7 Amazing Ways To Use Vaseline For Your Hair

Vaseline is a popular petroleum jelly brand that is rich in mineral oils and natural waxes. It is known for its moisture-locking properties and has multiple uses in skin care. But do you know that you can use Vaseline for hair care too? It helps promote hair growth and fights against dandruff. This petroleum jelly is not only useful for your cracked heels and chapped lips but also works as a hair growth elixir. However, before you use it for your hair, it is important to understand both its benefits and limitations. This article will help you with the same. Explore how to use Vaseline for your hair for maximum benefit, the scientific evidence surrounding its effectiveness, and the potential risks of using it. Keep reading to learn more!

Know Your Ingredient: Vaseline

What Is It?
A semisolid jelly-like substance made from a mixture of mineral oils and natural waxes.

What Are Its Benefits?
It has moisture-locking properties that help manage flyaways and tame frizz. Using it as an overnight hair mask may help manage split ends.

Who Can Consume It?
Individuals who don’t have oily scalp or dandruff problems can use it.

How Often?
A moderate to small amount can be used once a week or as needed.

Caution
An excessive quantity can add heaviness to hair, can be difficult to wash off, and may cause bacterial infestation.

Is Vaseline Good For Your Hair?

It depends on how you use it. Vaseline contains mineral oil, petroleum oils, and natural waxes and creates a protective covering to prevent moisture loss (1). It is believed that this property of Vaseline can help your locks retain moisture, strengthen them, and prevent breakage.

You can use Vaseline to treat “cradle cap” and diaper rash in infants. It relieves extreme dryness on the baby’s skin and soothes these conditions (2). However, there is no scientific research to support the claim that Vaseline promotes hair growth. On the contrary, Vaseline can clog the hair follicles and cause hair thinning and hair loss. It is also not helpful in hair treatment of dandruff.

Vaseline can help control flyaways and tame frizz. You can use it with overnight hair masks or dab some on the hair ends to prevent split ends. Vaseline is quite versatile and can be used to moisturize your eyelashes and eyebrows.

Trivia

The word ‘Vaseline’ is a combination of the German word ‘wasser,’ which means water, and ‘elaion,’ which means olive oil.

Vaseline is popularly used to manage a lice infestation (3). It is believed that it lubricates the hair and aids easy removal of lice and nits. You can use Vaseline in different ways, depending on your hair needs. Find out in the next section how to use it.

How To Use Vaseline For Hair

Note: Use a pea-sized amount of Vaseline. Excess petroleum jelly is difficult to remove and may clog the hair follicles.

1. To Manage Split Ends: Apply a tiny amount of petroleum jelly like a hair oil or serum to the hair ends. This hair moisturizer keeps the split ends in check and prevents dryness and hair breakage due to lack of moisture.

2. Add To Your Hair Mask: You can add Vaseline to your DIY hair masks or use it on its own.

3. As A Styling Gel: Dab a little bit of Vaseline to set the stray hair strands in place when hair styling.

4. For Lice Treatment: Apply Vaseline thoroughly to the hair strands. Cover the head with a shower cap. Leave it on overnight and wash the hair with shampoo and conditioner. Anecdotal evidence states that Vaseline can choke the lice and ensure easy removal.

5. Prevent Dye Stains: You can use it to prevent staining during hair dyeing. Apply petroleum jelly around your hairline, behind the ears, and on your nape to avoid dye stains from hair products.

6. Remove Visible Flaking: Vaseline can help to remove visible flaking (caused by seborrheic dermatitis) from eyelashes and eyebrows.

7. As A Moisture-Locking Treatment: You can apply Vaseline to the ends of your hair after using a regular conditioner and serum to help seal in the products. This will keep your strands moisturized and give them a shinier appearance.

Trivia

Sir Robert Chesebrough, the chemist who invented Vaseline, used to burn his skin to demonstrate how Vaseline helps soothe it before people accepted this product.

Ways To Get Vaseline Out Of Your Hair

Nimeshaa, a lifestyle, fashion, and self-care Youtuber, tried applying vaseline on hair to make it look smooth and silky. She applied vaseline majorly on the ends and noticed that it did not wash off and instead made her hair sticky. She adds, “Vaseline did not work on my hair and my hair looks super duper oily and my hand feels moisturized because of running vaseline through hair (i).”

Clearly, Vaseline is tough to wash off from hair. But here are some hacks to help!

1. Shampoo: Use a clarifying shampoo to remove all traces of petroleum jelly from your hair and scalp. Follow it up with a hair conditioner to keep your locks hydrated.

2. Baking Soda: If you do not have a clarifying shampoo, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with your regular shampoo to remove Vaseline from your hair.

3. Activated Charcoal: You can use activated charcoal powder with your shampoo to remove the extra petroleum jelly from your hair.

Since Vaseline is not a product designed for hair care, you should be aware of its potential side effects before you start using it for this purpose. Scroll down to learn more.

Side Effects Of Vaseline On Hair

Vaseline is typically safe to use and does nor cause severe side effects. However, there may be some drawbacks to using too much of it on the hair:

• It may clog the pores on your scalp and lead to a build-up of a waxy, sticky, and stubborn residue.
• It can make the hair look greasy, dull, and unclean.
• It locks in moisture, but it also does not allow absorption of atmospheric moisture or nutrients from other products.
• It has a heavy texture that can weigh down your hair, making it look flat and unhealthy.
• It may leave behind stains and an oily odor upon contact with other surfaces.
• It makes it difficult to color one’s hair. Vaseline’s heavy texture may create a barrier that prevents hair dye from penetrating properly, leading to uneven color results.

Infographic: 6 Easy Ways To Use Vaseline For Hair

Applying vaseline to our hair is not as uncommon as one might think. People have been using petroleum jelly for different purposes over the years. It does wonders for our skin, but it also has some benefits when applied to our hair.

Check out the infographic below to know more.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vaseline good for black hair?

Vaseline may protect black hair from dryness and breakage. However, proper research is required to determine its benefits further. Moreover, it can be very difficult to wash Vaseline off your hair.

Do you put Vaseline on wet or dry hair?

You can apply Vaseline to slightly damp hair after you have used other hair products. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it may help seal hair products and lock in the moisture in the strands.

Is Vaseline good for scalp psoriasis?

Yes, it is as it helps retain skin moisture. Petroleum jelly is a commonly used emollient for the topical treatment of psoriasis (4). However, more relevant studies are needed to support this claim.

Does Vaseline help eyelashes grow?

No, Vaseline does not make your eyelashes grow longer. However, as per a study on a Vaseline skin cream, it has occlusive properties (5). Therefore, it may help hydrate your lashes by locking in moisture. Additionally, you can also use Vaseline as an eye makeup remover to remove mascara from your eyelashes.

Is Vaseline safe for all hair types?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Vaseline is safe for all hair types. However, if you have an oily scalp, consider applying it only to the ends of your hair to prevent scalp irritation and pore-clogging.

How often should you use Vaseline on your hair?

You can use Vaseline once a week on your hair if you are using it in your hair masks. You may also use it on the ends of your hair every day to prevent split ends and breakage. However, relevant studies are warranted to support this claim.

Can Vaseline be used as a hair conditioner?

No. Instead, you may use it on hair masks or apply a small amount on your hair ends to combat dryness and breakage. Always perform a patch test before adding Vaseline to your hair care routine to prevent allergic reactions.

Is Vaseline safe to use on colored or treated hair?

No, there is no proper research to support the benefits of petroleum jelly for hair care. Instead of using it, you can consult your hair stylist for effective recommendations.

Illustration: Vaseline For Hair: Is It Safe to Use Petroleum Jelly for Hair Growth?

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

Prepare to be amazed by this captivating video, unveiling the transformative power of Vaseline and the numerous benefits it brings to your precious locks. Check it out!

Was this article helpful?

Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Shruti ChavanMBBS

   

Dr. Shruti Chavan is a consulting dermatologist at Dr.Sheth's Skin and Hair Clinic since 6 years. She is a co-committee member of CDSI (Cosmetic dermatologist Society of India). She is highly skilled in non-surgical facial skin rejuvenation and face lift by the use of injection treatments and lasers.

Read full bio of Dr. Shruti Chavan

Annie JangamBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Annie Jangam is a researcher-turned-content writer with 11 years of experience. She enjoys dissecting complex clinical studies and shuffling through the scientific jargon to make science interesting and easy to understand.

Read full bio of Annie Jangam

Ramona SinhaEditor

Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal.

Read full bio of Ramona Sinha

Monomita ChakrabortyBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Monomita has a graduate degree in mass communication and video production from St. Anthony's College, Shillong, and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the Royal Global University, Guwahati. She is also a certified skincare coach with a keen interest in skin, hair, tattoos, nail art, and lifestyle trends.

Read full bio of Monomita Chakraborty