Petroleum jelly

Petroleum jelly is a semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons refined from petroleum. It forms a water-resistant barrier on skin and is used as a protectant, moisturizer, and lubricant.

Occlusive moisturizer: A moisturizer that slows water loss by forming a barrier over the skin. Petroleum jelly is a classic occlusive, reducing water loss rather than adding water to skin.
Robert Chesebrough: An American chemist who developed and marketed petroleum jelly in the nineteenth century. He observed oil workers using residue from drilling equipment and turned it into a commercial product.
Emollient: A substance that softens and smooths the skin by filling spaces between surface cells. Petroleum jelly softens rough skin while its barrier limits moisture loss.
Aquaphor: A brand of skin ointment whose original healing ointment combines petrolatum with other ingredients. Unlike plain petroleum jelly, this formulation includes additional ingredients such as humectants and a skin protectant.
Transepidermal water loss: The passage of water vapor from inside the body through the epidermis to the surrounding air. Petroleum jelly protects skin largely by reducing this outward water movement.
Oil drilling: The process of boring wells to extract crude oil or natural gas from underground formations. Petroleum jelly's discovery arose from residues encountered at early oil-drilling sites.
Wound healing: The biological process through which damaged tissue is repaired and restored. A thin coating can keep minor wounds moist and protect them from friction and drying.
Lanolin: A waxy substance obtained from sheep's wool and used in skin-care products. Lanolin is another water-resistant emollient, but it has a different animal-derived composition and allergy profile.
Stratum corneum: The outermost layer of the epidermis, formed from flattened, dead cells embedded in lipids. The jelly's barrier sits over this outer skin layer and helps it retain moisture.
Crude oil: A naturally occurring liquid mixture of hydrocarbons extracted from underground reservoirs. Refining crude oil produces the heavy hydrocarbon fractions from which petroleum jelly can be made.

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