Vaseline Lip Therapy vs Vaseline

Vaseline is one of those decades-old medicine cabinet staples that’s incredibly versatile. Some may use it to treat scrapes, burns, or dryness—or in Marilyn Monroe’s case, as a makeup primer and highlighter.

I mean, what can’t this wonderful jelly do?

Since its creation in the 1800s, Vaseline has gone on to create other skincare products, like the Vaseline Lip Therapy Stick. Given that all the products are ultimately rooted in the effectiveness of their parent item, Vaseline, this raises some questions on our end.

What are the major differences between the original formula and its lip support counterpart? What are their similarities? Does one work better than the other?

Let’s get into it.

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Vaseline Lip Therapy Stick vs. Vaseline Original

As we all probably know by now, Vaseline is 100% pure petroleum jelly that’s also hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic. It helps to lock in moisture, which makes it great as a standalone moisturizer or a complementary addition to top off lotions and creams. Their Lip Therapy Stick, on the other hand, is made with Vaseline jelly and ingredients like Vitamin E, castor seed oil, shea butter, carnauba wax, beeswax, and glycerin.

Considering the number of other components found in the Lip Therapy Stick, it may appear that it works better than Vaseline alone. Since Vaseline’s website currently has very few reviews, we decided to outsource this part of the review from Amazon. After 29,758 reviews, the original salve has a 4.7-star rating, while the lip balm has 9,857 reviews and a 4.6-star rating.

On the same website, a 1.7oz jar of Vaseline costs $4.92 (and, as an aside, there are other sizes available) while the .16oz lip balm is $5.91, and it comes in original, rosy lips, aloe vera, and cocoa butter.

Now, it appears opting for the original Vaseline formula is the obvious choice here, but it’s likely not ideal to be lugging around a jar of it wherever you go, especially if you just need some hydration for your lips. So, we totally understand purchasing the Lip Therapy Stick, even if it’s a dollar extra.

Moreover, we want to address that Vaseline isn’t cruelty-free since they may be complicit in animal testing. And, as previously mentioned, their lip products contain beeswax, so they aren’t 100% vegan.

Sustainability-wise, Vaseline claims to be increasing their use of recycled plastic and using less plastic for their products and packaging. Regarding philanthropic efforts, they’ve partnered with Direct Relief for The Vaseline Healing Project, which aims to “support a network of nonprofit health centers and clinics that provide affordable and comprehensive services to those who need it most.”

While it’s a shame that a 150-year-old company hasn’t moved towards more ethical procedures, it’s reassuring that they’re at least working on more eco-friendly and charitable initiatives.