Plain petrolatum
Instead of a barrier balm or an overnight mask
~$5 a tub against $30 and up
Both work by sealing, and petrolatum is the seal the others are measured against.
A barrier product has one job, which is slowing the water leaving your skin. Petrolatum cuts that loss by more than 98 percent, and nothing on the shelf posts a higher number. The balms around it add texture, scent, a few actives that cannot pass the seal anyway, and a jar worth photographing. What reaches your skin is the same wax.
It seals rather than treats, so anything meant to get in goes on first. It is greasy enough to be a night-time thing, and it will mark a pillowcase.
What to get
- White petrolatumPlain petroleum jelly, fragrance-free, 13 ozAmazon ~$5
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