We all know that Carmex is great for your lips, but what about using it on your skin? Can you put Carmex on a tattoo to moisturize and help it heal?
While there are many who say you can’t use a LIP BALM on a tattoo, Carmex can be used on tattoos. I personally know a few people who have used it and it did not pull out any ink but healed it up nicely. However I wouldn’t recommend using it.
In this post we’ll take a closer and in depth look at Carmex, its ingredients and why people think it’s bad for tattoos.
Table of Contents
- Why Do People Think Carmex Is Bad for Tattoos?
- Can I Use Carmex on My Tattoo?
- Can You Put Lip Balm On Tattoos?
- Conclusion
Why Do People Think Carmex Is Bad for Tattoos?
Some people would just laugh at you for using a “lip balm” on your skin, leave alone a tattoo. They don’t know how it’s made or anything about it but come to a conclusion just because it is WEIRD.
Also read: Is cerave good for tattoos?
However the main reason why most people think that carmex is bad for moisturizing your skin is because it contains methanol and petrolatum aka petroleum jelly which fades ink.
Truth be told, petroleum jelly is bad for healing wounds because what it does is form a barrier between the wound and the outside and it won’t let air, moisture or anything inside, not even water! Which obviously is not good. Even the American Academy of Dermatology says petrolatum is not good for tattoos.
If this is true, how come Carmex is good?
Now here’s the thing, I did some extensive research but I still couldn’t find out exactly how much Petrolatum % Carmex has (probably a very small amount), but it does have some.
But the petrolatum used in Carmex is made of Snow-White Pet USP and is highly refined and tested. The safety of this has also been confirmed by long term use and other studies. (Read their FAQ for more on this)
And with all the other natural ingredients combined, the harmfulness of the petroleum jelly is reduced.
Can I Use Carmex on My Tattoo?
Yes, you can put Carmex on a tattoo. It can help heal and keep your tattoo moisturized.
Even though Carmex was made for lips, many people use it on their skin. It heals dry skin especially in tough areas like the knees, elbows and even your feet.
There are many tattoo artists who claim Carmex is good for tattoos and ask their clients to use it on their tattoo. However I wouldn’t recommend using it because of the petroleum stuff and methanol. Some people might be allergic to them too. But if your artist (if he knows you well) asks you to use Carmex you should be good.
Here are some of the GOOD ingredients in Carmex and their benefits to skin and tattoos:
Aloe: Aloe is great for tattoos. It can heal both outer and inner wounds, it is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and also moisturizes.
Avocado: Avocado oil is a natural sunscreen and helps wounds heal faster. It also reduces inflammation.
Beeswax: Beeswax is also great for tattoos and it has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. Beeswax too is a great moisturizer and a popular alternative to petroleum jelly.
Candelilla wax: Candelilla wax help heal the wounds faster and stops ink from fading
Cocoa butter: Cocoa butter has moisturizing, healing and nourishing properties.
Vitamin E: Do I even need to write this? I could write a whole page of benefits!
Can I Use Carmex on My New Tattoo?
This is a no brainer. You SHOULDN’T use any moisturizer on a fresh wound.
Also read: Can You Use Baby Lotion on a New Tattoo?
Let it heal for a couple of days and you can start using it after that. Till then wash it with antimicrobial soap.
Can You Put Lip Balm On Tattoos?
Well it depends on the ingredients of the lip balm. The best way to know if you can use a certain lip balm is good, is to do a quick search of its ingredients and see if these are harmful to tattoos or wounds.
Generally If it is mostly chemicals, you are better off not using it. Lip balms with petroleum jelly are also bad.
All natural lip balms are okay to use but again check if they have anything in them which actually helps heal or moisturize the tattoo.
Conclusion
Basically Carmex does nothing special than the other tattoo healing products out there, but there is a bit of a risk using it when compared to others.
While Carmex seems to work for most of the people who use it, I have heard that some had allergic reactions. Ultimately it’s your choice, I have presented the facts, it’s your turn to make a decision now. But if your artist asks you to use it, you are good to go.
Let me know which side you stand on this in the comments below, would love to hear what others have to say.
