Petroleum jelly is a thick, greasy, translucent substance that is derived from petroleum and has little odor or taste. It's also known as petrolatum. Petroleum jelly is a mixture of semi-solid, saturated hydrocarbons, mainly paraffinic in nature, and may contain antioxidants. It's also made up of an organic matrix of wax, petrolatum, oil, and lubrication solvents, with fillers like calcite, barite, kaolinite, fluorite, illite, and potato starch.

Petroleum jelly has many uses, including: 

Skincare

It can be used as a moisturizer to prevent skin from drying out, especially after a shower. It can also help heal scrapes and burns, treat dry, rough, scaly, or itchy skin, and soothe chapped lips. 

Medicine and pharmacy

It can be used as a protective dressing and as a substitute for fats in ointments and cosmetics. 

Gardening

It can be used to help lock in moisture and speed up healing in hands after washing and drying. 

Petroleum jelly is considered to be very low in toxicity to humans and animals.