I keep hearing Mineral oil...

[LadyChe]

Is bad, but here's Paula Begoun saying differently. This woman knows her stuff, so the article is pretty interesting...

The notion that mineral oil and petrolatum (Vaseline) are bad for skin has been around for some time, with Aveda being the most visible company to mount a crusade deriding these ingredients. According to many companies that produce "natural" cosmetics, mineral oil and petrolatum are terrible ingredients because they come from crude oil (petroleum) and are used in industry as metal-cutting fluid (among other uses) and, therefore, can harm the skin by forming an oil film and suffocating it.

This foolish, recurring misinformation about mineral oil and petrolatum is maddening. After all, crude oil is as natural as any other earth-derived substance. Moreover, lots of ingredients are derived from awful-sounding sources but are nevertheless benign and totally safe. Salt is a perfect example. Common table salt is sodium chloride, composed of sodium and chloride, but salt doesn't have the caustic properties of chloride (a form of chlorine) or the unstable explosiveness of sodium. In fact, it is a completely different compound with the harmful properties of neither of its components.

Cosmetics-grade mineral oil and petrolatum are considered the safest, most nonirritating moisturizing ingredients ever found (Sources: Cosmetics & Toiletries, January 2001, page 79; Cosmetic Dermatology, September 2000, pages 44–46). Yes, they can keep air off the skin to some extent, but that's what a good antioxidant is supposed to do; they don't suffocate skin! Moreover, petrolatum and mineral oil are known for being efficacious in wound healing, and are also considered to be among the most effective moisturizing ingredients available (Source: Cosmetics & Toiletries, February 1998, pages 33–40).

Thoughts anyone?

 

[PretteePlease]

i think you have to do what works for you some people say mineral oil dries out their hair. i personally avoid it only in certian products like Moisture max and Pink oil moisturizer they make my hair hard and it is hard to wash it out. If you have products that you like that contain mineral oil keep using them because they work for you.

 

[Poohbear]

i think you have to do what works for you some people say mineral oil dries out their hair. i personally avoid it only in certian products like Moisture max and Pink oil moisturizer they make my hair hard and it is hard to wash it out. If you have products that you like that contain mineral oil keep using them because they work for you.

But how do those people know that one ingredient is making their hair dry? Isn't the main thing that makes hair dry is air?

 

[bee]

Funny you should mention this. I was thinking about beginning to oil my scalp and my children's scalps again, on a regular basis.

 

[vickiepickles]

I have to question some of the things that Paula has to say, especially about ethnic products. Has she used anything with mineral oil in her hair?

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

It's funny I was just going to post a question asking what's bad about it--I've heard this from many posters here as well as from the Jessicurl site. Is it bad for the scalp or the hair itself or both?

I have some fantasia hair oil that's supposed to do wonders for the scalp but it has mineral oil in it...hmmm....

 

[mkstar826]

I don't know if I agree with what she's saying. We may never know because there aren't going to be any major studies done on this to prove once and for all if it's harmful or not.

Right now I only have one product that has mineral oil in it but I don't use it on my scalp or the bulk of my hair. Mainly I use it when I first do a protective style to keep the ends together. Any day after that I just use coconut oil. I couldn't see using anything with those ingredients daily or every other day. I used to use a lot of products with mineral oil and petrolatum and they are so heavy and greasy. I really feel like my hair was suffocating because it just sits on top and doesn't absorb.

One of the main reasons I tend to limit my use of products with mineral oil is because mineral oil doesn't really have any nourishing properties. It's a cheap filler oil that companies use to save money. Also, the majority of these companies market their products towards black people and that just says to me that they don't care if our hair is nourished or not. This is why I use coconut oil because it has beneficial, nourishing properties, it actually gets absorbed, and there is no controversy surrounding it.

 

[TigerLily]

Yeah, I really don't know if it's bad or not. All I can say is that my scalp loves Blue Magic! It absorbs and doesn't sit on top of my scalp/hair.

Now, when I use to use Pink Oil, that crap sat on my head like a hat! So, I guess it's the combination of things that are bad, not neccessarily the mineral oil itself.?

 

[JuJuBoo]

I highly doubt mineral oil is bad. Look at how many people on this forum coat their ends with VASELINE. That's STRAIGHT petrolatum.

I use Design Essentials Stimulations as a deep conditioner (which has mineral oil in it), and this is the healthiest, and most hydrated my hair has ever been. Infact, it's so hydrating that I haven't used a daily moisturizer in a year.

 

[Dolapo]

I believe it depends on the person. Anything with mineral oil doesnt work for me. Dries my hair out after the first use.

 

[sylver2]

Well..for me nothing bad has happened. As far as Mineral oil, I guess it depends upon the person. I've used Lusters Pink lotion since I was a kid and still use it from time to time.
I also love Paula Begoun, I have every single book by her and follow her advice almost religiously. She knows her stuff.

 

[miracle]

I've found that my hair really doesn't have any negative responses to mineral oil. I've been using a scalp condtitioner that contains petroleum, but I'm going to have to stop using it because it's just too heavy for my hair.