I’ve been using Vaseline since I was a little girl with severely chapped hands and lips. It worked miracles on my hands and was the only thing that wouldn’t make them sting. Vaseline certainly has its place in the world, but recently I’ve been seeing a lot of “petrochemical-free” products, and I wanted to share more about them.

Products such as petroleum jelly and mineral oil are byproducts of petroleum (gasoline) refinement. It’s true they come from petroleum, but they are highly refined and are considered “safe” for use on our skin and even in our food products. On the upside, they don’t cause irritation to the vast majority of the population, don’t spoil, and are used by surgeons after closing up stitches. They provide a waterproof barrier to chapped or chafed skin to allow skin to heal beneath the barrier. As I said, they definitely have their place in the world.

My issue with petrochemical products is that they are used far too frequently as a base or additive for cosmetic moisturizers. They are abundant and cheap, can easily add substance to a moisturizer. Basically they are added to your skincare to make you think you are buying more product than you are. As good as they are at protecting irritated skin, these products should never be used on fragile facial skin which has acne, rosacea, or other sensitivities. In the long run they will only aggravate your skin further and prevent it from breathing- basically they will trap any bacteria or irritants into your skin. Even though your skin might initially feel soft, the product won’t be absorbed into your skin because the molecular structure is larger than that of your skin. In fact mineral oil can actually draw moisture out of your skin.

With so many fantastic, plant-based moisturizers out there full of antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatories, is it surprising that major brands like CereVe continue to use petrochemicals? No. Petrochemicals are very inexpensive and as long as dermatologists continue to promote these brands, rosacea and acne sufferers will continue to use them, not knowing that there are so many other clean, beneficial options out there.

Since learning about petrochemicals and toxins in general, I have switched all my skincare products to cleaner brands, which are generally free of petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, colors, fragrance, or dyes. Most clean brands are hypoallergenic, plant based, nonGMO, vegan, and cruelty free. These brands often do NOT advertise and rather spend money on the quality of the ingredients and third-party testing over fancy marketing campaigns. I’ve found that my bottles actually last a lot longer because less product is needed, since there are no fillers or petrochemicals to “bulk” up the product.

For rosacea skin, I would suggest a high-quality simple moisturizer which does not have petrochemicals such as MeridaSkin, created by a nurse practitioner who overcame rosacea. By spending a little more money upfront on a quality moisturizer that is not full of chemicals, you can actually begin the process of healing your skin because of all the natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.

Now that I no longer have rosacea I am able to look back on my long twenty-year journey and clearly see the mistakes I made, not just in skincare but in diet, lifestyle, environment, toxic exposures… you name it. It has become my mission to share what I’ve learned to help others heal from rosacea, and skincare is actually just one tiny piece of the puzzle. To learn more about all the things that are going on internally and begin the process of healing, please visit my website www.drtaraodesky.com to learn more.