Is Aquaphor Healing Ointment Worth It for Dry, Cracked Skin?

Here's the bit worth understanding: Aquaphor isn't lotion, and it isn't quite plain petroleum jelly either. Its base is petrolatum, the same occlusive that Vaseline uses to seal moisture in, but Aquaphor adds glycerin and panthenol (a form of vitamin B5) into that base. The petrolatum forms a physical barrier that stops water evaporating out of skin and blocks outside irritants from getting in. The glycerin and panthenol sit inside that barrier and actually feed moisture back into the skin while it's sealed, rather than just holding onto whatever moisture was already there. That's the real difference from a jar of pure Vaseline: one seals, this one seals and treats at the same time, which is why it's positioned for minor cuts and scrapes too, not just dry patches. It's fragrance-free, so there's nothing in there to sting an already broken bit of skin. And because it works as a barrier rather than an absorbed cream, a little goes a long way, which is the actual case for the 14 oz size: one tub covers cracked heels, chapped lips, a scraped elbow, and everything in between, for months.