Potentially Harmful
People suffering from skin conditions like acne and rosacea should stay away from petroleum jelly altogether, since such thick emollients can aggravate those conditions. Those who rub Vaseline on dry, cracked noses to get through a cold might want to think twice, too. The product is recommended for external use only, which doesn’t include nostrils. What’s more, a rare but scary potential problem occurs if the petroleum jelly moves from nostrils through the respiratory system, according to Dattner. If petroleum jelly gets into the lungs, it can cause lipid pneumonia. It won’t happen if you apply it once in a while, he said, but he recommends not making a daily habit of it.

Don’t think you have to forfeit the soothing feeling of Vaseline if you decide to eschew petroleum jelly, though. If you’re looking for a dewy moisturizer, just opt for more natural alternatives and check ingredients. Products containing beeswax, coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter and cocoa butter seal in moisture and don’t come with some of the risks of petroleum jelly.Remember that some of these products are absorbed into the skin, so it’s nice to use something that you wouldn’t mind putting into your body.