Aquaphor Ointment Ingredients

Aquaphor Healing Ointment is made by Eucerin, specialists in skin care, and is an advanced healing ointment for severe dry skin. According to the Eucerin website, Aquaphor is made specifically to protect cracked or dry or irritated skin. It also is formulated to aid in the healing process and restoration of healthy skin.

A woman's hands next to an ointment jar. (Image: vvvita/iStock/Getty Images)

Aquaphor Healing Ointment uses natural ingredients to create a barrier and lock in moisture. It is also fragrance-free and non-irritating to sensitive skin.

Main Ingredient

Aquaphor Healing Ointment's main ingredient is petroleum, also known as petroleum jelly. It is a skin protectant and its use in radiation therapy and diabetes skin issues is well documented by Eucerin.

Petroleum is a semi-solid mixture of hydrogen and carbon that keeps dry skin clean in order to heal.

Inactive Ingredients

Listed next in the Aquaphor ingredient list are mineral oil and cresin. They are almost as important as petroleum in this formulation, even though they are listed as inactive ingredients.

Mineral oil acts as an emollient to hold in moisture. Ceresin is similar in chemical make-up to petroleum, being made of hydrogen and carbon. It is used to stabilize the jelly-like consistency of Aquaphor Healing Ointment.

According to Drugs.com both mineral oil and ceresin increase the potency and properties of petroleum to lock in moisture and protect the skin.

Natural Alcohols

Alcohol in cosmetics, lotions and ointments is normally used to dry a product completely on the skin. There are two alcohols added to Aquaphor Healing Ointment, but not as drying agents.

According to Cosmetics Database, lanolin alcohol is an organic alcohol obtained through hydrolysis, defined as a chemical water infusion, or from sheep wool. Lanolin alcohol is used to dry the petroleum and other ingredients to reduce a feeling of tackiness on skin.

Panthenol is another natural alcohol product that aids in the moisturizing properties of Aquaphor Healing Ointment to penetrate the skin.

Lubricant and Anti-inflammatory Ingredients

Even though Aquaphor Healing Ointment is made with petroleum and has a number of ingredients to enhance moisture retention, it still requires a lubricant ingredient to enhance movement on the skin. Glycerin is used as a lubricant to enable Aquaphor Healing Ointment to glide across the skin.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment promotes itself as being non-irritating. It also claims to heal dry and raw irritated skin. To do that, it contains bisabolol, the primary alcohol component of chamomile essential oil. According to the "PDR for Herbal Medicines," chamomile has healing and soothing properties and is known as an anti-inflammatory.