"If you feel like buildup is stuck in the back of your earrings, you can also use a petrolatum-based product like Vaseline or Aquaphor and massage it in the area to loosen things up," she says.

That’s why Dr. Massick recommends ointments (versus classic balms or glosses) containing occlusives like petrolatum (in Vaseline and Aquaphor) and dimethicone. These thick ingredients will seal ...