Ingredient Spotlight: Mineral Oil
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Mineral Oil (the main ingredient in baby oil) and Petrolatum (the main ingredient in petroleum jelly) come from petroleum sources, derived from the earth.
These two ingredients have stood the test of time and are often used in products to guard against dehydration by creaing a barrier layer on the skin, thereby sealing water in the skin as well as preventing skin irritation from contact with certain substancees. These two ingredients are considered to be of the best protective skin barriers as well as the safest as they do not react with other chemicals that are associated with normal bodily function. They do not require the use of other preservatives because they do not naturally harbor bacteria or any other type of micro-organisms.
It is a common suggestion to slather mineral oil (baby oil) on damp skin after a shower in the winter months to seal in moisture on the skin. Because of this same moisture sealing action, it is not recommended to use mineral oil or petrolatum on burns or open wounds as the area will not be able to breathe and as a result heal properly.
For many years mineral oil and petrolatum have been said to be comodegenic, meaning they can clog the skin’s pores and cause blackheads. However research has not proven this to be true. Other mildly comedogenic oils include sunflower oil, avocado oil. Jojoba Oil, like water is considered to be non-comedogenic and will not clog pores and cause blackheads.
Still, moisturizers and serums containing Mineral Oil or Petrolatum may not be ideal for oily, combination skin types or acneic skin conditions because it may impart too much oil to the skin.
Do check the ingredient listing on your products if you have these skin types/ conditions as using products that contain these ingredients may result in making your skin more oily than it naturally is, or needs to be. Instead, products which list “Water/ Agua” as its first ingredient are better suited to these skin types.
Supernova
i thought mineral oil was used merely as a correction excipient, to obtain the desired semi-solid preparation.
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Yes, Great point. When combined with water and blended with an emulsifier (to keep the water and oil from separating), mineral is often used as a base for creams, lotions or even fluids depending on the blended oil: water ratio. Many other oils may be used in this way, however mineral oil is often used because it is cheap, abundant, and largely inert, or non-reactive with other chemical substances.
However, mineral oil is used in various other ways, including medicinally – externally on its own as a moisturizing agent that is combined with a fragrance and marketed as ‘baby oil’, or internally as a laxative, or as a cosmetic lubricant, protective ingredient and as a binder. There are various household and industrial uses for Mineral oil as well.
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