the original patent drawing for Petroleum Jelly purification

A Breakthrough Discovery

Robert Augustus Chesebrough, a 22-year-old chemist, traveled to Titusville, Pennsylvania and discovered something amazing. He learned about a natural, waxy ingredient, rich in minerals from deep within the earth, which had visible skin-repairing properties.

Inspired by this, Chesebrough brought samples of the substance back to his chemistry lab in Brooklyn and began experimenting and re-formulating it, hoping to find a solution to heal and protect the skin.

After several years of testing and perfecting the extracting technique, in 1865 Chesebrough patented his purification method, marking the birth of the triple purification process unique to the Vaseline® brand.

Vintage bottles of Vaseline

The VASELINE® Brand Is Born

In 1870, the product we know and use today was officially born as Chesebrough began to distribute this pure petroleum jelly under the brand name of Vaseline® – one of the first branded products in North America.

In the same year, Chesebrough opened a factory in Brooklyn, New York and toured the entire state in a horse-drawn carriage to promote this "miracle" product.

By 1874, just two years after its branding, one tin per minute of Vaseline® Jelly was being sold throughout the United States. That's over 1,400 tins a day!

A vintage ad from 1880s of Vaseline's Petroleum Jelly

Trusted by All

People started to discover the safe and diverse uses of pure Vaseline® petroleum jelly, and soon nearly every household in North America had a jar in their medicine cabinet. New mothers used it on their babies for diaper rash, while workers exposed to extreme cold weather used it to relieve their dry, chapped skin.
A box of Vaseline products from 1900s

A Wartime Staple

Vaseline® became a staple for the American soldiers fighting in Europe. Ideal for soothing sore feet in the trenches, it was in such high demand that many young men would write home, asking their families to send more.
A vintage ad from 1920s of Vaseline's Petroleum Jelly

“Handiest Thing In The House”

Used both for first aid and cosmetically, it became a ubiquitous household brand.
an example of Vaseline's sterile antiseptic dressing fabricated in 1930s

Supporting The Frontline

During WWII, soldiers sustained serious injuries from burns, so Chesebrough Manufacturing Company was commissioned by the Surgeon General to produce a sterile antiseptic dressing containing petroleum jelly.
A vintage ad from 1950s of Vaseline's Petroleum Jelly

"The Wonder Jelly"

Reader's Digest called Vaseline® "The Wonder Jelly".
A vintage ad from 1970s of Vaseline's Lotions

Vaseline® Lotion Is Launched

Vaseline® Intensive Care™ Lotion was launched in the USA in 1968, for both dry skin, and as an after-sun moisturizer.

A few years later, a new era was born with the development of the Vaseline® Intensive Care™ "Working Hands of America" campaign featuring people from all walks of life with different occupations, all clapping and joining hands across mountains and valleys.

A vintage ad from 1980s of Vaseline's hand cream and lip balm

Vaseline for Lips and Hands

After the great success with body lotions, Vaseline® began to expand its offering by introducing Vaseline® Lip Therapy® and Vaseline® Hand & Nail Formula.
Woman using Vaseline Healing Jelly

Taking Steps Towards Sustainability

We switched the plastic material used in our Vaseline® Healing Jelly jars from polystyrene (#6 Plastic) to polypropylene (#5 Plastic) to improve the recyclability of our packaging.

a woman applying Vaseline Jelly on a kid

Bringing Skin Healing Where It’s Needed The Most

Aiming to provide skin healthcare to every body, everywhere, the Vaseline® brand partnered with Direct Relief to create the Vaseline® Healing Project. Since the program was launched, we’ve been providing people around the world access to critical skin health care in areas with acute needs or in the wake of natural disasters.
Old bottles and New Bottles

Less Plastic per Lotion Bottle

Lotion packs were reengineered to use less plastic, avoiding the equivalent of 2.3M of Vaseline® 20.3oz bottles (the redesigned format) (130 metric tons of plastic) in the US from 2018 to 2022.

two kids smiling

Skin Health For All

Vaseline® reached its first goal of helping to heal the skin of over five million people worldwide through The Vaseline® Healing Project (VHP).

Hand holding Vaseline bottle

Increasing the Usage of Recycled Plastic

Vaseline®'s Intensive Care Lotions were relaunched with new packaging, improved formulas and bottles made of 50% recycled plastic, and our jelly jars became widely recyclable. Learn more about Vaseline’s approach to plastic.

In 2022, we updated our lotion bottles in the US and Canada to be composed of 50% recycled plastic content. This was a step up from our previous bottles which contained 0-25% recycled plastic content. By using recycled plastic, we reduce our reliance on virgin plastic and build the demand for future plastic recycling.

 

In July 2022, How2Recycle changed the classification of Vaseline Healing Jelly jars made of polypropylene (#5 Plastic) from check locally to widely recyclable. We’re updating the back of pack labels to reflect this change. Read more about How2Recycle’s classification of #5 plastic.

Vaseline Recyclable Pump Advanced Repair 32oz

Launch of Recyclable Pumps

Vaseline® replaced the pumps on its Intensive Care Lotion bottles with recyclable pumps, allowing consumers to recycle the bottle and pump together.

Most pumps available today include an internal metal spring in a plastic casing, making them difficult to recycle. Vaseline’s new recyclable pump replaces the metal spring with one made of #5 plastic, making it possible to dispose of the bottle and pump as one unit by simply placing it directly into the recycling bin (subject to local recycling policies). Learn more about our new recyclable pump.

A runner resting. She is hearing sports clothes
The Healing Power of Vaseline®

UNMATCHED PASSION AND DEDICATION TO SKIN HEALTH

Since the very beginning of our story, the Vaseline® brand has been helping people achieve healthier skin. Our products today are the result of decades of skin research, and our mission is clear and never complete: we want to develop accessible, everyday skincare products, provide access and education to skin health care to those in need, and help everyone, everywhere keep their skin healthy so they can keep up with the demands of life.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR BRAND UNMATCHED PASSION AND DEDICATION TO SKIN HEALTH
Ingredients