. Petrolatum: barrier repair and antimicrobial responses underlying this “inert” moisturizer. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016.
- van Zuuren EJ, et al. Emollients and moisturisers for eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists’ top tips for relieving dry skin.