Why Lucas' Papaw Ointment Is So Popular And Its Many Uses You Probably Didn't Know About
A beauty essential some celebrities swear by.
By Tang Ruxyn
Have you heard of Lucas' Papaw Ointment? Chances are, you would have seen it in pharmacies, if you aren't already using it.
Lucas' Papaw Ointment comes in a distinctive red packaging — either in large tubs or the smaller tubes, which many prefer because it is easier to carry the latter around.
It is a product by an Australian-owned family company, Lucas' Papaw Remedies. Developed more than 100 years ago, it has become a household staple in the land Down Under because it has been deemed as a "miraculous" natural medicine that can be used for 'everything'.
In recent years, the Lucas' Papaw Ointment has gained a cult-like following, especially since it has gotten endorsement from Hollywood celebrities such as Natalie Portman and Lucy Hale.
Lynette Swinglehurst, a relative of surgeon Dr Thomas Pennington Lucas, who founded the business, previously said she got a hint of how successful the product was when she once got a call from a makeup artist who was working with Australian television drama programme, 'McLeod's Daughters'.
"We got a phone call from one of the makeup artists in that TV series McLeod’s Daughters. She said, 'How do I get the ointment? I've run out of it, we use it on the set to keep eyebrows in place and lips shiny.'," Swinglehurst said in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald in 2013.
It got so popular to the point that sellers ran out of stock at one point in time and had to impose a purchase limit on customers
Back in 2016, there was a shortage of Lucas' Papaw Ointment in Australia and manufacturers had to limit the number of tubes customers can buy.
Apparently, there was an overwhelming demand for the product in China and wholesalers made huge profits by procuring from sellers in Australia, before selling them online as they shipped them out to keen Chinese buyers illegally.
In fact, the surge in popularity of Lucas' Papaw Ointment led to copycats and fake products to appear in the market.
Lucas' Papaw Ointment is most popularly used to remedy chapped lips, but there are actually many different ways to use it
If you ever find a tube of this in a professional makeup artist's kit, he or she is most likely using it for the artistry side.
Just go on YouTube and you'll find that many people have included Lucas' Papaw Ointment as a "beauty hack", giving their rave reviews on how the product can be used as a highlighter for a subtle dewy sheen.
That's not all, as people have continued to find other uses for it, including the various facial and beauty treatment such applying it as face mask and as a solution to brittle nails and dry cuticles.
Some users have also claimed that it is effective as an acne treatment and hairstyling product.
However, despite the various uses of it for cosmetics, Lucas' Papaw Ointment was never originally marketed that way
The product was predominantly promoted and used as a treatment for rashes, minor burns or scalds, and other aches and pains when it was first introduced to the market because it is touted to have healing properties.
The healing nature of the product lies in what's it made of: fermented papaw fruit (it's really just papaya as we know it), pharmaceutical grade petroleum jelly and wax, and a small amount of Balsam of Peru for scent.
Papaya gains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties when fermented, which can help heal skin issues when applied topically.
According to Lucas' Papaw Remedies, the Lucas' Papaw Ointment are recommended to be used as topical application for nappy rash and chafing, and insect bite, among others. It also said that some users have used it for temporary relief of the symptoms of dermatitis and eczema.
Due to its healing properties, the ointment has also emerged as a popular tattoo aftercare product
Tattoo artists and those in the community recommend Lucas' Papaw Oinement as a tattoo aftercare product by applying a thin layer of the cream on a fresh tattoo.
Unsurprisingly, many have also used it as a remedy for dry skin. However, bear in mind that the product does not offer extra moisture but that it helps prevents moisture from escaping and allows your skin to retain the moisture it already has.
Despite its popularity, a tube of Lucas' Papaw Ointment could be hard to find in some parts of the world.
Thankfully, you can easily buy it from a range of chemists and retailers in Malaysia.
Aside from Australia, Lucas' Papaw Ointment is available in about half a dozen other countries, although the company's official website specifically mentions only three countries' names: Malaysia, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.
Lucas' Papaw Ointment also available for purchase online.
Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, there are counterfeit products in the market so do ensure that you are purchasing from reputable merchants and retailers.
Do you use Lucas' Papaw Ointment? Do you plan to get one if you haven't tried it before? Share with us in the comments section below!