Vaseline likely is one of your “cure-all” skincare products, helping with everything from chapped lips to removing eye makeup to preventing chafing. Unilever’s product may seem ideal, but it’s 100% petroleum jelly, so we have doubts.
Unilever, the company behind the product, isn’t necessarily evil, though; in fact, it has started several programs to ensure that underprivileged people everywhere have access to necessities like skincare.
It’s possible that, for various reasons related to your health and the planet’s health, it’s not the most eco-friendly skin care solution available. In this post, we will acknowledge everything regarding whether is vaseline bad for the environment.
What Is Vaseline And How It Is Derived?
Petroleum jelly, or petrolatum, is a byproduct of petroleum. It is a skin ointment made from a pliable paraffin or wax blend. To create its jelly-like consistency, mineral oils and waxes are combined to create petroleum jelly.
Oil workers first used a thick jelly to treat cuts and burns; this product, later marketed as Vaseline, was developed from this discovery.
Since then, we’ve learned this byproduct of crude oil is extremely hazardous and comes with numerous cautions, including that it’s “for exterior use only.”
The FDA has set a limit of 10 ppm for petrolatum in food and requires that any petrolatum used during food packaging or pharmaceuticals also adhere to these high impurity limits.
As discussed below, mineral oils, petrolatum, and petroleum jelly can also harm the skin.
Despite its cosmetic usage as lip and skin protection, petrolatum may disrupt the body’s hydration system, resulting in dry skin and chapping. Approximately 1 in 14 goods contains petrolatum, including 15% lipsticks and 40% baby lotions and oils.
Is Vaseline Bad For The Environment?
Since petroleum is produced when refined into plastics and other materials, petroleum jelly is not eco-friendly.
To make petroleum, a nonrenewable resource called crude oil is refined. In addition, the production method for petroleum adds to global warming.
The extraction of petroleum has the potential to generate hazardous waste, acid rain, & air pollution. However, the extraction of crude oil also poses significant environmental risks.
One such threat is an oil leak, which can devastate local fauna in the area where the oil was extracted. Producing petroleum jelly is not an eco-friendly procedure in any way.
5 Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Petroleum Jelly
1. Waxelene
Waxelene is a natural solution to petroleum jelly with many of the same purposes. Beeswax, vitamin E, organic soy, and rosemary are just a few of the key components of this product.
Waxelene contains all-natural chemicals that are healthier for your skin than petroleum jelly while not leaving a greasy behind.
2. Beeswax
Although beeswax is not typically used in place of petroleum jelly, it is a renewable resource that may be combined with other components to create your DIY cosmetics. Beeswax’s ability to prevent chapped lips is one reason it’s frequently used in lip balm.
3. Shea butter
Shea butter is extracted from the kernels of the karité tree, native to Africa. Because of its high concentration of vitamins A, E, & F, it is among the greatest skincare products you can buy.
You can buy shea butter already made into various products or utilize it to create your DIY cosmetics. Last but not least, Shea butter is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids including oleic acid and stearic acid.
When shopping for Shea butter, it’s best to locate raw, unprocessed varieties, as these tend to retain more of the butter’s therapeutic characteristics.
4. Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter, extracted from cocoa beans, is rich in antioxidants and has anti-aging properties. Shea butter is available on FeelUnique.
Cocoa butter is a popular ingredient in skin care products like lotions and lip balms because it keeps the skin supple and restores vital minerals. Although solid at room temperature, cocoa butter softens when exposed to the body’s heat.
Cocoa butter is a common ingredient in cosmetics because of its ability to soothe irritated skin and prevent the development of stretch marks in pregnant women.
Cocoa butter, like coconut oil, is a fantastic natural sunscreen because it contains a lot of antioxidants called polyphenols and flavonoids.
5. Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil comes from the seeds of a plant with the same name. Restoring some of the skin’s natural oils is a terrific natural option.
Many commercial products have jojoba oil as the primary ingredient, which can also be combined with other natural ingredients to make a lotion.
Jojoba oil is utilized by native Americans for hundreds of years due to its medicinal properties. It is often used to treat wounds and bruises.
Jojoba oil can be used for a variety of purposes, including as a moisturizer for the skin and hair, an antibacterial, and even as a lip balm.
Makeup removal is another useful application! It will not cause acne or other pore-clogging skin issues because it is non-comedogenic.
6. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a great all-around oil, but it was originally meant to be a natural skincare cure-all. Or, more accurately, a fat, since it hardens at room temperature.
Coconut oil has several uses, from conditioning hair and nails to moisturizing the skin and providing nutritional advantages when cooked.
Oil’s aroma can be diminished by “refining” it (by selecting an oil of superior quality that has not been heated during processing). Coconut oil can irritate sensitive skin, leading to skin rash and pimples to acne due to blocked pores.
Conclusion
Petroleum jelly isn’t a green choice for your cosmetic regimen. It’s not recyclable, doesn’t break down, and is made badly for the planet.
Concerns have also been raised about carcinogenic substances in petroleum jelly.
Even if it has some beneficial effects on the skin, safer, less harmful, and more environmentally friendly alternatives are available. We hope you have acknowledged everything regarding vaseline bad for the environment.
