Prequel

Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant.

Q: Is Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 71%.

Q: What is Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant's Guru Score?

Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant holds a Guru Score of 71%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 6 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Q: Who is Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant best for?

Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant is generally suited to dry skin and sensitive skin.

Save to Pinterest

Balms & Ointments

About this product

A multi-purpose skin protectant balm from Prequel, built on a petrolatum base and designed to seal in moisture and protect dry or irritated skin.

Full ingredients

Petrolatum (45%), Paraffinum Liquidum, Ozokerite, Dimethicone, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Bisabolol, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Stearic Acid, Brassica Campestris Sterols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hexyldecanol

Guru Score

71%

Mixed

6 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

Its petrolatum base seals moisture in, and a few gurus find it lighter than Vaseline and a good final layer under the eyes. However, others still find it thick and sticky, and anyone who goes through a lot of ointment may find the 2 oz tube, about $18, runs out and gets pricey. For those whose retinoids leave their chin or nose peeling, some gurus suggest applying it ahead of time as a buffer.

Synthesized from 6 expert reviews · most recent take June 2026

What they liked

Lighter texture than standard Vaseline
Smooth finish under makeup
Soothing without stinging

What they flagged

Runs out quickly for heavy users
Still feels sticky to some people
Pricey compared to Vaseline

Best for

Dry skin Sensitive skin

Type

Balms & OintmentsBalm & ointment

Key actives

Vitamin E

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Amazon → Google →

Opens a store search. We may earn from these links.

Scan it in the shopFree iPhone app. Scores in the aisle.

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Skin Obsessed Mary

33k subs

~Yay

"First up is the Prequel Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant. I generally apply this just under my eyes as a final occlusive. It helps seal everything in and stops that area from drying out overnight, which bugs me. But if my skin is feeling particularly dry or compromised, I will use this all over my face, which is essentially slugging. I do like a good slug. I don't do this every night, but if my skin needs it, it makes a huge difference."

Top Pick: ointment

All 4 takes from Skin Obsessed Mary

YOUR Favourite Beauty Products of the Year (According to You)

"I use them all, Vaseline, Aquaphor, Cerave, but this is the one that I love the most. I use this right up under my eyes to lock in hydration [...] before applying my makeup because it just gives you that nice smooth surface so nothing is settling into the lines. And I also do this at night before bed. I do know it's more expensive than Vaseline, but I think that the feel justifies it. It's super effective, but it just feels elegant. It's very light. It's not super heavy and sticky."

My Everyday Winter EVENING Skincare After 50

❄️ Morning Winter Skincare Routine for Mature, Hydrated, Glowing Skin

"The very first product that I use in the morning is my Prequel Skin Utility Balm. I just apply this to my lips to sort of hydrate and soften them as I go through my routine. I adore this product and I use it in a ton of different ways."

🤫 7 Unsexy Beauty Products That Actually Work!

"This is the Prequel Skin Utility Balm and I love her. It has 45% petrolatum to protect and soothe as well as a barrier support complex that contains ceramides and other moisturizers. Plus, and this is very good, it has a shielding polymer that creates this flexible breathable film on the skin so you don't really feel it. There's no stickiness or glossiness, it's just silky and it is elegant."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Mixed

"This looks thick. Its main ingredient is paraffin. This is going to be too much I think for my neck. [...] It feels just like Vaseline which is fine, but I might have to rinse the tear tier off my neck."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Mixed

"This is a petrolatum based ointment with bisol which is anti-inflammatory and I really liked this quite a bit. Works well similar to Vaseline, Aquaphor, CeraVe healing ointment. [...] But given how I go through ointments so quickly, I use so much ointment, this doesn't end up being a very cost effective ointment for me to pursue. I finished this in like a matter of a couple of weeks at most. I went through it very quickly."

All 3 takes from Dr Dray

Is Prequel Skincare Worth It?

"I really like this. I tried it on my face numerous times even though I don't normally do the slugging approach, and it works well. [...] It goes for $18 for 2 oz. If you're somebody who uses a lot of ointment at baseline, like you do the slugging thing every night, or you basically exclusively moisturize with 100% petroleum jelly, [...] this might start to get a little pricey for you."

No More Vanicream Z-Bar | Skincare Vlog

"This is basically like a petrolatum ointment with visible law which is anti-inflammatory and it's been good. I went through it really really fast. I use so much ointment that this is not enough for me, this little tube. It's not something I would repurchase but it is good."

Skincare Products I Can't Believe I Used Up

Mixed Makeup

1.46M subs

~Yay

"It's petroleum based so it's going to protect that little area. The main ingredient in this is azelaic acid, but it's a high amount of it. [...] I'm not too worried about this just because azelaic acid was one of the things suggested. It [...] spreads much easier than I thought it was going to. You want a fairly thick layer apparently because it's going to dry like a clay mask. There's azelaic acid, there's phytic acid, there's retinol palmitate in here and other ingredients."

All 3 takes from Mixed Makeup

Cosmelan MD Chemical Peel: Does It Really Work for Melasma & Hyperpigmentation?

"I'm going to top it with some petrolatum, this is from Prequel also, it's their Skin Utility Ointment. This has petrolatum, balm, and some other soothing ingredients but it's mostly petrolatum. It feels good, it's kind of soothing for me right now and that's all I really want. [...] I'm going to use this on my skin, and [...] I might even apply it a couple of times [...] later on before I go to bed."

My Current Nighttime Skincare Routine for Anti-Aging & Melasma! | Susan Yara

"I'm going to take this balm from Prequel, their Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant, it has a lot of petrolatum in it which is what I'm using it for. You can see that my skin's a little bit red. I got perioral dermatitis last year, and the minute I see any of that start up I'm like we're going to prevent that from happening again. Usually it's my retinoids, especially when I go really strong with my retinoids, that can cause that in this specific area."

I Did a Cosmelan Chemical Peel at Home! Sharing the Process, Before and Afters, and Review

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

~Nay

"This could really be beneficial for some people if you don't already have ceramides in your routine, [...] but for me, with where my routine already is, I don't think I'm going to buy this one again."

All 2 takes from AliceintheRabbitHole

HONEST Ranking of Prequel Skincare (Too Honest?)

"It truly does feel lighter than Vaseline, but I [...] don't like Vaseline and I use it anyway because it makes such a difference, and using the skin utility ointment didn't feel like suddenly I liked it, I still didn't like that heavy sticky feeling even if it was a bit reduced. If I'm not going to like that feeling no matter what but I do want those results, I'll just stick with Aquaphor."

Prequel & Experiment Skincare: HYPED Brands, Are They Worth It??

Dr. Sam Ellis

898k subs

~Yay

"So I like to protect them ahead of time. It acts as a little buffer. If you have any other areas that are prone to irritation with your topical retinoid, you can go ahead and put that ointment there as well. Some people will apply it further out here or on their chin or around their nose where they tend to get peeling from their retinoid. This is a perfect little buffer. It serves as like a little nighttime lip mask."

SponsoredFounder's own brand

All 10 takes from Dr. Sam Ellis

Dermatologists' NO FAIL Anti-Aging Skincare Routine | Dr. Sam Ellis

Introducing Barrier Therapy, A Rich Skin Protectant Cream For The Face & Body | Dr. Sam Ellis

"This is such a perfect balance of rich nourishing cream that doesn't leave that kind of residue. [...] It's not just about the ingredients, it's about the formula overall and creating something that people are inspired to use, that they want to use on their body so that they can be consistent, because ultimately it is about being consistent with your skin in order to get it to its healthiest state."

Dermatologist Explains How to Treat Minor Burns & Minimize Scarring | Dr. Sam Ellis

"Or even prequel skin utility ointment but you can also apply things like aent CLE fit"

Dermatologist Explains Slugging: How to Add it to Your Skincare Routine | Dr. Sam Ellis

"I do want to give a shout out to my skincare brand Prequel and our Skin Utility Balm. When I was launching the brand I really wanted one of the first products I created to be a petrolatum based ointment because it is such a staple not only in my own skincare routine but in what I recommend to my patients. This is 45% petrolatum and it also contains a unique shielding polymer which allows it to continue to have that really nice even seal over the skin but still feel a bit more breathable."

My Favorite Makeup as a Dermatologist | Makeup for Clear Skin | Dr. Sam Ellis

"I use my Prequel Skin Utility Balm on my lips at the very beginning of my makeup session, and the reason for this is while you're getting your makeup done this is sitting on your lips hydrating, moisturizing, getting rid of those little crusties. Then as the last step before they'll take off that ointment and go in with your lip liners and your lipsticks and they sit so much nicer on your lips because you've been marinating in some goodness for however long it took you to do your makeup."

Introducing My NEW Skincare Brand Prequel | Dr. Sam Ellis

"I love it on my heels and my elbows. [...] It is the perfect texture. It's all of the occlusive petrolatum-based ointment that I want without that greasy heavy texture. Even though I personally don't do a full face slug, I do sort of like a selective slug, and I wanted a product that was good for that, that you could still achieve that great skin barrier support without feeling like you were going to bed super sticky. This ointment is also incredibly good for aftercare."

Summer Skincare Empties: Tower 28, K18, Prequel, & More! | Dr. Sam Ellis

"This is a petrolatum based ointment so if you think of like Aquaphor, CeraVe healing ointment, good old Vaseline, this sits in that same category but I have to say since this sort of final formula was put together I have not really reached for the other ones because to me this serves the same purpose as those other ointments. It's occlusive, it prevents transepidermal water loss so it helps maintain the water balance of the skin but this is more than that."

Introducing Prequel's NEW Skin Utility Balm Multi-Purpose Skin Protectant | Dr. Sam Ellis

"As a brand founder I really shouldn't be picking favorites here, but of the skin protectants that Prequel has, the Utility Balm is my favorite. [...] I have rosacea, my skin tends to be a bit more sensitive and a little bit more on the dry side, so I'm always looking for a moisturizer that has a little [...] extra or special quality. I find that this is the one I personally am reaching for the most in both my morning and evening routine when my skin needs a little extra something."

Introducing Prequel's NEW Foot Rescue Advanced Restorative Treatment | Dr. Sam Ellis

"The Prequel Skin Utility Balm is a much more lightweight ointment compared to the Foot Rescue. It's intended for use from head to toe, so it's not quite as thick and rich as what you'd want specifically for feet."

Make Your Retinoids Work BETTER | Easy Retinol Hacks | Dr. Sam Ellis

"Or the Prequel Skin Utility Balm all of these are going to be thicker richer more skinup supporting more repairarative more soothing to your skin"