It’s difficult to find anything, especially a commercial product, that hasn’t really changed in 140 years. But Vaseline, that miracle product that is used for everything from softening tough skin to keeping beauty queens smiling, may just fit the bill. Vaseline turned up on the market in 1870—and the world has been just a bit softer, maybe a bit greasier since.
From Rod Wax to Vaseline
Vaseline was the brainchild of England-born, Brooklyn-raised chemist Robert Chesebrough. In 1859, at the tender age of 22, Chesebrough decided to turn his back on his father’s dry goods business and seek his fortune in the nascent oil industry. Young Chesebrough made his way down to Titusville, Pennsylvania, to check out a working oil well. While there, however, Chesebrough made a rather different discovery: At the time, men working on oil rigs were plagued by what they called “rod wax,” a kind of gooey jelly that would get into machinery and cause it to seize up. But rod wax wasn’t all bad: Chesebrough, clearly a very observant guy, noticed that the workers often smeared the substance on burns and rough skin and that it appeared to help in the healing process. Intrigued, he brought a bit of the stuff home.
Chesebrough spent the next 10 years experimenting on it—and himself. With his background as a chemist, Chesebrough ultimately refined the rod wax down to the clear, smeary petroleum jelly we now know today. All the while, he was supposedly using himself as a guinea pig and applying the goo to self-inflicted wounds to track their healing process.
Both Chesebrough and the miracle product survived, and in 1870, he began marketing his Vaseline (supposedly a mash-up of the German word for water, vasser, and the Greek word for olive oil, ‘e’laion or πετÏÎλαιο). He patented the product in the US in 1872 and formed the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company, based out of Brooklyn, in 1875. According to lore, however, Chesebrough was at first unable to find any pharmacists willing to take a chance on the weird, greasy stuff. So he traveled the countryside, snake oil salesman style, preaching the magic of Vaseline.
It worked, probably because Vaseline was kind of magic: People used it for everything from rescuing chapped skin and protecting baby bottoms from diaper rash to preserving eggs. Long-distance swimmers rubbed it on themselves to save body heat; American Commander Robert Peary brought Vaseline with him on his arctic adventures because it was one of the few things that wouldn’t freeze.
By the late 1880s, Vaseline was selling nationwide at a rate of a jar a minute. Chesebrough expanded the business first to Canada, then to Britain and its colonies; by 1911, the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company had factories churning out jars of Vaseline in Europe and Africa.
Meanwhile, Chesebrough’s faith in his own product never, ever flagged: According to posthumous reports, he swallowed three spoonfuls of it every day, though for what particular ailment remains a mystery. Once, when he contracted pleurisy in his 50s, he had his nurse rub him down with Vaseline every day—he, of course, recovered. He died at the age of 96.
Vaseline lived on: In 1955, the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company merged with Pond’s, the makers of popular cold creams, to become Chesebrough-Pond’s; 32 years later, in 1987, the company sold out to massive personal care company Unilever.
The Incredible, Sometimes Edible Vaseline
Part of Vaseline’s magic is its many, many uses. But that Vaseline is virtually unrivaled in the sphere of skin-softening is already well-known—here are a few of Vaseline’s other, probably less well-known uses:
Some say that using a coating of Vaseline can make eyelashes grow longer and thicker; speaking of eyelashes, the first modern mascara was a mixture of coal dust and Vaseline, whipped up in 1913 by a chemist named Thomas Williams, for his sister Mabel—leading to the foundation of cosmetics firm Maybelline.
*
A liberal coating of Vaseline can help prevent frostbite in chickens’ combs.
*
One can use Vaseline to grease up before a fight—making one’s face too slippery to land a punch. (Pictured: Vitali Klitschko.) In 2009, the Ultimate Fighting Championship world was rocked by allegations that one fighter won victory after illegally greasing up between rounds.
*
Rubbing Vaseline on the edges of your Halloween pumpkin can keep it from rotting, at least for a little while.
*
Smearing it on a camera lens achieves a cool, soft-focus effect, somewhat reminiscent of 1970s soft-core porn.
*
Now illegal, Vaseline used to be one of the things that a pitcher could use to give a spitball its spit.
*
Stephon Marbury, former New York Knick who may or may not have lost his mind, used YouTube to tout the benefits of Vaseline on a sore throat. He ate it.
Vaseline as Art
Perhaps the earliest known mention of “Vaseline” in art was in an 1880 poem by Cornelia Seabring Parker, who used the word to rhyme with “gasoline” and “bombazine” in a work titled “A Balladine” (try as we might, we couldn’t find a copy of that poem any where, but it sounds amazing).
Musicians seem to have been particularly drawn to Vaseline and, it seems, particularly in the 1990s: In 1993, The Flaming Lips found fame with their ode to the gooey stuff with “She Don’t Use Jelly”: The titular “she” would make you breakfast, she’d make you toast, but not with butter, or cheese, or jelly – no, she’d use Vaseline. In 1994, Vaseline was again in the charts with Stone Temple Pilots’ “Vasoline”, off their second album, Purple: “Flies in the vasoline we are/ Sometimes it blows my mind.” And, in 1995, short-lived Brit Pop band Elastica sang “Vaseline” on their debut album: “When you’re stuck like glue/ If you’d like to woo/ Vaseline.”
In recent years, Matthew Barney, heralded by The New York Times as one of the most important American artists of his generation, brought Vaseline to a higher plane. Barney, the man behind the Cremaster video art series and Bjork, frequently uses the stuff as a medium—a disconcerting and often mutable medium. [Image Credit: Musings from the God of Cities. For more images of Barney's work, click here.]
More from mental_floss…
WTF? Initials That Meant More Than They Realized
*
Oh, the Places Your Ashes Will Go!
*
Over the Rainbow: The Technicolor Life of the Man Who Created Oz
*
22 Fictional Characters Whose Names You Don’t Know
*
31 Unbelievable High School Mascots
Comments (28)
Comment
- subscribe /
- give a gift /
- terms of service /
- about /
- contact us /
- write for us /
- ad info /
- subscriber services /
- press /
- privacy policy /
- rss /
© 2012 Mental Floss Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mental Floss is a registered trademark owned by Felix Dennis. mentalfloss.com is a trademark owned by Felix Dennis.
Disclaimer: All submissions made to mental_floss become the property of Mental Floss Inc and may be used without further permission by the submitter and without compensation to the submitter. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not submit anything to mental_floss.
I’m allergic to almost everything under the sun and can only use Vaseline on my lips, not any other lip balm. In fact, my husband likens my enthusiasm for Vaseline and it’s uses to that of the dad from My Big Fat Greek Wedding and his Windex obsession. lol
posted by Pink Coat on 8-23-2010 at 3:41 pm
One medical treatment for diverticulosis is to swallow a tablespoonful of Vaseline daily — really!
posted by Joan on 8-23-2010 at 3:47 pm
Is that a picture of Klitschko before or after Lennox Lewis split his face open?
posted by Joel on 8-23-2010 at 3:50 pm
A Balladine.
She was the prettiest girl, I ween,
That mortal eyes had ever seen;
Her name is Anabel Christine,
Her bangs were curled with bandoline,
Her cheeks were smoothed with vaseline,
Her teeth were brushed with fine dentine,
Her lace was washed in coaline,
Her gloves were cleaned with gasoline,
She wore a dress of grenadine,
Looped over a skirt of brilliantine.
Her petticoat was bombazine,
Her foot was shod with a kid bottine,
Her wounds were healed with cosmoline.
She sailed away from Muscatine
In a ship they called a brigantine.
She flirted with a gay marine
Till they reached th’ Republic Argentine,
Where they were married by the Dean,
And lived on oleomargarine.
Cornelia Seabring Parker
Thanks Google Books!
posted by Kristen on 8-23-2010 at 4:27 pm
published in Scribners monthly, Volume 20
posted by Kristen on 8-23-2010 at 4:28 pm
Love me some vaseline! Removes makeup like a dream!
posted by Katie Rose on 8-23-2010 at 4:49 pm
Special effects make-up artists use it to make fake burns look fresh and shiny.
I also have fond memories of using it in many a dorm-room prank….perfect for greasing up door knobs!
posted by Mary on 8-23-2010 at 5:12 pm
Kristen – You are awesome! Thanks for finding CS Parker’s poem — it is every bit as amazing as I imagined it would be.
Thanks!
Linda
posted by linda on 8-23-2010 at 5:33 pm
Weird.. I had occasion to research Vaseline on Saturday night (I know you’re jealous of how I spend my Saturdays). The BF and I were watching some MMA fight and we were talking about them greasing up with Vasoline. I had to look it up to find out other uses for the substance. They also use it to help stop a fighter from bleeding. I think…
Couple this with reading the Q10 on Dorothy Parker last week and then playing Trivial Pursuit on Friday where she came up in two different questions. Alas, the knowledge did not help me with the questions, although we did win. Thanks to the Colorado Rockies and their ball storing humidor. No thanks to the Bay Area Cyber Rays though.
Wow that was only a little rambley…
posted by Brit on 8-23-2010 at 5:38 pm
I remember watching my grandmother pulling fleas off of her dog. She would kill the fleas by smothering them in Vaseline!
posted by Tex on 8-23-2010 at 8:08 pm
It’s great for chapped skin. I have really bad eczema on my hands and my skin gets so dry from the meds it cracks and bleeds. A very simple solution.
posted by Kelly on 8-23-2010 at 9:45 pm
I actually used vaseline today for the one and only use I have for it: dying my hair. A thin coating of vaseline smeared along the hairline prevents stray dye from staining your skin. The most effective method I’ve found yet, though in a pinch conditioner will do.
posted by thirty7 on 8-24-2010 at 12:09 am
During hairball season, my cats occasionally get a teaspoon of vaseline to help prevent blockages. It was recommended by my vet. One of the cats will even lick it right off the spoon.
posted by Carolyn on 8-24-2010 at 12:19 am
You didn’t mention it’s most obvious use for those who view a certain type of material on the Internet. It’s actually not so good right out of the jar, but mixed with an equal portion of olive oil and it’s a super duper lube.
posted by Jack on 8-24-2010 at 2:14 am
…preserving eggs?
posted by Christine (: on 8-24-2010 at 2:51 am
Here in the Philippines, Vaseline is a brand of shampoo.
posted by Karl on 8-24-2010 at 4:22 am
Jack: I hope you’re not using that lube with latex products and thinking it’s ok. Both of those products will significantly weaken latex. Why do you think commercial lube is water based? (plus what partner is letting you put either of those near their privates? unless you’re using it during alone time)
posted by nihil on 8-24-2010 at 9:27 am
when i was a kid, i found an old Vaseline jar in the woods. It was made out of glass and had the Chesebrough name on it. Looked very similar to the one shown above, but didn’t have any “twist on” ridges, plus it was pink. I’m pretty sure my mom ended up getting rid of it.
posted by Pete on 8-24-2010 at 10:16 am
Brit…they put superglue in the vaseline…seals ‘em right up!
posted by Disco on 8-24-2010 at 10:39 am
Considering the “self serving” uses of Vaseline I find it funny it came from a substance called rod wax. At least the ten year old me does.
posted by tom on 8-24-2010 at 10:41 am
OK, I’m thinking there’s gotta be an emerging market for flavored vaseline ….. because I can’t imagine eating it straight from the container. Seriously, three spoonfuls every day?!?!?
posted by Melissa on 8-24-2010 at 11:48 am
I’ve also used it as a hair ball remedy for my cats. They seem to think it tastes pretty good!
posted by Nancy on 8-24-2010 at 12:00 pm
An important omission is that Vaseline was not always cloudy clear but was originally yellow-green. I think the formula was changed eventually to prevent staining. There is a type of glass called Vaseline glass because of its yellow-green color. The colorant is uranium salts which give glass a brilliant yellow-green color and an ability to react with a bright green glow when placed under black light. For more visit http://www.vaselineglass.org
posted by Alicevee on 8-24-2010 at 12:11 pm
When my daughter got clotheslined by a boy at the waterpark she got all kinds of nasty roadrash. At the clinic I took her to, the doctor said no bandaids – Vaseline! It keeps wounds clean, moist and protected. They actually don’t recommend it for diaper rash anymore because it is such a barrier.
BTW I remember the beauty queen reference. It’s from a movie about pageants called “Smile” – one contestant advises a newbie to put Vaseline on top of her teeth so that her teeth will glide together for constant smiling and no lockjaw!
posted by Marion on 8-24-2010 at 4:21 pm
All the women in our family going back several generations use Vaseline on their faces every night. The first use is to remove the day’s makeup…then before bed…under the eyes and anywhere crow’s feet might appear…on foreheads (no Botox needed for these ladies)…around the mouth, light coat on the neck, and of course on the wrists (Yes, you develop wrinkles there.)…and on the hands and feet. It doesn’t take much of the stuff…just regular use…Meaning that none of us slides out of bed….It is a great product, and all of us at all our different ages have really beautiful skin….probably some of that nice skin is genetic, but I assure you friends to whom we’ve recommended Vaseline have benefited also.
posted by M. Forrest on 8-31-2010 at 12:32 am
Just to add another to the many uses of Vaseline. I’m studying Technical Theater in college, and when we have actors smoking on stage, we’ll grease the ashtrays with Vaseline. It puts out the cigarettes, keeps them from getting relit, and makes less of a mess on the set than water.
posted by Kate on 8-31-2010 at 2:32 pm
Alicevee said in her comment about how Vaseline was originally yellowish-green. When I was sorting through my late grandfathers workshop I found an old jar of Vaseline. I thought perhaps the yellow-green was because it had deteriorated with age. It’s probably in my basement now(haha), still in the tool chest. Now I wonder it’s age.
posted by Tdave on 9-1-2010 at 11:31 pm
Hi there, I have been using Vas all my life, as a young girl I would get painful windburn on my lips, Nana’s rememdy? Vaseline. Since then I have it in my bag with out fail. Its even great for when your out and have those annoyong fly aways or your out with no make up – put vas on your eyelashes to help pop them out as well as on your lips for a glossy look. I love it and live by it. Now that Im 30 Iv started using it around my eyes and very thinly under as well, its working ladies :)Also great for burns, chaffing, itches….everything!!
posted by Nikki on 10-28-2011 at 6:06 pm