5 Ways to use petroleum jelly for skincare Petroleum jelly is a semisolid jelly-like substance composed of mineral oils and waxes. Many people use it for skin care and to treat minor cuts and burns. Petrolatum and Vaseline, a popular brand name, are two other names for petroleum jelly. Because the skin is the body’s largest organ, it is critical to take good care of it. However, doing so does not have to break the bank. Petroleum jelly, a common, inexpensive product found in most people’s medicine cabinets, has multiple skin care applications for the entire family.