Busy parents can always appreciate products that do double duty, but when it’s got more uses than you have fingers to count on — especially if it’s something you might already have in your medicine cabinet, like Aquaphor Healing Ointment, then it might just make you sit up and take note. So it’s no surprise that for the 90 years Aquaphor has been around, parents have discovered these 14 surprising ways you can use Aquaphor, from baby care to beauty tricks.
1. Take care of diaper rash. Aquaphor can be used to keep diaper rash cream on baby’s bum and off the diaper. It can also be helpful for bigger kids who may have irritated skin for various reasons.
2. Soften your cuticles. Rub a bit into your cuticles to smooth them, especially during the colder months when they get extra dry. Also use it to keep your nail beds looking healthy in between manicures.
3. Prevent (and soothe) chafing. Of all kinds. Aquaphor can help soothe awful thigh burn. Ouch. You can also use it on spots where your bra or waistband has rubbed you the wrong way.
4. Heal and protect a dry nose ‘Tis the season for tissue balls all over the house and even the lotion ones may not cut it. Plus, they’re limiting; you can’t wipe your face with them. Instead, try regular tissues and add a dab of Aquaphor to keep from looking like Rudolph.
5. Keep home hair dye jobs from getting messy. Dab a bit of Aquaphor around your hairline to keep the dye off your face. It’s much gentler than rough scrubbing after the fact. Just wipe, and off it all comes.
6. Protect scrapes, cuts, and burns. Dab a bit over boo-boos, especially when they’re unbandaged. Even your own.
7. Rough foot treatment: Just rub some of it on your feet before you go to sleep, put on cozy socks, and wake up with soft skin. It’s like a good foot scrubbing without the actual foot scrubbing part.
8. No more blisters, fashionistas. If you’ve got spots on your feet that are prone to blisters, you can cover them with a bit of Aquaphor for extra protection. Also smart this time of year as your previously-sandaled feet now make their way back into closed-toe boots and shoes. This trick works well even after that tender spot gets calloused over from those fabulous shoes you just can’t stop wearing, despite the blisters.
9. For those sensitive patches of skin: Use it to protect kids’ sensitive areas that get irritated from tags on their shirts, buttons on their pants, backpack straps, and more.
10. Soothe legs after shaving. Rub a swath of Aquaphor all over your legs after you shave to lock in the moisture from your shower or bath. You don’t need a lot either.
11. Make your fragrance last longer. A little dab of Aquaphor on your neck and wrist before you spray your favorite fragrance can make it last. And since Aquaphor really has no smell, it won’t interfere with the scent you love.
12. Eyebrow gel. With thicker, more natural eyebrows back in style again, this is a great use. All you need is a bit of it on a cotton swab or your finger to keep your eyebrows in place, then brush with a brow brush–or a toothbrush if you’re sticking with frugal. It’s a great alternative to the pricey brow gels.
13. Take care of cradle cap. Try rubbing it on your baby’s head to help, although it’s not as fun as scraping it off with a comb. (Not a favorite memory of babyhood).
14. MAGIC healer for kids. This one is just for the parents out there, but when kids have a little bump, a fall, a tiny invisible scrape that only they can see, and it all somehow requires bandages and long bouts of weeping–just dab a little Aquaphor on whatever it is. Or isn’t. Magically, that boo-boo always feels better afterwards.
This message is brought to you by Aquaphor, which makes many, many things easier for new parents. See also: #14
[baby photo: koadmunkee via Compfight cc]
