Petrolatum vs Petroleum: What Is the Difference?

What is the difference between petroleum and petrolatum? While these two terms may seem identical at first glance, they are actually two distinct substances that are often confused, so we need to first understand their respective properties.

What is Petrolatum?

Petrolatum, also known as Vaseline, is a semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons refined from petroleum fractions. It is a decolorised semisolid mixture of various hydrocarbons, primarily consisting of long-chain alkanes. Petrolatum is a white to pale yellow, uniform, ointment-like substance; it is odourless or nearly odourless; it feels slippery upon contact with the skin and is not easily absorbed by the skin; and it exhibits a stringy consistency. It is slightly soluble in diethyl ether and practically insoluble in ethanol or water.

What Is Petroleum?

Petroleum refers to a mixture of liquid and solid hydrocarbons that occurs naturally. Petroleum is a viscous, oily liquid that is dark brown in colour with a green fluorescence and a distinctive odour; it is a mixture of various liquid hydrocarbons, including alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatics, and alkenes. Petroleum is further classified into crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and natural tar, among other forms, and is primarily used as fuel oil and gasoline.

Petrolatum vs Petroleum

Petrolatum is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons refined from petroleum fractions. At room temperature, its state lies between solid and liquid. Its physical and chemical properties include a density of approximately 0.84 g/cm³, a melting point of 70–80°C, a boiling point of 322°C, a flash point of 198°C, and a refractive index (n₂₀/D) of approximately 1.45. It appears as a white to pale yellow, uniform, ointment-like substance; it is odourless or nearly odourless; it feels slippery upon contact with the skin; and it exhibits a stringy consistency. It is slightly soluble in diethyl ether, practically insoluble in ethanol or water, and soluble in organic solvents such as diethyl ether, chloroform, gasoline, benzene, hexane, carbon disulphide, turpentine, and most volatile or non-volatile oils; it is chemically inert, moisturising, and lubricating, with good antioxidant properties and hydrophobicity (barrier properties). It is hydrophobic, is not easily absorbed by the skin, and forms a protective film on the skin’s surface. The specific composition of petrolatum depends on the petroleum feedstock and the refining process. Highly refined white petrolatum consists primarily of paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax.

Petroleum refers to a mixture of liquid and solid hydrocarbons, primarily composed of carbon and hydrogen. It is a viscous, dark brown liquid that occurs naturally and is classified into forms such as crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and natural tar. The properties of petroleum vary by origin; its density ranges from 0.8 to 1.0 g/cm³, with a wide range of viscosities and significant variations in freezing points. Its boiling point ranges from room temperature to over 500 degrees Celsius. It is soluble in many organic solvents but insoluble in water, though it can form an emulsion with water. Among petroleum products, various fuels account for nearly 90% of total production, while lubricants—the most diverse category—account for approximately 5% of production. The various petroleum products obtained through the processing of crude oil have a wide range of distinct applications across different fields.

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