If you’re wondering what a PaPaw or Paw Paw is, rest your minds – its what we call Papaya. You know that deliciously sweet orange fruit we get in abundance here in the tropics? My Dad loves it and so do I – everytime he comes to KL and I stop by for dinner, he’ll always have a plate of chilled papaya ready and waiting for dessert. Mmm….
But fruits aside, what is the Lucas Papaw Ointment? This is a multi purpose ointment made from fermented papaya which might explain the rather funky smell. Its faint, but its there and if you can get past the faint funky scent, you are in for a treat!
Lucas’ PaPaw Ointment smooths dry chapped lips
I was using pure vitamin E oil on my lips almost every night for the past 2 years or so. As was wont to happen, the oil ran out and I got too lazy to go out and get another bottle. So, I rooted around in my stash and came across a tube of Lucas PaPaw Ointment that I’d been gifted with a while ago.
I slathered it on my lips and went to bed. I did it every night for 3 days straight. By the 3rd day, I’d noticed something odd. My lips, previously rather dry and lined, even with the regular Vitamin E treatment, were now smoothening out. If you are the sort who wears lipstick a lot, it is noticable because lipstick no longer sinks into the lines. In fact, my lips are now more plumped up, smoother and look so much better!
Now, months later, I love the state of my lips. They are relatively smooth and chap free, lipstick applies like a dream and it looks great! Beats any lipbalm hands down and more. I only use it at night before bed, and even then the results are impressive. I believe the properties of the fermented papaya enzymes react to help the skin “peel” and renew. This is also great for dry skin.
Lucas Papaw Ointment helps heal dry chapped skin
I am prone to getting dry chapped skin on my hands especially when I mess around with detergent. I wish I didn’t have to but I don’t have a maid 😛 So I sometimes use this ointment on the dry areas before bed and in a few days, with regular use, the skin would have healed. Relatively so. This isn’t a miracle cream, so it does take a few days, but its all good by the end of it.
I’ve also tried using it on the hard dry skin on my elbows and it helps soften the skin too with regular use.
The texture of the ointment is thick and opaque and for lips, you only really need very little. The Lucas PaPaw Ointment is petroleum based, so if you are sensitive to that, do take note.
It also applies a little oily and tacky, but if you apply before bed as I do, you won’t really care about that. I do find it a bit of hassle as I read before bed, so I risk getting marks on my books. So, I apply it on my hands just before I drop off to sleep.
Lucas’ PaPaw Ointment is from Australia, and mine was a gift so I have no idea how much it costs there. I have seen it in Vitacare pharmacy (MidValley The Gardens LG) where a 25g tube retails for RM18.90 and a 75g tub for RM49.90. Not terribly pricey and it’ll last you a long long time if you’re just using it for a lip treatment or even for dry skin.
Pros: Keeps lips flake free and smoothens lips, Helps heal dry skin, Affordable
Cons: Petroleum based (if it matters to you)
I’m taking this one with me on holiday. I’m horrible with lipbalm (hate carrying it around) so I’ll be depending on this one to sooth my cold chapped skin and cold chapped lips while on holiday 🙂
If you have tried this one, do share any other uses you have for the Lucas Papaw Ointment. Its pretty amazing stuff!
Paris B
Lucas’ PaPaw Ointment comes in a tube and tub and I saw it retail at RM18.90/25g and RM49.90/75g at Vitacare Pharmacy
To Open the Lucas’ Papaw Ointment Tube: Fit the triangle in the top of the cap over the triangle at the tube opening. Twist off the triangle and its open. In the alternative, get a pair of scissors and cut off the triangle plastic piece that keeps the tube shut.
very cool that we actually have it here in malaysia! I liked that the product worked for many people but it unfortunately, did not work quite that well for me, I don’t know why. I so wanted it to work! It was ok for short term use but I get rough skin when I use it long term. weird but again, not so weird when it comes to my unpredictable skin
Gosh you DO have unpredictable skin! I’m very pleased its here but I don’t forsee myself using this tube up in a long long time.
Hi, just a random thought but wondered if anyone tested this on dry heels?
I think LeGeeque in an earlier comment mentioned that its great for her cracked heels
I’ve written about this before too.
Lucas Paw paw is actually petroleum based, it is not a “natural” product although it is often sold as such. If you search online you will see this is true (they are not legally required to disclose the petroleum base so they do not).
In other words, using Lucas Paw paw is not that different from using Vaseline on your lips. It’s basically the same thing. By the way, vaseline (specifically the petroleum part of it) is so effective for preventing chapping because it actually forms a barrier over the skin which prevents anything from getting past it to the skin, or from anything escaping from the skin.
There are other paw paw products out there that use natural bases – we used to stock one Simmons which is no longer being made, so we’re looking into another brand. there are a few out there.
Lucas Papaw ointment contains Carica Papaya 39mg/g Fresh fermented Fruit, so I do not understand why it is the same as Vaseline? I tried both and Vaseline certainly does not give the same results as using from Papaw ointment. If you are looking for a natural paw paw product, try Suvana. They make Australian certified organic balm
i agree with Natalie. Lucas Papaw ointment is definitely not the same as vaseline. tried and tested even after only 3 days of usage. the result of using Lucas Papaw ointment fares so much better than vaseline.
39mg/g means that there is fermented fruit of 39mg per 1000mg, that means 961mg (95%) is actually petroleum (petrochemicals), i.e. vaseline & potassium sorbate (preservative).
Petroleum is a synthetic refined / distilled compound made with crude oil (crude oil refined another way = petrol).
PJ itself is considered “safe” (as in non one has studied it enough to confidently know one way or the other if it is “safe”) but its manufacturing is varied and unregulated and it is very easily contaminated by foreign elements, especially Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, which are very common petrolatum contaminants, which ARE linked to cancer and endocrine disruption.
For this reason, UK banned the use of PJ in cosmetics several years ago UNLESS companies obtained certification that it is sourced from somewhere that does refine to a point of acceptable purity.
I’ve used vaseline as a barrier cream on hands, elbows etc before when living in a very cold / windy climate, but i would not use it on my lips, just not something i would want to be eating, but that’s just me.
I first used Lucas paw paw 13 years ago on my lips too & found that the efficacy of Lucas didn’t last – it actually became an irritant if I used it too often. This is before i found out that it was a petroleum base recently. Living in Malaysia I don’t really find it necessary to use something so heavy handed with a petroleum base though, so i hadn’t used it for years before i found out about the petroleum.
Yep I realized that its petroleum based but I’ve used Vaseline Petroleum Jelly on my lips and it does not work for me no matter what others day. However, this Lucas Papaw one does. I’ve come across some other Pawpaw products too but they aren’t very easy to find.
I totally agree. The result speaks for itself!
I never knew it can be used on the lips 😀 I shall try tonight! As the weather gets colder and drier (autumn, meh), this will come very handy!
It worked so well for me in Autumn weather! I hope it works for you too
oh, and the reason why the paw paw makes a difference is not that it is moisturizing, but it is a strong antiseptic (good for cleaning wounds and skin abrasions, but because of the PJ should NOT be used for burns as it traps heat against the skin). The Papain in pawpaw is a digestive enzyme which accelerates the healing process and reduces inflammation.
Lucas Paw Paw is an amazing product I’ve had it with me for years! I have 2 kids and I’ve been using it on them for rashes, cuts (heals the cuts super quick), cold sores. Its great to know that i can use them on bites & pimples too 😉 Just couldnt get enough of it. I use Kiehl’s No.1 lipbalm every night but once i left the Kiehl’s balm back in Penang for a perid of time and was too lazy to go out & get one, i used Paw Paw as an alternative & it worked super as well.
Sounds amazing! Wish I could find it here. Wanted to add: a pawpaw is not a papaya. although both are oblong, soft fruit with seeds. A pawpaw, unlike a papaya, has only one large seed. It tastes like a cheremoya; others liken it to banana or an apple/vanilla custard. It’s not musky like a papaya is. Pawpaws are delicious but rarely sold in stores, because they bruise and rot too easily for commercial transport. Glad to see that it comes in balm form tho…
Thanks for the info. The Pawpaw is also a papaya in this part of the world http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya and I think the fact that its made of Fermented Carica Papaya confirms this. That said, you’re right too! Different sides of the Atlantic has different definitions of the pawpaw 🙂
I can’t find it in Vitacare Pharmacy at The Gardens Mall ;( May I know any other places to get this?
Gosh! Its so elusive isn’t it?! I’ve only found it at Vitacare and Caring pharmacy. I’m not 100% sure about the latter though. Good luck on your hunt!
Oh I found it on this local website too! https://www.babylandmalaysia.com/node/578 and http://www.babycaremalaysia.com/webshaper/store/viewProd.asp?pkProductItem=521 Some websites selling baby products sell it too so if you know of others, you can try there. I’ve never bought from them before so I don’t know how they are but its a place to start 🙂
Thanks!!! I’ve order with one of the (i guess is) Malaysia importer of Lucas Papaw online. It cost me RM59 free skynet shipping to my place-kl.
I use it on pimples for my baby. U can get at bangsar village I at the pharmacy on B1, next to newsagents, opposite DIY store.