Some of the most interesting old-fashioned beauty tricks begin with ingredients that seem as though they have absolutely no business being together.
This is one of them.
Take whole cloves, famous for their intense spicy aroma, and combine them with a little Vaseline—petroleum jelly.
At first glance, it sounds strange. But the idea behind the mixture is surprisingly simple: petroleum jelly is one of the most effective everyday ingredients for reducing moisture loss from dry skin, while cloves contain aromatic plant compounds—particularly eugenol.
The result is a rich, fragrant balm people use on rough heels, dry hands, elbows, knees, and cuticles.
It isn’t a miracle wrinkle remover or a cure for painful joints. But used carefully, this inexpensive combination can turn into a remarkably satisfying little skin-care ritual.
Why Vaseline Works So Well on Very Dry Skin
Petroleum jelly isn’t new.
It’s been used in skincare for well over a century, and its strength comes from something remarkably straightforward.
It forms a protective occlusive layer over the skin.
Your skin naturally loses water to the surrounding environment through a process called transepidermal water loss. When the skin barrier is dry or compromised, that moisture can escape more easily.
Petroleum jelly creates a barrier that dramatically reduces this water loss.
That’s why putting it on cracked-looking heels before bed can make them feel noticeably softer the next morning.
It hasn’t magically “healed the body from within.”
It has simply helped the skin hold onto its own moisture.
Sometimes simple chemistry produces surprisingly good results.
Then Come the Cloves
Cloves are the dried flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree.
Their signature compound is eugenol.
Eugenol is responsible for much of the characteristic warm, slightly numbing aroma associated with cloves.
Scientists have studied eugenol and other clove compounds for antioxidant, antimicrobial, and inflammatory properties, particularly in laboratory settings.
Cloves also have a long history of traditional use.
But there’s an important distinction between whole culinary cloves and concentrated clove essential oil.
The essential oil is dramatically stronger.
And when we’re putting something on the skin, stronger isn’t automatically better.
Why People Infuse Instead of Using Clove Oil
If you’ve ever crushed a clove between your fingers, you know how powerful it is.
Clove essential oil takes that intensity much further.
Applied improperly, concentrated clove oil can irritate or even injure skin.
That’s why a gentle homemade preparation shouldn’t involve dumping a large quantity of essential oil directly into petroleum jelly.
A much milder approach is to use a small amount of whole clove.
You’re looking for a lightly aromatic balm—not trying to turn your heel into a Christmas candle.
The Simple Clove & Vaseline Balm
You’ll need:
1 tablespoon petroleum jelly
2 whole cloves
Lightly crush the cloves.
You don’t need to grind them into fine powder.
Place the petroleum jelly in a small heat-safe bowl.
Set that bowl inside a larger bowl containing warm water for a few minutes. The goal is simply to soften the petroleum jelly—not cook it.
Stir in the lightly crushed cloves.
Allow the mixture to sit while warm for around 10–15 minutes.
Remove the clove pieces carefully.
Let the petroleum jelly return to its normal consistency.
Now you have a lightly clove-scented balm.
Because homemade infusions aren’t standardized, test a tiny amount on a small patch of intact skin first and stop if it stings or becomes red.
Trick #1: Use It on Dry Heels Before Bed
This is probably where the mixture makes the most sense.
Feet are subjected to enormous amounts of friction and pressure.
The skin on the heels can become thick, rough, and dry—especially when someone frequently wears sandals or walks barefoot.
Before bed, wash your feet and dry them thoroughly.
Apply a thin layer of the balm to the heels.
Then put on clean cotton socks.
The socks keep the petroleum jelly from transferring onto the sheets and help maintain that occlusive environment overnight.
By morning, the skin may feel noticeably softer.
Why Overnight Application Works So Well
The secret isn’t that cloves suddenly regenerate your feet while you’re asleep.
It’s the petroleum jelly.
During the night, you’re not washing your hands, putting on shoes, walking around, or repeatedly rubbing the product away.
It has hours to remain on the skin.
That gives the occlusive layer time to reduce moisture loss.
By morning, the outermost layers of dry skin contain more water.
And hydrated skin feels softer and looks smoother.
That’s why overnight occlusion is such a powerful trick for dry heels.
Trick #2: Rough Elbows
Elbows are another perfect target.
They experience constant friction from clothing, desks, chairs, and everyday movement.
Apply a very small amount after showering while the skin is still slightly damp.
This is actually an excellent time to use petroleum jelly because you’re helping trap some of that moisture against the skin.
You don’t need a thick white layer.
A tiny amount goes surprisingly far.
Massage until only a light sheen remains.
Trick #3: Dry Knees
Knees can become rough for similar reasons.
The skin stretches constantly.
It rubs against clothing.
And people often moisturize their faces religiously while completely forgetting their knees exist.
After bathing, apply a thin film of the balm over dry areas.
Massage gently for a minute.
Again, you’re not treating the inside of the knee joint.
You’re conditioning the skin covering the knee.
That’s an important distinction.
Will It Help Knee Pain?
This is where viral versions of the recipe often get dramatic.
Some claim clove-infused Vaseline can “remove arthritis” or rebuild painful knees.
Petroleum jelly doesn’t penetrate into a joint and repair cartilage.
And a homemade clove balm hasn’t been shown to reverse arthritis.
The massage itself may feel comforting, and the warm clove aroma can make the ritual feel soothing.
But skin moisturization and joint treatment are two completely different things.
Use this mixture for the skin.
Let your knees enjoy the massage as a bonus.
Trick #4: Dry Hands
Hands lose moisture constantly.
Handwashing, dishwashing, cleaning products, cold weather, and dry indoor air can all contribute.
This is where petroleum jelly shines.
At night, dampen your hands slightly or apply your usual moisturizer.
Then spread a very thin film of the clove-infused petroleum jelly over particularly dry areas.
Pay attention to the knuckles.
The petroleum jelly helps seal in the moisture underneath.
You may wake up with considerably softer-feeling hands.
Trick #5: Cuticles
You need almost nothing for this one.
Take a tiny amount of the balm—about the size of a grain of rice.
Massage it around the cuticles.
Dry cuticles often look dramatically better once they’re moisturized because the rough edges become softer and less obvious.
You don’t need expensive cuticle oil to create an occlusive layer.
Plain petroleum jelly already does that exceptionally well.
The clove infusion simply adds the traditional aromatic element.
What About Wrinkles?
Here we need to separate appearance from actual structural change.
Petroleum jelly can make dry skin look smoother.
When the outer layer of skin retains more moisture, very fine dehydration lines may temporarily become less noticeable.
That can make the skin appear plumper.
But petroleum jelly doesn’t erase established wrinkles.
And adding cloves doesn’t turn it into Botox.
Deep wrinkles involve structural changes in collagen, elastin, facial movement, and accumulated environmental exposure.
A homemade balm cannot reverse all of that.
Still, making dry skin look smoother can produce a surprisingly pleasing cosmetic effect.
Should You Put This on Your Face?
I’d be much more conservative here.
Facial skin—particularly around the eyes—is more sensitive than heels and elbows.
Clove compounds can irritate some people.
Plain petroleum jelly is already enough for many facial uses when someone wants an occlusive layer.
So if your goal is simply reducing dryness around the face, you don’t need to add cloves.
The clove version makes considerably more sense for small areas of intact, tougher body skin, such as heels, elbows, and dry knuckles.
More ingredients don’t automatically mean better skincare.
Never Put It Close to Your Eyes
This one is straightforward.
Eugenol-containing clove preparations don’t belong inside your eyes.
Don’t apply the homemade mixture to eyelids, lash lines, or directly underneath the eyes.
If you accidentally get it into an eye, rinse thoroughly.
The eye area isn’t the place to experiment with spicy kitchen ingredients.
Don’t Use Ground Cloves as a Facial Scrub
Another viral variation tells people to grind cloves into powder and scrub their faces with the mixture.
That’s unnecessary.
Clove particles can be abrasive.
Combine physical friction with potentially irritating aromatic compounds and you’ve created a recipe for angry skin rather than youthful skin.
If you want the clove aroma, use a very mild infusion and remove the solid pieces.
Don’t sand your face with spices.
What About Lips?
Plain petroleum jelly is excellent for reducing moisture loss from dry lips.
But the clove version isn’t necessary.
Clove compounds can create tingling or irritation, particularly on already cracked lips.
So keep the spicy balm for tougher body skin and use plain petroleum jelly on the lips.
It’s simpler and considerably more predictable.
Trick #6: A Post-Shower Heel Treatment
Here’s an even better way to use the balm.
After a warm shower or bath, gently dry your feet.
Don’t wait until they’re completely parched again.
While the skin still feels slightly hydrated, apply a thin layer of the balm to the heels.
Then put on cotton socks.
You’re essentially trapping some of that post-shower moisture.
That’s often more effective than applying petroleum jelly to extremely dry skin with no moisture underneath.
Why You Don’t Need a Huge Amount
One of the biggest mistakes people make with petroleum jelly is using far too much.
More doesn’t necessarily mean better.
You’re trying to create a thin protective film.
If your feet are sliding around inside your socks, you’ve probably gone overboard.
Start with a pea-sized amount and spread it thoroughly.
Add more only if necessary.
A small jar can last an impressively long time.
Don’t Apply It to Broken or Irritated Skin
Clove-containing preparations aren’t a good experiment for skin that’s already:
raw,
bleeding,
freshly shaved,
burned,
or significantly irritated.
Eugenol and other aromatic compounds may sting and worsen irritation.
The safest target for this DIY balm is intact but dry skin.
If plain petroleum jelly is what you need, there’s no reason to complicate it.
Why a Patch Test Matters
“Natural” doesn’t mean “non-allergenic.”
Cloves contain biologically active compounds.
Some people tolerate them perfectly.
Others can develop irritation or allergic contact dermatitis.
Before covering both feet, put a tiny amount of the finished balm on a small area of intact skin.
Leave it alone and observe how your skin responds.
If it burns, becomes intensely itchy, or develops persistent redness, wash it away and don’t continue.
Your skin doesn’t care whether an ingredient came from a laboratory or a spice cabinet.
It only cares whether it likes it.
Can Cloves Fight Fungus?
Clove compounds have demonstrated antifungal and antimicrobial activity in laboratory research.
That has inspired plenty of homemade recipes for athlete’s foot and nail fungus.
But laboratory activity doesn’t automatically make homemade clove Vaseline a reliable treatment for an established fungal infection.
The concentration matters.
The organism matters.
The location matters.
And petroleum jelly itself creates an occlusive environment.
So don’t assume this mixture is a fungal cure simply because cloves have antimicrobial compounds.
Use the recipe as a skin-conditioning balm, not homemade antifungal medication.
The Aroma Is Part of the Experience
There’s another reason people love these old-fashioned remedies that gets overlooked:
smell matters.
Cloves have a warm aroma strongly associated with baking, holidays, spice cupboards, and traditional remedies.
When you massage a lightly clove-scented balm into your feet or hands before bed, you’re creating a sensory ritual.
Warm shower.
Soft socks.
Spiced aroma.
A few minutes without your phone.
That relaxing ritual can be enjoyable even if nothing mysterious is happening beneath the skin.
Not every benefit needs to come from a biochemical miracle.
The Even Simpler Version
If you don’t want to make an infusion, there’s another option.
Use plain petroleum jelly.
That’s it.
For dry heels, hands, elbows, and cuticles, petroleum jelly already performs the main job exceptionally well.
The cloves are optional.
This is worth remembering because social media often convinces us that a familiar ingredient must be combined with something unusual before it becomes useful.
Sometimes grandma’s jar of Vaseline was already doing most of the work.
A 7-Night Heel Routine
If your heels are rough and dry, try turning this into a simple one-week experiment.
Each evening:
Wash your feet.
Dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.
Leave the heels slightly hydrated.
Apply a thin layer of the clove-infused balm to the heels only.
Put on clean cotton socks.
Repeat for seven evenings if your skin tolerates it.
Don’t expect cracks to magically disappear overnight.
But ordinary dry, rough skin may become noticeably softer because you’re consistently reducing water loss.
Consistency is doing more work here than the calendar.
Why This Cheap Trick Feels So Effective
Skincare can become astonishingly complicated.
Ten-step routines.
Tiny bottles.
Exotic plant extracts.
Luxury packaging.
Then an inexpensive tub of petroleum jelly quietly does one extremely important thing very well:
it helps keep water inside the outer layers of your skin.
That doesn’t make every expensive product unnecessary.
But it does explain why petroleum jelly has remained a household staple for generations.
Add a subtle clove infusion and you’ve transformed it into a fragrant nighttime ritual using something that costs very little.
The Recipe Worth Remembering
Keep this one deliberately mild:
1 tablespoon petroleum jelly
2 whole cloves
Lightly crush the cloves.
Soften the petroleum jelly indirectly using a bowl of warm water.
Stir in the cloves.
Let them infuse for 10–15 minutes.
Remove every solid piece.
Allow the balm to cool.
Patch-test a tiny amount.
Then use a thin layer on dry heels, elbows, knees, or knuckles.
For heels, apply it after bathing and wear cotton socks overnight.
That’s all you need.
No essential oil.
No enormous quantities of cloves.
No aggressive scrubbing.
And no claims that it can erase wrinkles, cure arthritis, or pull toxins through your feet.
The real trick is much simpler—and genuinely useful:
cloves provide the warm aromatic ritual, while petroleum jelly does what it has done remarkably well for generations: seal moisture into dry skin and help rough areas feel softer.
Sometimes the “secret nobody tells you” isn’t a miracle at all.
It’s discovering that two inexpensive things already sitting in the house can make an ordinary nighttime routine feel surprisingly luxurious.
If you’re into more surprising tips, you might be amazed to learn if Banana Peel Erases Wrinkles? The “100-Year-Old Recipe” People Still Swear By or how After Learning to Fry Eggs in Water, I Never Used Oil Again! could change your routine, and for another incredible natural remedy, check out My Mom Could Barely Walk from Knee and Bone Pain… Until She Tried This Natural Mix.
