A brand new magnificence development is taking on our social media feeds, and this time, it is all about lashes. Individuals declare the subsequent finest magnificence hack is ditching mascara altogether for one thing you may have already got in your toilet cupboard—Vaseline. In response to TikTok, Vaseline makes lashes look extra lifted, holds a curl higher, and works as a lash carry dupe.
Vaseline, a mix of mineral oils and waxes with a jelly-like consistency, is primarily recognized for moisturizing and sealing the pores and skin barrier. You may already use it to hydrate dry pores and skin, eyelids, and lips, soothe small cuts, stop chafing, or situation your cuticles—however utilizing it on lashes is uncharted territory.
Let’s be actual—there’s rather a lot we would do for completely curled, lifted, and voluminous lashes. However the eye space is delicate, so it is essential to train warning with something utilized close to it, particularly for those who put on contacts. That is why we requested two board-certified dermatologists to reply all our burning questions. Beneath, study whether or not it is secure to make use of Vaseline in your lashes, the potential negative effects, and the best way to go about it the precise means.
Meet the Specialists
- Dr. Shari Lipner is a board-certified dermatologist at Weill Cornell Drugs in New York.
- Dr. Jack Levy is a board-certified dermatologist at Weill Cornell Drugs in New York.
What Is Vaseline?
Vaseline is the model title for petroleum jelly or petrolatum. Dermatologists broadly suggest this oil-based compound for locking in moisture, therapeutic wounds, and supporting the pores and skin’s barrier perform. “It’s an inert substance that may also be used as a car to ship medicines to the pores and skin,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jack Levy says.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shari Lipner provides that petroleum jelly was first found in 1859 by Robert Augustus Chesebrough, who observed oil employees making use of an analogous substance to cuts and burns.
The Advantages
One of many principal advantages of petrolatum lies in its occlusive properties, which assist seal in moisture, says Dr. Levy. He explains, “After we use cleaning soap, it binds to the pure oils produced by the pores and skin and washes them away. This lack of the pores and skin’s pure barrier perform permits extra water to evaporate from the pores and skin’s floor.”
This course of, often known as Trans-Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL), can result in pores and skin sensitivity, spontaneous rashes, and worsening situations like eczema or psoriasis. Restoring the pure barrier helps hydrated pores and skin stay supple and youthful and, importantly, gives a wholesome floor for hair development.
Past its advantages for the pores and skin, Dr. Levy notes that petroleum jelly may lock moisture into the hair shaft, together with eyelashes. “It might probably stop lash loss and assist strengthen and lubricate the lashes to keep away from breakage from trauma or chemical substances,” he says. “It might probably additionally stop brittle lashes that break or shed from minor trauma, akin to utilizing a mascara brush or a lash roller.”
Potential Aspect Results
The benefit of petroleum jelly is that only a few persons are allergic to it, which is why dermatologists suggest it so broadly. Nevertheless, Dr. Levy notes that, in uncommon circumstances, individuals can develop hives from making use of petroleum jelly to the pores and skin.
The attention space, specifically, requires additional warning. “Frequent utility of huge quantities of petroleum jelly across the eye can clog pores, often resulting in a blocked oil gland and leading to a painful bump often known as a chalazion or a hordeolum,” Dr. Levy explains. “If petroleum jelly comes into contact with the attention, it could trigger extended blurry imaginative and prescient or, in uncommon circumstances, a international physique response referred to as a conjunctival granuloma.”
Dr. Lipner provides that it may possibly additionally block oil glands, probably inflicting a sty. “Keep away from utilizing it in case you have a historical past of eye infections,” she advises.
It might probably additionally trigger breakouts on the face in individuals with acne-prone pores and skin. “If used on the face, it ought to solely be utilized for brief durations, usually lower than per week,” Dr. Lipner says.
Does Vaseline Work for Lifting Lashes?
Should you’ve been influenced by TikTok to make use of Vaseline for lifting your lashes, you are not alone—and there’s some reality to the development. Dr. Levy explains, “As a lubricant and moisturizer, petroleum jelly helps situation the lashes, making them extra malleable, much less prone to break below the strain of a lash roller, and extra outstanding. This types the idea of the lash carry development.”
Nevertheless, he warns that whereas petroleum jelly might help keep wholesome eyelid pores and skin and moisturize the lashes, it would not immediately affect lash size or thickness. “Over time, conditioning the lashes can scale back shedding and breakage, permitting lashes to remain within the development section longer, however it will not actively develop or thicken them.”
Methods to Apply It to Your Lashes
Petroleum jelly ought to all the time be utilized from a non-contaminated tube utilizing clear palms, a sterile spoolie brush, or a clear applicator. Keep away from utilizing an applicator that has beforehand touched anybody’s lips, mouth, pores and skin, or hair. “Micro organism that naturally stay in these areas do not belong close to the eyes and might trigger harmful infections,” Dr. Levy says.
Care must also be taken to keep away from making use of giant quantities of petroleum jelly to the eyelids—much less is extra on this case. “The perfect time to use petroleum jelly to the lashes is after they have been moistened with lukewarm water, akin to after a bathe or bathtub,” Dr. Levy explains. He recommends following the steps beneath.
- Gently cleanse the lashes and eyelids with a tear-free child shampoo.
- Whereas the lashes are nonetheless damp, apply a skinny layer of petroleum jelly barely away from the place the lashes emerge from the pores and skin, stroking it by means of the lashes.
- If desired, use a clear lash roller to softly curl the lashes after hydrating and lubricating them.
- For a moist look, flippantly stroke the lashes backward and forward with a lubricated finger or clear spoolie.
- When eradicating petroleum jelly from the lashes, use a tear-free shampoo and deal with the world gently to keep away from irritation.
The Last Takeaway
Whereas petroleum jelly would not bodily carry lashes or assist them develop, it may possibly make them seem fuller and thicker. “I like to recommend utilizing petroleum jelly often to reduce potential negative effects,” Dr. Lipner says. While you do use it, take correct precautions—wash your palms, apply sparingly, and take away it gently with a tear-free shampoo.
For these looking for extra dramatic outcomes, Dr. Levy recommends FDA-approved remedies. “Dermatologists usually prescribe bimatoprost, a topical medicine that safely lengthens and darkens lashes,” he says. “Whereas it’s essential proceed utilizing it to keep up outcomes, it gives noticeable enhancements.”