Aquaphor Healing Ointment vs Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

92 facts in comparison

Based on 661 Reddit opinions. Too close to call.

661 opinions
Healing Ointment
Reddit's Pick
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
73%
B-
Based on
654 Redditors
Winner

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

~$12.97
274 opinions

tldr; Reddit generally views Aquaphor as a highly effective occlusive for moisturizing and healing, often compared to Vaseline, though some users may react to its mineral oils.

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VS
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
73%
B-
Based on
1,009 Redditors

Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

~$5.48
387 opinions

tldr; Reddit highly recommends Vaseline for its exceptional healing, moisturizing, and occlusive properties, often favored by dermatologists and praised for its affordability.

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EffectivenessIngredientsSkin FeelGentlenessValue
EFF
ING
SKI
❤️GEN
VAL
60
Points
76
Points

Score by Category

Effectiveness
79%73%
Ingredients
29%67%
Skin Feel
40%50%
Gentleness
50%88%
Value
100%100%

Why is Original Petroleum Jelly better than Aquaphor Healing Ointment?

  • Better ingredients (67% vs 29%)
  • Better skin feel (50% vs 40%)
  • Better gentleness (88% vs 50%)
  • Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
  • ⏱ Heals skin fast and effectively
  • Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
Based on 1,663 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Healing Ointment

Winning by 0 points (73% vs 73%)

Better effectiveness
Effective occlusive for sealing in moisture
Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight
High confidence (1,663 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,663 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Healing Ointment
7.3/10
654 mentions
Petroleum Jelly
7.3/10
1,009 mentions
EFFECTIVENESS
Healing Ointment7.9/10
Petroleum Jelly7.3/10
INGREDIENTS
Healing Ointment2.9/10
Petroleum Jelly6.7/10
GENTLENESS
Healing Ointment5.0/10
Petroleum Jelly8.8/10
SKIN FEEL
Healing Ointment4.0/10
Petroleum Jelly5.0/10
VALUE
Healing Ointment10.0/10
Petroleum Jelly10.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Healing Ointment: 1|Petroleum Jelly: 3
EffectivenessHealing Ointment
Healing Ointment79%
Petroleum Jelly73%
IngredientsPetroleum Jelly
Healing Ointment29%
Petroleum Jelly67%
GentlenessPetroleum Jelly
Healing Ointment50%
Petroleum Jelly88%
Skin FeelPetroleum Jelly
Healing Ointment40%
Petroleum Jelly50%
Value
Healing Ointment100%
Petroleum Jelly100%
Healing Ointment73%
Petroleum Jelly73%
Dead heat - too close to call

Key Specs

SpecAquaphor Healing OintmentVaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
Brand
Aquaphor
Vaseline
Manufacturer
Aquaphor
Unilever
Color
1 Pack
No Color
Weight
0.4375 Pounds
0.7 pounds
Height
8.031 inches
4.19 Inches

Key Highlights

Aquaphor Healing Ointment
💧 Effective occlusive for sealing in moisture
🎯 Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight
🎯 Heals chapped lips quickly
⚠ Regular version may cause allergic reactions
🎯 Baby Aquaphor suggested as an alternative for
Vaseline Original Petroleum JellyWinner
🏆 Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
⏱️ Heals skin fast and effectively
💰 Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
🎯 Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight
💧 Excellent for extremely dry skin when layered

Topic Battles

Healing Ointment: 1|Tied: 1|Petroleum Jelly: 3
Effectiveness
Healing Ointment wins
Healing Ointment
79%
Petroleum Jelly
73%
Ingredients
Petroleum Jelly wins
Healing Ointment
29%
Petroleum Jelly
67%
Skin Feel
Petroleum Jelly wins
Healing Ointment
40%
Petroleum Jelly
50%
❤️Gentleness
Petroleum Jelly wins
Healing Ointment
50%
Petroleum Jelly
88%
Value
Healing Ointment
100%
Petroleum Jelly
100%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Best Praise
+68 pts
It looks more like Vaseline than Aquaphor, which is usually an opaque white for me. I think your skin would rather you just buy a new bottle of Aquaphor than roll the dice with the Mystery Jelly™️
r/SkincareAddiction
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Top Criticism
+5 pts
This usually means your under-eye skin doesn’t tolerate heavy occlusives. Aquaphor can trap moisture and debris, leading to milia or small cysts. Switch to a lightweight, non-comedogenic eye product with hyaluronic acid, peptides, or ceramides instead.
r/SkincareAddiction
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

Best Praise
+49 pts
My dermatologist won’t let me put anything on my face after any minor surgery by Vaseline. Not even aquapore- just Vaseline. My skin healed so fast. Supposedly to remove stitches it take 4-7bdays, but my skin healed up so fast they have to remove the stitches in 3 days tops. Any wound, dryness - this is all that doctors recommend. My mom also swears that putting light Vaseline on your face and rinsing it before you get out of the shower and applying make up after, your make up will be vibrant and last longer. She was an actress in the 70s and this is how the production make up artist does her make up.
r/SkincareAddiction
View
Top Criticism
+11 pts
I guess whoever who hasn't tried it yet, give it a go . But I've since learned during the winter trying to combat dry air, that dabbing a a little Vaseline a bit around my face, causes my face to break out like crazy the next day. Oh the night of, it is shiny and moist and lovely. But the next day, big ol bright red zits
r/SkincareAddiction
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
$6$9$12Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Oct '25Dec '25Jan '26Mar '26May '26Low: $6.18Low: $5.97Current: $12.79Current: $9.99
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
All-time low: $1.1(2023-03)
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
All-time low: $2.29(2022-05)

Which is Better?

Too Close to Call

Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (73% vs 73%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.

Why Healing Ointment
  • 💧 Effective occlusive for sealing in moisture
  • 🎯 Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight
  • 🎯 Heals chapped lips quickly
Why Petroleum Jelly
  • 🏆 Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
  • ⏱️ Heals skin fast and effectively
  • More discussed (1,009 vs 654)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

31%Positive
Positive
31%
Neutral
58%
Negative
11%
Based on 654 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

28%Positive
Positive
28%
Neutral
62%
Negative
10%
Based on 1,009 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Aquaphor Healing Ointment or Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly?
Based on 1,663 Reddit comments, both are similarly rated at 73% and 73% positive - too close to call a clear winner.
Should I buy Aquaphor Healing Ointment or Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly?
Both have similar approval ratings (73% vs 73%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Aquaphor Healing Ointment?
Reddit users highlight: Effective occlusive for sealing in moisture. Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight. Heals chapped lips quickly. With 654 mentions and 73% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly?
Reddit users highlight: Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor. Heals skin fast and effectively. Works as an effective, affordable occlusive. With 1,009 mentions and 73% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,663 Reddit comments: 654 about Aquaphor Healing Ointment and 1,009 about Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly. Data was sourced from Skincare products community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

661 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/15/2026