The real name of Vaseline is Petroleum Jelly. While "Vaseline" is the widely recognized brand name, the product itself is petroleum jelly. This was originally discovered by Robert Augustus Chesebrough in the 1860s and branded as Vaseline Petroleum Jelly in 1870.
The History of Vaseline
- Discovery: In the 1860s, Robert Augustus Chesebrough, a chemist from New York, discovered petroleum jelly. [Unilever, Vaseline.com, Paraffinwaxco.com]
- Branding: In 1870, Chesebrough began distributing this pure petroleum jelly under the brand name Vaseline. [Unilever, Vaseline.com] The name "Vaseline" was officially registered in 1872. [Parrafinwaxco.com]
- Global Brand: Today, Vaseline is a globally recognized brand present in over 70 countries. [Vaseline.com] In many languages, "vaseline" is used generically to refer to petroleum jelly. [Wikipedia]
The term "Vaseline" has become so ubiquitous that it's often used interchangeably with petroleum jelly, but it's important to remember it's a specific brand name for a product whose chemical makeup is petroleum jelly.
