From Cows to TikTok: How Vermont’s Bag Balm Became a Viral Beauty Must-Have

When it was launched in rural Vermont more than a century ago, Bag Balm was made for cows, a remedy for udders chapped by blustery New England winters. These days, apparently, it’s also made for TikTok.

The jelly-like salve concocted with lanolin and petroleum jelly is famously adaptable: Over the years, Bag Balm has been used as everything from diaper-rash cure to rust protectant to a paw conditioner for dogs. But it also was cruising under the radar as something of a beauty secret, with here-and-there mentions from celebrity fans like Shania Twain and Oprah—until a TikTok “skinfluencer” named Alix Earle helped make it a viral sensation in 2022. After Earle touted it to her followers (now 7 million and counting) as a favorite remedy for facial dryness caused by harsh acne medication, other fans chimed in, with some even recommending Bag Balm for “slugging,” a trend involving slathering the face with Vaseline to seal in moisture.

“I was like, this sounds gross,” admits Libby Parent, president of Vermont’s Original Bag Balm, based in Lyndonville. “Are we sure we want to be part of that?”

Turns out: Yes, they did. Online sales tripled within a month of Earle’s post, and it soon became clear that the 125-year-old brand had achieved a marketing coup—getting the attention of the coveted Gen Z shopper—without even trying. “It just sort of happened,” Parent says.

The company now uses its social media channels (including, as of 2022, TikTok) to tell Bag Balm’s origin story to a whole new audience. And to celebrate Bag Balm’s 125th anniversary this fall, there will be gold and other color variations on its iconic green tin, which has remained largely unchanged for generations.

Yet there’s only so much that one can, or would want, to do with a product that’s been living up to its promise since 1899. “There’s a lot of trendy ingredients in skin care, and there’s been consumer burnout,” says Parent. “At the end of the day, we’ve just got a super-versatile product that works.”