Depending on who you talk to, Vaseline or petroleum jelly is either a must-have for a good foot cream or an ingredient that should be avoided at all costs. If you’re focused on clean beauty products, then Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly – along with any product that contains petrolatum – won’t be an option for you. However, you’ll find that petrolatum is a popular ingredient in many foot creams because it’s effective at supporting the skin’s natural moisture barrier and can aid in sealing in moisture. It can also help to prevent damaged skin, such as cracked heels or severely dry skin, from getting worse. But there’s a catch. While petroleum jelly is good as an included ingredient within a foot cream, it’s not ideal as a stand-alone moisturizer. Petroleum jelly isn’t absorbed by the skin but rather sits on top of it. This means that your skin isn’t getting hydrated if you solely use petroleum jelly, and the skin won’t improve over time. If you still want to incorporate Vaseline into your foot care routine, start by hydrating your skin with real foot cream or lotion. You can then follow up at night with a thin layer of Vaseline to help seal in the moisture.