Review: New Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment

Press Sample

Let's face it: there are times when you may need a heavy-duty ointment. It's never pretty when the occasion arises but, as I found out recently, an ointment like this can come in mighty handy.

NEW Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment

(retail: around $8, 3.0 oz)

I was given the new Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Oitment for review a while back, and I can't say I was "hoping" for an occasion to really test its abilities, but one did come up. So let's see how this worked for me when I needed it the most...

Active Ingredients: Petrolatum (54%, Skin Protectant Ointment)

Inactive Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Microcrystalline Wax, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Synthetic Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract

Looking at the ingredients above, you can see that this ointment is largely comprised of petrolatum. It also has the signature oat ingredients that Aveeno is known for, as well as shea butter for extra moisture.

standard flip-top lid

You can see just by looking at the pic above that this is a thick ointment, which is exactly what I needed a few weeks ago when I had my "incident."

I switched laundry detergents and found myself with a skin irritation on my lower back. Turns out, the elastic from my underwear was rubbing against my lower back and causing my skin to itch badly. I figured that there was probably some detergent residue trapped in the elastic and my skin did NOT like this new detergent. The result was a lot of redness, bumps, stinging and itchiness.

At the time of this incident, I didn't have time to shower, remove my clothing and put on something else (I was heading out the door). So I lightly cleansed the area with a damp paper towel,  grabbed this ointment, applied it to the region and hoped for the best.

Within moments, I felt instant relief. The itching became bearable and, most importantly, this ointment provided a much-needed barrier from the elastic. Since the texture of this ointment is so thick, it's not something that's going to sink into the skin instantly. In fact, it never quite fully absorbs due the petrolatum. This is exactly what I needed in this instance, and it made the rest of my day completely tolerable. Mission accomplished!

Texture and consistency: Again, this is a heavy-duty, extremely thick product. You may even need a bit of elbow grease to squeeze it out of the tube during colder months. It feels even thicker than pure petroleum jelly, probably due to the addition of synthetic beeswax and shea butter. But once it reacts to the warmth of your skin, you can spread it across your skin pretty easily.

Staying power: This is where this product truly shines. If you need a product that's going to stay on your skin and provide a protective barrier against wind, cold, clothing, etc., I think you'll be quite pleased with this product. It worked in the situation I explained above and since that incident, I have also used it to help with mild irritation caused by my bra--it worked beautifully for that as well.

Moisturization: I find that the addition of shea butter in this product helps give the skin more moisturization than, say, pure petroleum jelly. But I would really use this product for when you need a protective barrier against the elements (or clothing) because I think it's better suited to that purpose.

Fragrance: This product has a very light oatmeal fragrance.

Flavor: Flavor, you ask? Well since this product can also be used on the lips (I've tried it on my lips and it worked nicely to protect my lips from harsh wind), I thought I'd tell you what it tastes like. To me, it really doesn't have a flavor. It's basically like putting petroleum jelly on your lips, and it feels about the same on the lips as well (just a bit more creamy than petroleum jelly).

FINAL VERDICT: This product provided exactly what I needed, right when I needed it the most. If you're looking for a product than can guard against the elements or chaffing caused my clothing, I think you might be very pleased with this one. It stays put much longer on the skin than pure petroleum jelly (seriously, it's not going away anytime soon) which makes it ideal for providing a nice barrier between skin and clothing. Because this is an ointment and it's largely comprised of petrolatum, I don't suggest it for use all over the body, or even on hands and feet if you're just looking for general hydration. It's very thick and greasy, so it's best for very targeted areas. I think this is a great one to keep in your medicine cabinet and have on hand for those times when you need some relief, and I love that it contains the signature skin-soothing oat ingredients Aveeno is known for, as well as some shea butter too.

Are you an Aveeno fan? What are some of your favorite Aveeno products? Have you tried this new ointment yet?

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.