Use olive oil and beeswax to make your own natural petroleum jelly.
Petroleum jelly -- also known as white petroleum -- is a semi-solid hydrocarbon mixture that is used in the protection of skin. The product is widely used in health and skin care and is recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as an over-the-counter cosmetic. Some users can't justify buying the jelly because of the petroleum's possible links to cancer -- although these claims are not confirmed by the medical field, there are plenty of natural alternatives to keep your mind at rest.
Make Your Own Jelly
The one sure-fire way to tell if your petroleum jelly is natural is to make a homemade batch. All you will need is 2 ounces of olive oil, half an ounce of grated beeswax and 12 drops of grapefruit seed extract. Make the jelly by melting the beeswax and olive oil over a water double boiler on medium heat. Then remove the mixture from the heat and add the grapefruit seed extract -- beat the ingredients together with a hand mixer until it becomes a creamy substance. You can use the jelly as a lip balm and skin moisturizer or as a treatment cream for rashes and scratches. Store the jelly in a screw-top glass jar -- your homemade petroleum jelly will keep for a year.
Petroleum-Free Jelly
If you are not interested in making your own jelly, there are companies that sell natural petroleum-free products instead. Cosmetic and health companies sell natural jellies without any petroleum. Most of these products are marketed as Vaseline alternatives for use on the skin, lips, hair and hands. Ingredients added to these petroleum-free jellies are often natural, for example almond oil, shea butter, coconut oil, lavender and lemon.
Cremerlin
Some substances exist that have the same properties as petroleum jelly, but don't include any of the same ingredients. Cremerlin is part of a line of natural and organic ingredients and it's a great example of a natural alternative to petroleum jelly. Cremerlin has been tested against the ability of petroleum jelly to maintain moisture on skin -- according to SupplySide, results showed that Cremerlin had a 69 percent reduction in water loss on the skin. Petroleum jelly is the only substance that comes close to this rate of water retention. Cremerlin is also 100 percent vegetable based, which makes it entirely natural.
Safety
If you do use petroleum jelly, you should always be aware of the health hazards and risks. According to the National Library of Medicine's DailyMed website, petroleum jelly is for external use only and should never be used on deep puncture wounds, infections or lacerations. Instead, DailyMed advises to see a doctor for further treatment. Other health warnings include keeping petroleum jelly out of the reach of children -- if swallowed, contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Always stop using white petroleum if your prescribed conditions worsen or do not improve within seven days. Petroleum jelly also carries an R45 risk in the European Union, which means it may cause cancer unless the substance has a proven refining history.
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