I’ve
been taking mascara off for years with Vaseline and have used it on my
lips also. Is it harmful, and if so, what should I use instead?
Vaseline® or any other petroleum product in and of itself isn’t harmful to the
skin necessarily; these ingredients can clog the pores if contained in a
moisturizing cream or foundation.
The most important thing to remember is whenever
you are removing mascara, you have to be sure not to pull your undereye
skin as you are wiping off the mascara. That tissue is delicate and
should not be pulled or tugged daily. This is the number one reason
using Vaseline isn’t such a good idea.
Due to its gooey consistency, this petroleum jelly will naturally stick to the skin. Therefore, the potential for having to
pull the skin near your eyes increases. Vaseline tends to stick around
wherever it has been applied, so if you choose to use this as a makeup
remover, along with the potential to pull the sensitive tissue around your eyes, you also add the potential for it getting (and staying) in your
eyes. If this has ever happened to you, you know that it takes quite a long time for the jelly to get out of your eyes, creating blurred vision temporarily.
Therefore I can say I am not a fan of using Vaseline or any other gooey product to remove your eye makeup. A thin oil is better than petroleum jelly, and a product made for makeup removal would be my number one recommendation. Vaseline is probably inexpensive, but because you run the risk of pre-aging the skin around your eyes, it could end up being an expensive proposal. See the articles listed below for details on how to properly (and easily) remove your eye makeup, including mascara.
For more information, see:
Therefore I can say I am not a fan of using Vaseline or any other gooey product to remove your eye makeup. A thin oil is better than petroleum jelly, and a product made for makeup removal would be my number one recommendation. Vaseline is probably inexpensive, but because you run the risk of pre-aging the skin around your eyes, it could end up being an expensive proposal. See the articles listed below for details on how to properly (and easily) remove your eye makeup, including mascara.
For more information, see:
- Removing eye makeup: Part I &
- Removing eye makeup: Part II—the best way to remove mascara to find out the best way to remove your eye makeup
- Petroleum as an ingredient in your face & body products
