Vaseline or petroleum jelly can provide good lubrication to prevent chafing like a chamois cream. Some models have a thick texture that can feel messy and trap heat. So while Vaseline works decently, a specialized chamois cream is preferable for most cyclists.

Vaseline can achieve a similar goal, though it will quickly ruin a lot of your kit, and doesn’t have any anti-bacterial qualities. Sometimes you see triathletes using vaseline so it doesn’t wash off in the swim, though to ensure you don’t get any build ups of bacteria chamois cream is certainly the best option.