In 1859, Robert Chesebrough, a chemist from New York, visited the oil fields of Titusville, Pennsylvania in the US to research to what new materials might be obtained from the fuel. Over the next decade he perfected the formulation of Vaseline petroleum jelly before opening for business in 1870. Vaseline quickly became known for its ability to protect and restore dry and damaged skin, and over the next century it established itself as a skin product found in households around the world.
Commitment to quality - for over 140 years
By 1870, the Vaseline® brand was helping people achieve healthy skin. Still, over 140 years later, the Vaseline® brand helps keep skin amazing.
Your skin is amazing! All 800 million cells of it. It's your waterproof barrier. It's a defense against disease. It's how you sense and adjust to your surroundings. It's constantly growing and replacing itself. And when you're hurt, it heals itself. It's easy to take skin and all of its properties for granted, but the Vaseline® brand never has. For over 135 years, the Vaseline® brand has marveled at skin and developed products to help keep it amazing. Those products include Vaseline® Hand and Body Lotions, Vaseline® Lip Therapy, and Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly.
History:
In the 1860's, Robert Augustus Chesebrough, a chemist from New York, discovered Petroleum Jelly. In 1870, this product was branded as Vaseline Petroleum Jelly.
By 1875, Americans were buying Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly at the rate of a jar a minute. Today, Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly is a staple in medicine cabinets across the country.
In 1969, Vaseline® scientists realized they could leverage modern technology to deliver the superior moisturization of Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly in a light, non-greasy moisturizing lotion. Today, Vaseline® is one of the top hand and body lotion brands in the U.S.
Just like Robert Chesebrough, the Vaseline® brand is motivated by a passion and curiosity for skin. Skin is a complex and miraculous creation of nature. Our skin is amazing:
It is a major sensory organ with 32,500 sensory cells and 32 feet of nerves per square foot.
It protects us from adverse climate and infection.
It is our heating and cooling system that regulates our body temperature.
It is soft and flexible to allow movement but tough enough to prevent breaking or tearing.
It is waterproof but can emit water.
Regardless, most of us take our skin for granted. If we were to respect our skin more, we would surely treat it better. When we put products on our skin, we would ensure that we chose a brand that is obsessed with keeping skin amazing. We would look to a brand like Vaseline that has been curious and passionate about skin for over 135 years.
With countless Vaseline hacks on social media, how do consumers know which ones work? Enter Unilever’s R&D experts – skincare scientists who have been putting hundreds of viral tips to the test. Here’s how they did it.
With a legacy spanning more than 150 years, Vaseline remains an undisputed beauty icon – and it’s not standing still. The Unilever Power Brand is winning growth by engaging with new audiences through viral moments and smart social-first campaigns. Here’s how.
