Do Boy Scouts Carry Vaseline? - The Ultimate Multitasker

Boy Scouts are always prepared right? Well, moms are too, and most moms know that Vaseline is a beloved  multitasker. I bet most people have a jar of it somewhere in their medicine cabinet. I even have a tiny trial size slipped into my diaper bag. Do you?

Well, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly is celebrating its 140th Birthday right now Happy Birthday!  They are looking for 140 uses for Vaseline and  teamed up with TwitterMoms to get bloggers thinking and compiling their own list of 10 uses. Okay, so I will list mine, and hope that if you think of any good ones I left out, please add them to the comments.

1. Dry Lips. This is a no brainer, right? Well, I still swear by it! When I have a cold and become a "mouth-breather" this is the only thing that keeps me from getting chapped lips. And no one likes chapped and cracked lips. Being sick is bad enough, why not be miserable but still have soft and silky lips.

2. Chapped Skin Relief - Speaking of cold and flu season, when I get a little aggressive with my poor runny nose, I develope chapped and irritated skin around my nose. The easiest way to soothe the savaged skin is with a little bit of Vaseline.

3. Rustic Rain Pants - This one made me laugh. My DH used to race mountain bikes and swears that in a pinch, Vaseline rubbed on the legs can make a light make-shift rain pant. Okay, it doesn't keep the water off you, but it does keep you warmer. Interesting, huh?

4. Moisture Barrier - Sometimes Vaseline does more than keep moisture in your skin and the air off... sometimes it works well to keep the skin underneath protected. We used Vaseline on my son after his circumcision. It helped to keep the healing area diaper dirt free.

5. Parade Smile - When I was in cheerleading we would put a bit on our teeth to help us keep smiling for long periods of time. I also used it when I showed animals. It not only kept my mouth from getting as dry, but the feeling of the Vaseline helped to remind me not to stop smiling. If my muscles relaxed, I could feel it. And boom! I was back smiling again.

6. Practical Jokes - Oh, yeah... I don't condone or want to promote this, but we all have heard a slew of practical jokes involving Vaseline. Whether it is on a door handle or under wiper blades, it is at least easy to clean up.

7. Unstick Stuck Stuff - It is as easy as that. When I have a stubborn label that won't come off of a hard surface (of course be careful of how porous the surface is) I just add a bit of Vaseline and let it sit for a few minutes. The label or tag will come right off. Easy Peasy!

8. Styling Aid - I first was told to try this at the pool with my newly dyed blond hair. If you have your hair slicked back, just add a touch. Not only does it act as an inexpensive hair gel, it also keeps your hair from soaking up all that added chlorine. It did work for me. Also, a gal in my dorm used it to help moisturize and straighten her dark hair. She would buy it in the x-tra large jar size!

9. Overnight Repair - In the winter if my hands and feet are especially dry and cracking, I will put some on before I go to bed. I rub a bit on and then put on socks or gloves to keep my skin warm and hold on the Vaseline. In the morning my skin is soft and silky.

10. Plane Precaution - When I fly, not so much anymore with my small children, I always take a small tube of Vaseline and a few Q-tips with me. When I am ready to board the plane, I will put just a dab up my nostrils to lubricate the tissue. This keeps my nose from drying out (which can cause nosebleeds) and also I was told is a good barrier for keeping airborne germs out of my system. Since I have been using this tip, my after flight colds and sniffles have become rarer.

So that is my fabulous 10 uses. Was there anything new to you? How do you use your Vaseline? Let me know in the comments section. I am constantly amazed by this versatile tool. If you are looking for more fabulous uses, either check the widget in my sidebar, or hop over to TwitterMoms for a complete list of all the bloggers participating and their posts.

*Disclaimer - I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Vaseline blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.