Aquaphor Healing Ointment is a multi-purpose ointment that can be used as a lip moisturizer, hand cream, foot cream, remedy for cracked skin, minor wounds and burns, etc. It’s generally more effective than regular petroleum jelly (like Vaseline), and is also generally safe to use on your skin.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Aquaphor Healing Ointment’s ingredients look pretty simple at first glance, but they do something pretty intuitive compared to other skincare products. Let’s take a look at the ingredients.
Petroleum Jelly (41%)
The main ingredient of the ointment is Petrolatum or Petroleum Jelly. This is a really common chemical that’s been proven to be safe on the human skin.
Most lip balms are just 100% petroleum jelly. Aquaphor healing Ointment only contains 41% petroleum jelly though, while the other inactive ingredients help the jelly moisturize your skin better.
Petroleum Jelly helps the skin retain its moisture, unlike most lotions or creams that try to hydrate your skin using different chemicals and ingredients.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment keeps your skin soft by holding the moisture already in your skin and helping your skin absorb more moisture from the air.
This is why it’s recommended to use the ointment after washing your face. Not doing so could trap dirt under your skin, causing a breakout.
Petroleum Jelly also acts as a barrier between your skin and the air, making it great for minor cuts and burns. The impervious layer prevents any microbes or dirt from entering the wound and infecting it further.
Mineral Oil
The Mineral Oil in the Aquaphor healing ointment locks moisture in the skin, making the skin softer and reinforcing the outer barrier of the skin.
Ceresin
Ceresin is a type of neutral wax that’s used as a stabilizer to keep the ointment thick.
Lanolin Alcohol
Lanolin Alcohol is a type of moisturizer obtained from Lanolin, a wax secreted by animals with woolen fur. It’s a fatty alcohol that prevents moisture loss in dry skin and keeps the skin flexible.
Panthenol
Panthenol is a chemical obtained from pantothenic acid or vitamin B5. It’s an organic chemical that occurs naturally in plants and animals. It is a known skin protectant and is widely used throughout the world. It’s very likely you currently have it in your system right now.
Panthenol can improve skin hydration, flexibility and make the skin feel smoother. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help it reduce the redness of the skin, and minor cuts and bruises.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a clear, colorless liquid obtained from vegetable oils and animal fats. It’s known as a ‘humectant’, which means that it pulls moisture from the deeper levels of your skin and the air and brings it to the surface of your skin.
Mainly, glycerin helps in hydrating the outer layer of the skin, permeating the skin barrier, and protecting your skin against irritants, thus speeding up the healing process of wounds.
Bisabolol
Bisabolol or levomenol is a naturally occurring alcohol. It is a colorless oil derived from Chamomile essential oils. Since it’s derived from the Chamomile plant, it has some similar properties to the plant.
These include a floral fragrance, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects, skin hydration, protection from free radicals (unwanted irritants like dust, smoke particles, microbes, chemicals, etc present in the air), and stimulation of the skin healing process.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment Uses
The Aquaphor Healing Ointment serves multiple functions. You can use it as a hand cream, foot cream, remedy for chapped lips, antiseptic, remedy for cracked skin.
Even though it’s not advertised as a face cream or cold cream, many people have said that they found positive results after using it for these purposes.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment good for lips?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment can be used as a remedy for chapped lips and it’s advertised for the purpose by the makers as well.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment works by creating a barrier around your lips, preventing any moisture from escaping from your skin. It also prevents any free radicals like dirt, microbes, etc from infecting your chapped lips.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment good for tattoos?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment is recommended for tattoo aftercare.
Getting a tattoo involves damaging your skin to some extent, as the needle pierces your skin and dyes the inner cells of your skin. Because of this, tattoos require some aftercare and about 4 weeks to heal. If this step isn’t done properly, you can end up with scars, or infected or distorted tattoos.
Hydration is very important during the healing process, as dry skin will cause your tattoo wounds to start itching or scabbing excessively. This can in turn lead to a damaged tattoo.
This is why Aquaphor Healing Ointment is recommended as tattoo aftercare because it’s really good at moisturizing your skin and preventing any infections. Pure petroleum jelly fails this purpose because it creates an airtight layer and prevents much air from being in contact with your skin, which slows down healing and may even cause an infection.
After you’ve taken your wrap off your tattoo, all you need to do is wash it with neutral soap and some warm water, dry it out using tissues or paper towels and apply Aquaphor Healing Ointment on the area.
Repeating this process two to three times a day as long as specified by your tattoo artist should ensure proper healing of your skin.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment good for the face?
Even though Aquaphor Healing Ointment isn’t marketed as a face cream, many people use it as one and speak about it positively.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment is safe to use on any part of your body, and even as an antiseptic. Since Aquaphor Healing Ointment pulls moisture from the air and helps retain it on the skin, it forms a semipermeable barrier on your skin.
This, along with the healing effects of Chamomile extract, allows any cuts to heal quickly without scarring.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment good for razor burns?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment is good for razor burns. Its anti-inflammatory properties help your razor burn heal faster, and they reduce redness as well.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment good for acne?
No, it is not recommended to use Aquaphor Healing Ointment if you have acne or oily skin. Using Aquaphor Healing Ointment with oily skin can cause excessive moisture in your skin, preventing your skin pores from breathing properly.
Additionally, using Aquaphor Healing Ointment on dirty skin can trap the dirt on your skin, which could infect your pores and trigger a breakout.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment the same as Vaseline?
To some extent, yes, but it is quite different from Vaseline. Vaseline is just 100% petroleum jelly while Aquaphor Healing Ointment uses 41% petroleum jelly along with other chemicals.
Petroleum jelly is completely harmless and hydrates skin. However, it can actually block any air contact with your skin. This can prevent your skin from healing properly, which is why it’s not recommended to apply it on any cuts.
Aquaphor, on the other hand, is only 41% petroleum jelly that gives it the moisturizing benefits of the jelly without preventing any air contact with the skin. These chemicals in the Aquaphor Healing Ointment also help in retaining the moisture on your skin and soothing inflammation or injuries.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain alcohol in it?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment does contain alcohol in the form of Lanolin Alcohol. It is a fatty alcohol derived from organic sources that prevent your skin from going dry.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment also contains Panthenol, which is derived from pantothenic acid. More commonly known as vitamin B5, it helps the skin heal minor cuts and injuries and reduces redness and inflammation.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain water?
No, Aquaphor Healing Ointment does not contain any water. Its base solvent is petroleum jelly, which is obtained from petroleum. Petroleum and its products are usually not soluble in water, which is why we don’t see it in Aquaphor.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain parabens?
Yes, Aquaphor does contain trace amounts of parabens that are present in petroleum jelly. Cosmetic grade petroleum jelly however doesn’t have enough parabens to cause any damage to the human body, as it’s purified rigorously.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain Urea?
No, Aquaphor Healing Ointment does not contain any urea. Urea, also known as carbamide, is naturally found in the urine of humans and most animals. Its main purpose in the body is nitrogen excretion.
It’s neither acidic nor basic and it’s not very toxic either. It has some uses in the cosmetic industry but it isn’t very prominent.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain petroleum?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment does contain petroleum in the form of petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is an FDA-approved skin protectant. It’s a semi-solid made up of hydrocarbons used for its healing properties.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain silicone?
No, Aquaphor Healing Ointment does not contain any silicone. Silicone is widely used in the cosmetic industry, mostly found in hair products. Their main purpose is to increase the shine of your hair. It is also a really good lubricant. Thus, it is also found in shaving foams and personal lubricants.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain zinc?
No, Aquaphor Healing Ointment does not contain any zinc in it. Zinc is used in some cosmetics in the form of zinc oxide to protect against sunburns and windburns.
Does Aquaphor Healing Ointment contain glycerin?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment contains glycerin as an inactive ingredient. Glycerin acts as a humectant, which allows it to retain moisture on the skin and pull more moisture from the surrounding air keeping the skin hydrated and soft.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment safe for the eyes?
Aquaphor Healing Ointment is mostly made of petroleum jelly, which is not very reactive with the human skin. It is, therefore, safe to apply around your eyes without any irritation. However, if you do end up getting it inside your eyes, a rinse with clean water should be enough to relieve any irritation, if any.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment safe for pets?
Aquaphor Healing Ointment is safe for pets like dogs and cats as long as they do not ingest it. Using it for slightly cracked paws is okay, but applying it on their nose might result in them ingesting it.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment safe for babies?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment is safe for babies and it is recommended to use it for common issues like drool rashes and diaper rashes. We don’t recommend it for normal application though, as it could irritate the baby’s sensitive skin in some cases. Topical Oil is better for baby skin.
Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment good for dry skin?
Yes, Aquaphor Healing Ointment is good for dry skin since it works by retaining the moisture on your face. All you have to do is wash your face with clean lukewarm water for a few minutes and wipe yourself with a clean towel.
Apply Aquaphor Healing Ointment on your skin and gently massage the area. Repeating this process two to three times a day for a couple of weeks will bring about a very noticeable difference.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment also lasts longer than other creams and lotions, since it draws moisture from the air and retains the moisture already on the skin. Creams and Lotions, on the other hand, try to moisturize the skin by adding water.
References:
- https://www.aquaphorus.com/products/body-care/healing-ointment
- https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/products/920992-Aquaphor_Healing_Ointment/
- Does Glossier Skincare Have Fragrance? - October 21, 2022
- Is Aveeno Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
- Is Acure Color-Safe? - October 20, 2022
