From slugging to sophisticated skincare science: Vaseline’s product evolution

From pocket-sized tins to the jars found in bathrooms all over the world, Vaseline is best known for its original jelly – a balm that’s been trusted for over 150 years to heal, protect, soothe and smooth skin.

In the 2020s, Vaseline Jelly has found a vast new fanbase in Generation Z thanks to the unstoppable craze for slugging. For the uninitiated, slugging is where Vaseline Jelly is applied straight from the jar as the final step in a nightly facial skincare routine to deliver deeply moisturised, radiant skin by morning. So synonymous has Vaseline become with this skincare trend, that in 2022 the brand was mentioned in a third of all slugging-related content on TikTok, sparking countless views.

Its social media stardom has certainly boosted Vaseline’s awareness among a new demographic, but the brand’s continued growth isn’t just down to talkability. Vaseline Jelly is also recommended by many dermatologists across the US. It works – and experts agree. But while Vaseline Jelly remains the most recognisable product in the brand’s portfolio, a host of new premium, science-led additions to the Vaseline line-up are driving growth (PDF 331.55 KB), ensuring this heritage brand will keep building on its legacy for many years to come, as Kathleen Dunlop, Vaseline Global Brand Lead, explains.

“We’re elevating and personalising Vaseline’s products around the globe, and while that looks different everywhere, every innovation sits under a common north star: Vaseline is a global skincare brand that believes in healthy skin for every body.

“Across all our premium innovations, we’re taking ingredients more typically found in face care and using them in skincare for the whole body. But in each market, we adapt our product range according to the latest consumer preferences, needs and trends,” she adds.

Discover three of Vaseline’s latest launches here…

1. Vaseline Radiant X: moisturisation designed for melanin-rich skin

   

   In September 2023, Vaseline launched its new Vaseline Radiant X (Opens in a pop-up window ) body care range in the US.

   Created by dermatologists who specialise in caring for and treating skin of colour, the new range of body lotions, a body oil and a rich hand butter, are formulated with premium skincare ingredients that specifically address the needs and concerns of Black and Brown skin, such as moisture imbalance, dark spots and uneven skin tone.

   Vaseline Radiant X Even Nourishing Tone Body Lotion includes 1% niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 clinically proven to visibly reduce dark spots and even skin tone in just two weeks.

   All products in the line also feature Unilever’s proprietary ultra-hydrating lipids to help skin replenish its own ceramides and foster a more resilient skin barrier. 

   “Through our longstanding work to improve access to equitable skincare, Vaseline knows the key to healthy-looking skin is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Yet, many products on the market treat all skin the same,” says Cara Sabin, President Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever North America.

   “This is the insight that inspired Vaseline Radiant X. This new line leads with a scientific approach, incorporating the best of science and beauty benefits to effectively address specific skin concerns in the melanin-rich community, who often go underserved.”

2. Vaseline Pro Derma: body lotion with the benefits of niacinamide

   

   Another example of Vaseline’s venture into premium skincare is the Vaseline Pro Derma range, which was specifically created for consumers in China.

   Vaseline re-launched in China back in 2015 after a hiatus and it’s been a fast-growing market for the brand ever since, becoming the brand’s second-biggest market worldwide.

   The Pro Derma body care line is proving to be one of its biggest success stories, with a strong growth trajectory for the past three years. Acting on the insight that beauty fans in China demand advanced benefits from their skincare, it was developed using active ingredients more commonly found in facial skincare.

   The result is a range of body lotions enriched with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide for skin that’s nourished and hydrated at a deeper level than standard body moisturisers. Hyaluronic acid has the ability to help skin retain moisture while niacinamide helps to improve the surface structure of skin, smoothing out its texture to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

   Vaseline Pro Derma’s breakthrough technology is also clinically proven to double the strength of the skin barrier from its very first use, reaching the epidermis to rebuild and restore ceramides.

3. Vaseline Gluta-Hya: 10x more glow-giving than vitamin C

   

   Beauty fans in South-East Asia demand sophisticated skincare and are increasingly seeking advanced beauty benefits in body care that offer just as much as their facial products.

   Vaseline responded to this clear consumer need in 2021 with the launch of Vaseline Gluta-Hya – a range of face and body lotions, serums and sun protection products, designed to address specific skincare needs in varying climates across the South-East Asian region.

   The hero ingredient across the collection is GlutaGlow, Vaseline’s blockbuster technology that is clinically proven to be 10x more powerful than vitamin C when it comes to boosting skin’s natural brightness.

   And it's not just the ingredients that give Vaseline Gluta-Hya a premium edge. The formula breaks with skincare convention too. Its unique serum-burst texture was developed with South-East Asia’s hot, sticky climate in mind, bursting into instantly absorbed water droplets when it makes contact with skin to deliver a cooling sensation.

   This ultra-popular range grew in 2022 with the launch of Gluta-Hya Overnight Radiance Repair body care, and in January 2023, Gluta-Hya Pro-Age Restore launched in Thailand and India – one of Unilever’s biggest markets, providing skin-firming benefits alongside illuminating skincare.