If you’ve ever slathered on petroleum jelly to soothe dry skin or protect a cut, you’re part of a long line of users who rely on a product tied directly to the refining of crude oil. Petroleum jelly—also known as petrolatum—is a staple in skincare, pharmaceuticals, and industrial formulations. But where does petroleum jelly come from, and how is it transformed from crude oil into the smooth, semi-solid substance we know today?
This article unpacks where petroleum jelly comes from, its history, what petrolatum is made from, and how it is produced—from crude oil to the finished jelly you find in jars and tubes.
Petroleum jelly comes from the byproducts of crude oil refining. It is not a pure substance mined from the ground; rather, it’s a semi-solid hydrocarbon blend that is extracted, refined, and purified during the oil-refining process. The result is a soft, waxy, occlusive substance that forms a protective barrier on skin and fibres. Petroleum jelly is a refined product of petroleum, derived from the heaviest fractions left after the brighter, lighter fuels have been separated.
The origin is often traced back to the 19th century. In 1859, a chemist named Robert Chesebrough visited oil workers who used a residue from oil rigs to treat cuts, burns, and skin conditions. He learned that the sticky, jelly-like slime, accumulated from the oil rod, was helpful for healing. Chesebrough started refining that substance and, by 1870, began selling it as Vaseline, a brand that would become synonymous with the product.
Chesebrough’s work turned a messy refinery byproduct into a widely used cosmetic and medicinal product. Over time, “Vaseline” became a household name, and the general term “petroleum jelly” emerged to describe the broader family of petrolatum-based products that all manufacturers produced.
As chemistry and refinery technology advanced, producers learned how to purify, deodorise, decolourise, and standardise petroleum jelly to meet cosmetic, medical, and industrial specs. Today’s petrolatum is typically a highly refined, nearly colourless mixture of saturated hydrocarbons.
The word petroleum jelly itself reflects its origins: “petroleum” (rock oil) and “jelly” (a gel-like consistency). The ingredient is a byproduct of refining petroleum, not a separate natural material. Its gelatinous texture comes from long-chain hydrocarbon molecules that remain after the lighter fractions are distilled off and the heavier fractions are treated.
Petrolatum is the technical term for the substance, even though “petroleum jelly” is the more common consumer name. In industry literature, you’ll often see petrolatum used to emphasise its refined, semi-solid hydrocarbon nature.
Petrolatum is a purified mixture of saturated hydrocarbons, primarily long-chain alkanes and cycloalkanes with carbon numbers above 25. It is derived from petroleum jelly, a source of oil that originates from the dewaxing of heavy lubricating oil fractions during the refining of crude oil. It is highly refined to remove impurities, colourants, and aromatic compounds.
It is produced during the refining of crude oil as a byproduct of creating fuels, lubricants, and feedstocks. The goal is to isolate a stable, inert, non-volatile, semi-solid hydrocarbon blend that can act as an occlusive barrier on skin.
The refining process reduces or eliminates aromatic hydrocarbons and impurities, resulting in a product that is visually clear or pale in colour and that meets cosmetic and pharmaceutical safety standards when used as directed.
The essential source oils and residues used to create petrolatum come from the heavy ends of the refining process. These include vacuum residues, residual oils, and other heavier hydrocarbon fractions that remain after lighter fuels are distilled away.
The final petrolatum product can be thought of as a blend that includes long-chain hydrocarbon oils and wax-like components. Refiners may also use specialised streams such as slack wax or paraffin wax materials in some formulations to achieve the desired texture and melting point.
Different manufacturers may use slightly different feedstocks or refining steps, which can yield petrolatum with varying hardness, melting point, and colour. Regardless, the product remains a purified, semi-solid hydrocarbon blend derived from crude oil.
The petroleum jelly refinery process begins with the selection of a suitable source oil—typically heavy lubricating fractions from crude oil. The production steps include:
The refinery process for making petroleum jelly highlights the journey from crude oil to a finished jelly:
A simplified path from crude oil to petroleum jelly looks like this:
The overarching idea is that crude oil serves as the starting point; through refining, purification, and controlled blending, a stable, inert petrolatum product is produced for everyday use.
Petroleum jelly is more than just a simple household product. It is the culmination of a complex journey—from crude oil, through intensive refining, purification, and texture control, to the familiar semi-solid that protects and moisturises skin. The history of petroleum jelly, rooted in the observations of early oil workers and crystallised by the ingenuity of Robert Chesebrough, shows how a refinery byproduct can become a global staple. The origin of petroleum jelly lies in the heavy residues left after distilling crude oil.
Today, petrolatum is made from carefully processed source oils, which are hydrogenated and bleached to produce a safe, stable, and versatile product. Whether you’re curious about the chemistry (what petrolatum is made from), the source oil (petroleum fractions from crude), or the refinery steps (how petroleum jelly is produced and the refinery process that makes it possible), the story remains a fascinating bridge between natural resources and everyday care.
Whether you're developing skincare products, lubricants, or packaging solutions, petroleum jelly remains a reliable, cost-effective material—engineered through precision and refined from nature’s most abundant resource.
