Vaseline is a frequently used item found in most households, usually kept in a cabinet or a medicine box. But, it is not just an ordinary item, as it can be used for various purposes beyond your imagination, extending from beauty to household tasks. To explore the creative uses of Vaseline, continue reading below.
Shine Your Shoes
Over time, the luster of your shoes may diminish due to accumulating dirt or regular usage.
A good method to restore the shine of your shoes is by polishing them. However, if you want an easier option, you can apply a small amount of Vaseline and softly rub it onto the shoes. The benefit of this method is that you don’t need to apply a thick layer, a thin one will suffice.
Tame Your Brows
Managing unruly eyebrows is not as difficult as it seems. With the help of a small amount of Vaseline, you can easily control them.
To achieve this, simply apply a small amount of Vaseline onto a cotton swab or brow brush and thoroughly apply on your brows. Similar to the approach for split ends, this will aid in keeping your brows in position for the duration of the day.
Hide Your Split Ends
Dealing with split ends can be inconvenient, particularly if you are unable to visit a hair salon immediately. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you must tolerate their appearance until your next haircut appointment.
By applying some Vaseline on the tips of your hair using your fingers, you can alter the look of your damaged hair ends. This effortless trick will enable the strands of your hair to stick together, presenting a seamless appearance.
Keeping Polish on Your Nails
Painting your nails can be difficult, particularly when you’re working on your dominant hand. Even the most talented individuals often struggle to keep the nail polish within the limits. As a result, mistakes are bound to happen occasionally.
Fortunately, using a small amount of Vaseline is a helpful solution to prevent nail polish from getting on unwanted areas. By putting Vaseline on the skin surrounding your nails, you can avoid any issues with the polish. Just apply some of the jelly around your nail and proceed to paint.
Restore Your Leather Products
As time passes, leather may appear aged and tattered like any other material. Therefore, your most preferred leather bag may exhibit signs of wear and tear over time.
To revamp your leather items and make them appear brand new, apply a small amount of Vaseline, gently rub it on the surface, and work it into the material. Wipe off the excess using a towel. This easy method can make your leather items look much younger.
Create Your Own Lip Stain
Having lip stain in your makeup collection is essential as it can enrich your appearance with a subtle hue and its long-lasting formula is meant to endure throughout the day.
Despite the fact that beauty products can be pricey, the trend towards creating your own makeup has gained popularity over time. However, you can substitute an expensive item with a simple trick – blending together Vaseline and Kool-Aid mix – which will create a durable and effortless lip stain that can endure throughout the day.
Stop Itching With Vaseline
Feeling uneasy is usual when experiencing itchiness, be it caused by insect bites, rashes, or any other origin.
Instead of excessively scratching your skin, you can alleviate the discomfort by applying a small amount of Vaseline to the affected area. It will not only moisturize your skin but also reduce the unpleasant feeling of itchiness. This approach is definitely preferable to scratching until it hurts. Additionally, keeping your skin moisturized is always beneficial.
Put Hair Dye in Its Place
Many individuals choose to color their hair at home instead of going to a salon. This often results in pleasant outcomes since using boxed hair dye can significantly transform your appearance.
Regrettably, the process of dyeing your hair can be quite messy and may result in staining your skin. However, you can avoid this chaotic experience by using Vaseline on your hairline, which will stop the hair color from tinting your skin, and instead only color your beautiful hair.
Repair Your Wooden Furniture
Wooden furniture has been fashionable for an extended period. Nevertheless, one of the drawbacks is its susceptibility to damage.
Although Vaseline may not be effective in fixing major damages, it can serve as a solution for minor scratches on your wooden table. Instead of trying to find a replacement, you can apply some Vaseline on the scratch and let it sit for a day. Afterward, remove any excess Vaseline and the scratch should be resolved.
Removing Eyelash Glue
For several years, the trend of wearing false eyelashes to achieve fuller and more voluminous lashes has been popular. However, it is not a simple task to successfully accomplish this trend.
By the end of the night, you may face difficulty in removing your fake lashes and the adhesive without damaging your natural lashes. However, if you apply a small amount of jelly on your lash line, removing faux lashes and glue becomes a simple task. You can show your gratitude later!
No More Chafing
During summer, when the weather is hot and humid, avoiding chafing can be a challenge. Nevertheless, easing the effect and preventing significant discomfort can be achieved by applying Vaseline.
An area where chaffing commonly occurs is the thighs, but you can alleviate this problem by putting a small amount of Vaseline on the affected area before going for a bike ride or spending a long day outside. By doing this, you can reduce the amount of direct rubbing between your skin, thus providing a layer of protection that will ease the problem.
Vaseline and Shaving
In order to maintain a soft and healthy skin after shaving, you can use Vaseline as a solution by simply applying it right after shaving and drying your skin.
By utilizing Vaseline, you have the potential to lessen the dryness and lack of moisture in your skin following shaving. Furthermore, the petroleum jelly can reduce any discomfort or inflammation that may have arisen from shaving such as bumps or burns. Over a short period of time, consistently following this regimen will guarantee that your skin maintains a supple, sleek, and well-moisturized appearance.
Keep Your Perfume on Longer
Using perfume can enhance your personal style and ensure that you remain pleasantly fragrant all through your day, but regrettably, its scent tends to diminish over time.
One way to keep your perfume scent fresh all day is by applying a small amount of Vaseline on the areas where you usually put your perfume, such as behind your ears and on your wrists. This trick won’t impact the perfume, as Vaseline itself is fragrance-free.
Use Vaseline as Highlighter
Contouring appears to be a longstanding beauty trend that involves applying makeup in light and dark tones to accentuate certain facial features and create shadows elsewhere.
If you do not possess any highlighter, you could use Vaseline from your medicine cabinet instead. By gently applying Vaseline to your cheek, brow, and eyelids, you can add a dewy highlight to your appearance.
Don’t Let Polish Dry Shut
As we have observed, combining Vaseline and nail polish can be effective in achieving the desired look. Moreover, the two can work together to enhance the durability and functioning of the things you need.
To illustrate, in case a small amount of nail polish spills over the edge of the bottle, it may cause the cap to stick and block the opening. To prevent this situation, you can use a bit of Vaseline on the cap of the nail polish bottle to stop the polish from drying and sticking there.
Create a Homemade Lip Scrub
Salt and sugar-based scrubs are effective in removing dead skin cells from your skin and lips. However, it is important to use the appropriate ingredients to achieve the desired outcome.
One can effectively employ Vaseline as a foundation for their lip scrub. This will not only bind the constituents together but also moisturize the lips during exfoliation. Although there are several formulas for a scrub, the basic approach would be blending salt or sugar with Vaseline.
Moisturizing for Acne
Acne can pose a significant issue whether you are a teenager or an adult. If you are troubled by acne, discovering a solution that suits your skin would be essential.
If you have dry or combination skin but find that the moisturizer you’re using clogs your pores, this is likely part of the problem. Instead, try putting on a little bit of Vaseline. Again, you’ll want to apply it in a thin layer that will absorb fully into your skin.
Get Snails Out of Your Garden
Slugs and snails are common in gardens but they aren’t always welcome. Not only are people generally grossed out by them but they also may eat your plants.
You can prevent snails and slugs from getting into your garden without harming your plants by grabbing a bit of Vaseline. To start, mix Vaseline with salt to make a combination that’s dangerous and aversive to slugs and snails. Then, rub the mixture around the edge of your planters.
Get Earrings in Easier
If you’re trying to put in your favorite pair of earrings but you’re having trouble putting them in comfortably, Vaseline can work as a good lubricant to help you out.
That being said, this is for piercings that are still open — it won’t help you out if the back of your ear piercing has healed shut. It’s a similar concept to people who are stretching their ears using ear butter to reduce friction as they put new jewelry in their ears.
Create DIY Vapor Rub
Vapor rubs are a popular remedy for ailments such as a bad cough or a stuffy nose. If you want, you can even make your own with the help of Vaseline.
To make your DIY vapor rub, you’ll want to mix your Vaseline with your favorite essential oils. Popular ingredients for these vapor rub recipes include essential oils such as tea tree, coconut, eucalyptus — as well as carrier oils, like sweet almond or olive oil.
Keep Ants Out
Ants can be a pest in even the cleanest of homes. Especially during the summer, these little pests are apt to invade homes for food — even if it’s just the tiniest crumb.
Your pets aren’t immune to this either and noticing ants infestations in pet food bowls is a rather unpleasant experience all around. To help prevent this, add a little bit of Vaseline to the edge of your pet’s bowl. It won’t disturb them but it will keep ants from marching in.
Heal Cracked Heels
Dry, cracked heels can be unsightly and painful. However, they can also seem hard to handle if you aren’t quite sure what to do.
The good news is that Vaseline can help moisturize your feet and restore a healthy appearance. To do this, all you need to do is apply it to your feet overnight until you notice your feet aren’t cracked anymore. Since Vaseline can be a little messy, it’s a good idea to sleep with socks on!
Make Halloween Last Longer
One of the most common Halloween traditions is the practice of carving pumpkins that you can decorate your doorstep with. The biggest problem with this tradition is that jack-o-lanterns aren’t well-known for their long lifespan.
When you carve your next pumpkin, apply Vaseline to the cut-out edges. This will help elongate your jack-o-lantern’s life and prevent it from shriveling before the big night. It’ll also help you avoid the scariest task of all for a while — cleaning up rotted pumpkins.
Better Your Cuticles
Taking care of your cuticles is important for both looks and comfort. However, it can be a challenge to keep your cuticles healthy.
Once again, you can turn to Vaseline for a solution. The key to success here is to put Vaseline directly on your cuticles. To see lasting and consistent results, though, you’ll need to make sure that you apply the Vaseline to your cuticles multiple times a day. This will help hydrate your cuticles and keep them healthy.
Prevent Painting Mishaps
We already looked at what Vaseline can do for you when you’re trying to paint your nails but it has a lot to offer when you’re painting a room as well.
Accidentally painting a bit of a window or dropping paint on a doorknob can make a room look like an amateur DIY. To avoid this and get a professional appearance on your own, add Vaseline to these areas and wipe them down when you’re done painting.
Use Vaseline as Makeup Remover
We’ve already covered that Vaseline is great for removing fake lashes and lash glue but its functionality as a makeup remover doesn’t stop there.
You can also use Vaseline to remove other hard-to-remove makeup such as eyeliner. All you have to do is use a cotton swab to apply it gently to remove the makeup. Then, just wash your face as you normally would and you’ll see your makeup wash away in no time.
Styling Your Hair
There are certain hairstyles that you might be trying to attain but it can be difficult to find the right product and technique. If you want a messy or choppy look, some Vaseline might be just what you need.
To use Vaseline for styling a messy look, start by putting a little bit of Vaseline on your hands. From there, scrunch your hair up in your hands as if you were applying a curling gel. Voila!
Getting the Perfect Smokey Eye
Getting the perfect smokey eye isn’t always easy. It can be hard to make your eye makeup look a little messy when you worked so hard and so long at perfecting it.
The best way to get a smokey eye is to apply dark, usually black, eyeliner after you apply your eyeshadow. When you do this next time, try putting a small dab of Vaseline on top of the look. This will help you smear the makeup without things getting out of control.
Preventing Wrinkles
As you get older, there’s one beauty topic that gets increasingly brought up — trying to prevent wrinkles. There are plenty of solutions out there and some are prohibitively expensive.
Again, you can circumvent this cost and difficulty with the help of Vaseline. All you need to do is apply a thin layer of Vaseline where you have wrinkles such as on the fine lines around your eyes and on crow’s feet. If you leave it overnight as a nightly routine, you’ll see results soon.
Fix That Squeaky Door
If you have a squeaky door, you probably need to oil the hinge. At this point, many people reach for a bottle of WD-40.
Yet, not everyone has this readily around the house. Don’t worry if you don’t because, once again, you can grab your handy jar of Vaseline. You just need to apply some Vaseline to the hinge — you can be as liberal as you want. It will lubricate the hinge and let the door move freely without creaking.
Keep Shampoo Out of Eyes
There’s nothing quite as inconvenient as getting shampoo in your eyes while you bathe or shower. You can avoid this by adding a little Vaseline to your brow.
This will help divert the water from running into your eyes and catch any soap, shampoo, or conditioner before it gets into your eyes. This is especially a great trick to use during bath time for young children to help during bath time. It’s a great way to avoid stinging, burning eyes thanks to wayward shampoo.
Hiding Blackheads
Blackheads can be a huge pain. They linger for long amounts of time and can be damaging to extract. Next time you find yourself plagued by blackheads, try putting a little Vaseline on them.
The Vaseline will gloss over your blackheads and reduce the way they look. This is a great trick if you get caught right before going out. Just be sure not to use too much, or you could cause a breakout!
Prevent Metal From Rusting
Rust is ugly and unsafe. Having rusty surfaces on anything you own is a bit of a drag. Using Vaseline can help protect your metal goods and prevent them from rusting.
Simply spread a light layer of Vaseline on whichever surface you wish to protect. Be careful of painted metal, however, as Vaseline can actually end up pulling the paint off!
Fix a Stuck Zipper
Zippers are really convenient. They help you fasten your clothes, after all! That being said, they can become a pain in the neck when they get stuck. You can end up stretching or even tearing your garments, not to mention breaking the zipper itself.
Using just a little bit of Vaseline, you can lube up those zippers to help the get unstuck. One bonus to this method is that it also protects your zipper from rusting!
Fix Streaky Self Tan
Self-tan mixtures can be really convenient. They let you get that nice, sunny, bronze look without having to actually sit in the sun. That being said, if they apply unevenly, you can end up with a splotchy look that makes you stand out.
By spreading a bit of Vaseline on your skin (particularly your joints) before applying self-tan can help the creases in your skin moisturize and stay consistent. This helps the self-tan apply more smoothly and consistently.
Prevent Scars From Forming
Scars, even little ones, can be fairly off-putting. If you’ve ever gotten a little scrape or cut and been worried about whether or not it will leave a permanent mark, then here’s the solution for you!
The next time you get another one of those burns or scratches, apply some Vaseline! The Vaseline will help the skin around the cut or burn stay moisturized. Keeping the skin moisturized is one of the best ways to prevent scarring.
Make Matte Eyeshadow Glossy
If you’re the kind of person who likes to play around mixing different makeups and makeup techniques, then this is a great way to use Vaseline.
Simply apply a layer of Vaseline on top of your favorite matte eyeshadow. Don’t be afraid to really slather it on there. It will give your eyes a phenomenal glossy look, which you can do a lot of different things with.
Remove Stains
If you’ve ever spilled salsa or red wine on your favorite shirt, you know how it feels to have one of your favorite garments ruined. There are a lot of DIY stain removal solutions, but one of the easiest ways to remove stains is by applying vaseline.
Especially if you catch the stain early on before it dries, this is an excellent method. Just apply enough Vaseline to cover the stain, and wash out later with war water and a bit of soap. Unfortunately, for more sensitive garments, you will still have to take it to a dry cleaner.
Moisturize Your Eyelids
Having dry, flaky eyelids is the worst. One of the worst feelings is waking up in the morning and feeling the sting of dry, flaky eyelids. If you want to moisturize those eyelids, then Vaseline is the thing for you!
Vaseline is well-known for being one of the most effective moisturizers on the market. However, some people never think to put it on some of the more sensitive areas, such as eyelids.
Fix Scratched DVDs or CDs
If you’ve still got some old CDs and DVDs lying around, it’s more than likely that some of your favorite hits are scratched up by now. If you feel distressed, and want to use your old scratched CDs and DVDs again, then fret no longer!
Simply clean the surface of the disk with some ethanol, and then rub a thin layer of Vaseline over the surface of the disk. With some luck and finesse, the Vaseline will fill in the scratches and make the disk functional again.
Buff Out Scratched Phone Screens
Having a scratched up screen on your electronics is a huge drag. It can reduce the apparent resolution and distract you from whatever videos you’re watching or articles you’re reading. Vaseline can help buff out ugly scratches in phone screens.
This works particularly well for small or shallow scratches. Simply put a very small amount of Vaseline on your finger or a microfibre cloth, and use it to buff out the scratches on your phone. This works on any glass screen, for electronics or what have you.
Lessen Your Back Pain
There’s nothing quite as difficult to deal with as back pain. It can come from a variety of sources too, from physical labor to an injury — or even just sitting incorrectly for too long.
To find some relief from this problem, heat up some Vaseline in the oven or microwave, but just for a bit! You want it just warm enough that offers some heat without being too hot to burn your skin. Once it’s all warmed up, massage it on your back for some heated relief.
No More Lipstick on Your Teeth
If there’s one makeup hazard that everyone who wears makeup has experienced, it’s getting lipstick on your teeth.
This might seem hard to avoid, but the solution might actually be in your medicine cabinet. By applying a thin layer of Vaseline to your teeth, it will prevent lipstick from sticking to it. Since Vaseline isn’t scented or flavored, it won’t leave a nasty taste in your mouth either. Keep in mind, though, that a little goes a long way so don’t overdo it.
Getting Gum Out of Hair
There are few things quite as infuriating in your — or your kids’ — hair. When your child comes to you with gum in their hair, for example, you might be perplexed as to what to do.
Don’t reach for the scissors just yet, though! Instead, grab a bit of Vaseline and start to work it around the gum so you can work that out of the strands. You can also use this solution in other sticky situations such as getting tree sap caught in your hair.
Remove Stuck Jewelry
Using jewelry to accessorize can go a long way in amplifying a look and making it more dynamic. That being said, you probably don’t want to keep a ring on forever.
Even if you love a ring, it can get damaged if you wear it while washing the dishes or showering, so it’s best to take it off beforehand. It’s easy to get a ring stuck on your finger, though. You can use Vaseline to help lubricate it and get it off.
Get Thicker Lashes
Despite what you may think, Vaseline isn’t just limited to helping you with faux lashes. If you want, you can also use it to make your lashes look thicker and shinier.
To do this, the steps are fairly close to using Vaseline to remove your fake lashes and lash glue. Just apply it the Vaseline to your lash line but make sure that you don’t go overboard. You don’t want clumps of Vaseline on your lashes but rather just enough to give your lashes a volume boost.
Lose and Prevent Dandruff
Dandruff is caused by dry skin on your scalp and it can be a real nuisance. It can cause side effects such as itchiness and messy flaking.
The good news is that Vaseline can go a long way in reducing and preventing dandruff. All you have to do is work it into your hair at your roots. Just like it works well at hydrating your skin, it will help hydrate your scalp and reduce the production of dry skin or dandruff.
Keep Your Eyeshadow On
As we’ve discussed, how quickly beauty products fade can cause a problem. This is especially true if you have a long day ahead of you and you need to look your best the whole day.
Another way that Vaseline can help with this is by aiding in keeping your eyeshadow on longer. You can use it as a primer to help your eyeshadow stay. However, you’ll want to make sure that you only use a little. If you opt for too much Vaseline, it won’t work.
Fixing Old Keys
If you have an old key and a rusty lock, you might think you’re out of luck in actually getting the lock open. Indeed it can definitely cause quite a challenge.
Before calling a locksmith or simply giving up, try to apply Vaseline to the key and place it in the lock. You won’t want to add too much but rather just enough to offer a layer of lubricant to the process.
Prevent Sticky Candle Wax
If you keep your candles in candle holders rather than using candles that come in their own housings, you probably already know how annoying it is when candle wax seals to the holder.
Before you light your next candle, put some Vaseline on your candle holder. This will keep the melted wax from sealing to the candle holder as your favorite candle burns. In turn, you’ll have an easier time cleaning up when you go to replace the candle.
