For your skin
The gold-standard occlusive moisturiser. Locks water into damaged or compromised skin better than anything else, accelerates barrier repair, and (in newer research) actively boosts your skin's own antimicrobial defences. Cheap, non-allergenic, dermatologist-recommended for eczema, post-procedure care, and slugging.
Want the science? Keep reading ↓Mechanism of action
Semi-solid hydrocarbon mixture that penetrates the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum (not just the surface), reducing transepidermal water loss by ~99% while permitting normal barrier recovery. Also upregulates antimicrobial peptide and barrier-protein gene expression in keratinocytes.
Why we tier this strong
6 cited papers across 2 countries. Multiple positive efficacy results plus regulatory backing. Clears our published bar (Strong = 15+ studies with multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or a single large longitudinal cohort).
Cited research
Czarnowicki T, Malajian D, Khattri S, et al. Petrolatum: Barrier repair and antimicrobial responses underlying this 'inert' moisturizer. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016;137(4):1091-1102.e7.
Genuino GAS, Baluyut-Angeles KV, Espiritu APT, Lapitan MCM, Buckley BS. Topical petrolatum gel alone versus topical silver sulfadiazine with standard gauze dressings for the treatment of superficial partial thickness burns in adults: a randomized controlled trial. Burns. 2014;40(7):1267-1273. — RCT: petrolatum gel at least as effective as silver sulfadiazine for re-epithelialization (mean 6.2 vs 7.8 days) with similar infection/allergy rates.
Pinnix C, Perkins GH, Strom EA, et al. Topical hyaluronic acid vs. standard of care for the prevention of radiation dermatitis after adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer: single-blind randomized phase III clinical trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012;83(4):1089-1094. — randomized phase III: petrolatum gel (control) yielded significantly less >=Grade 2 dermatitis than hyaluronic acid (47.7% vs 61.5%, p=0.027).
FDA OTC Final Monograph, 21 CFR Part 347 — Skin Protectant Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use; petrolatum listed at section 347.10 as a Category I active ingredient at 30-100%.
Smack DP, Harrington AC, Dunn C, et al. Infection and allergy incidence in ambulatory surgery patients using white petrolatum vs bacitracin ointment. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 1996;276(12):972-977. — double-blind RCT (n=922, 1249 wounds): white petrolatum gave equivalent infection rates with zero allergic contact dermatitis vs 4 cases with bacitracin; concluded white petrolatum is a safe, effective wound care ointment.
Ghadially R, Halkier-Sorensen L, Elias PM. Effects of petrolatum on stratum corneum structure and function. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1992;26(3 Pt 2):387-396.
Sources: PubMed · KCI · J-Stage · CNKI · Wanfang · SFD · MFDS · Cochrane · SCCS · CIR. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for what each outcome label means.