Ingredient Index

Is Petrolatum banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No: Vaseline-grade petrolatum is legal in EU cosmetics; the EU prohibition applies only to unrefined petrolatum whose refining history can't be shown to have removed carcinogenic impurities.

CAS: 8009-03-8 Also seen as: Petroleum jelly, Vaseline, Petrolatum (white)

What the EU does

Legal when properly refined, and Vaseline qualifies. The Annex II entry that fuels this myth covers petrolatum "except where the full refining history is known and it can be shown that the substance from which it is produced is not a carcinogen." Translation: crude, PAH-contaminated petrolatum is banned; pharmacopoeia-grade white petrolatum with documented refining is permitted and sold in every EU pharmacy.

The distinction exists because poorly refined petroleum jelly can carry polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Fully refined white petrolatum doesn't, which is why it has been the base of European dermatology ointments for a century.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II entry 1338 (petrolatum, refining-history condition)

What the US does

Legal, with no refining-documentation rule, and more than legal: the FDA approves white petrolatum as an OTC skin-protectant active (21 CFR 347.10) and it is the reference standard occlusive in wound care and dermatology. US-market petrolatum is USP-grade, which carries its own purity specifications.

Calibration for the "petroleum byproduct" anxiety: refined petrolatum is biologically inert: too inert to penetrate skin, which is precisely why it works as a barrier. Dermatologists recommend it for wound healing, eczema, and "slugging" because the safety record is long and dull.

Citation 21 CFR 347.10 (white petrolatum, OTC skin protectant, 30–100%)

Products that commonly contain it

Petrolatum is everywhere skin needs sealing:

Vaseline and store-brand petroleum jelly
Aquaphor and healing ointments
Lip balms (often the first ingredient)
Diaper rash creams
Wound-care ointments and post-procedure dressings

What to look for on a label

Labels and grades:

"Petrolatum" (US/INCI) or "white petrolatum", the refined cosmetic/pharma grade
Buy from regulated retail; informal-market "petroleum jelly" of unknown origin is where purity is unverifiable
"Slugging" and barrier use are dermatologist-endorsed in both markets
Related: see mineral oil, same refining logic in liquid form

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Frequently asked questions

Is Vaseline banned in Europe?

No. Vaseline is sold throughout the EU. The Annex II restriction targets unrefined petrolatum without a documented refining history; fully refined white petrolatum is explicitly permitted.

Is petrolatum legal in the United States?

Yes: beyond legal, it is an FDA-monographed OTC skin protectant (21 CFR 347.10) and the standard occlusive in dermatology.

Why do "clean beauty" lists flag petrolatum?

Because the EU rulebook contains a petrolatum entry which, read fully, bans only unrefined grades. The conditional clause gets dropped in retelling, turning a purity standard into a phantom ban.

Is petroleum jelly safe on broken skin?

It is the standard recommendation: studies show plain white petrolatum on wounds performs comparably to antibiotic ointments with less allergic risk. Refined petrolatum is inert and sits on top of skin rather than absorbing.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses