I have never given any thought to Vaseline or what it actually is. Recently I came across an article on the Dr. Oz website that discussed why we should not use this product - especially on our lips. I am NOT a chemist, so please do your own research. But all my research says that petroleum jelly is a by-product from the oil drilling process. Many in the medical/chemistry fields have stated that putting this on our lips is like swallowing gasoline or diesel fuel. Yuk! I really had no idea what this stuff was.
There are people out there who just love Vaseline. I personally am not a big fan because it's a bit too thick and greasy for me. But I have used it as a skin protector on many occasions. I have some at the house right now that I've used on the baby's rashes in the past. I shall throw it away and never use it again!
But then, what can we use in its place. Many products - especially lip balms and glosses - are made with petroleum jelly. I don't use it in the lip balm that I make, but many people do. However, after scouring the internet I have found that many people are simply mixing up their own alternative to real petroleum jelly. You only need two ingredients. Beeswax and olive oil (OR coconut oil). Now it's kind of funny because when I found these recipes I realized I'd been making this all along! (More on that later.)
Use about 1/8 cup of beeswax and melt that with about 1/2 cup of oil. I use coconut oil but many online users are doing this with olive oil with good results. Melt it slowly in a small pan or double broiler. Pour it into a small jar. You could use a small baby food jar for this project. Let it cool overnight! Be patient ~ although that is always the hard part of these products. Do not put it into the fridge to try and quicken the process as you do not want the oil to really harden. The next day you'll have your DIY jelly and can use it as you would Vaseline.
EXTRA: As I said earlier, I've been using this already and hadn't thought about it being a replacement for Vaseline. My version though had essential oils in it. I bought a pure essential oil blend called "Breath Easier". I mixed that into my oil/beeswax mixture after removing it from the heat. Once mixed and cooled, this version is used as a DIY Vapor Rub! I've been using it for a few months now on Kendall when she is stuffy with good results. I'm guessing that you could add other essential oils to this mixture if you wanted a bit of fragrance. Remember though - you'll put this on your skin so use pure essential oils and NEVER use "fragrance oil".
Alternative - Also if you wanted to use some of this for your lips you could also change it up. You could use any oils that are okay for you lips (approved as flavorings and food additives) such as orange oil or spearmint oil. You could also use something you might have on hand - flavorings and colorings used in baking. After you remove it from the heat, add a few drops of a food coloring used for candy or frosting, and/or flavoring oils in that same style.
Either way, this DIY alternative to real petroleum jelly is a must have!
Blessings~~
Kymber
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