Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most nonirritating moisturizing ingredients

[bajanplums1]

Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

I found this article at http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=47


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).

 

[DelightfulFlame]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

Sh*t is natural too, but I don't want it on my hair or my body! LOL...

 

[Champagne_Wishes]

Shockingly enough there are some people who are allergic to petroleum and mineral oil.

 

[Koffie]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

Sh*t is natural too, but I don't want it on my hair or my body! LOL...

Okay!!!

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

This is interesting! You know, I have been using unrefined shea butter for my skin. Well, after the day is almost over, I am shocked to discover I am rusty all over again. This boggles my mind because this is supposed to be the good issh but it am ashy!! Well, I remember when I used to use Suave lotions that contained mineral oil and petrolatum and it did the job I know that these ingredients just coat the skin,but I desire to be greasy not ashy.

 

[deedabug]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

Sh*t is natural too, but I don't want it on my hair or my body! LOL...

lalalalala(my message was too short)

 

[Champagne_Wishes]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

This is interesting! You know, I have been using unrefined shea butter for my skin. Well, after the day is almost over, I am shocked to discover I am rusty all over again. This boggles my mind because this is supposed to be the good issh but it am ashy!! Well, I remember when I used to use Suave lotions that contained mineral oil and petrolatum and it did the job I know that these ingredients just coat the skin,but I desire to be greasy not ashy.

Do you aply shea butter on wet or dry skin?

 

[bajanplums1]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

Sh*t is natural too, but I don't want it on my hair or my body! LOL...

good point but honestly, i think mineral oil has gotten a bad wrap too. it;s in so many lotions that work well--palmer's cocoa butter. I think that mineral oil serves well to protect my hair from cold air. I think if you moisturize your hair before hand, mineral oil is the perfect sealant, it gets my ends smooth permanently (qp elasta curl wax).

 

[Neroli]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

I AGREE WITH BAJAN!!! And a case in point is the LHCF Queen, Adrienne, who use petrolatum aka vasaline on her ends with the baggie method. ANYONE viewing her album can SEE her tremendous progress and length, not to mention that beautiful, full, thick, luscious head of hair. BTW, it is Adrienne's tresses that shows up as LHCF's avatar.

I think "reasonableness" approach to ingredients is important, but not this all out ban on certain ingredients, especially those that have a long, tried and true history of WORKING, like petrolatum and mineral oil. Growing up in Germany as a child, my mom used to "grease me down" with vasaline, literally from head to toe during the cold winter months and attending undergrad in Chicago, I continued the tradition of "greasing down" during the bitter cold months, never had a problem -- I get complements all the time on my "beautiful" skin to this day, always about how "even-toned" my skin is - legs, arms, shoulders, neck and face (and my DH who sees and touches the rest of me, how "soft and silky")-- not a wrinkle, not a line ANYWHERE! KUDOS FOR THE SYNTHETICS!!!

 

[lavendarlover]

People have used Vaseline for years. I DOES work for some people. Shea butter did nothing for my skin or hair. I don't use petoleum on my hair because it's too fine, but I have known family members with healthy heads of hair who DO use it, and have used it for years. I currently use hair grease on my body, and it works fine.

 

[brickhouse]

Oddly enough I too agree with bajan. I was looking at the ingredients to an ointment prescribed by my physician for seborrheic derm. It is called Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment. The ingredients say 0.25 Triamcinolone Aetonide per gram in a base containing White Petroleum and Mineral Oil. My stylist used Head and Shoulders to wash my hair and then applied this to my scalp after she condition and rinsed me out and then rollerset. She did not rinse out the ointment. My hair grew about 1" a month and that was with getting a touchup every 5 wks with trims.

 

[_lovelyness]

I agree with neroli !! vaseline is the best body moisturizer I've used so far !!

 

[karezone]

I moisturize under my eyes with vaseline and haven't had any negative results. In fact some of my smile lines are gone.

 

[Queenie]

My hair hates it. I use other things. My hair and skin love stuff like coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter. It definately does not work for everyone, but what does.

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

Do you aply shea butter on wet or dry skin?

I apply it on dry skin.

 

[BklynHeart]

In the winter, I always mix some Vaseline with my lotion to put on after my shower. My skin stays moisturized all day. If I run out of Vaseline I use baby oil.

 

[Honi]

I don't mind them in body lotions and creams but I won't use anything with MO or Pet on my hair.

 

[Dolapo]

I don't mind them in body lotions and creams but I won't use anything with MO or Pet on my hair.

word........

 

[hottopic]

In the winter, I always mix some Vaseline with my lotion to put on after my shower. My skin stays moisturized all day. If I run out of Vaseline I use baby oil.

I am so late, but I do this too.....
Plus I use "DAX POMADE" on my hair to seal moisture. (There I said it "DAX")

 

[Synthia]

Wow. This is definitely food for thought.

I don't know if I believe it. I find it hard to believe that MIneral Oil and Petroleum themselves are actually moisturizing and will not dry out and block moisture with long usage.

I just want to know will it stop moisture from getting to my hair or not. I don't care about all the natural propaganda.

I do have to say I've given up a couple of good deep moisturizing treatments due to mineral oil and petroleum. I'm interested in hearing more about this.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I never believed that mineral oil and petroleum were bad. I do think that they are probably heavier than other oils and ingredients, but when used in moderation, they can help seal in moisture. I know that for me, when I use products with mineral oil, the comb definitely goes through my hair easier.

 

[cmw45]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

This is interesting! You know, I have been using unrefined shea butter for my skin. Well, after the day is almost over, I am shocked to discover I am rusty all over again. This boggles my mind because this is supposed to be the good issh but it am ashy!! Well, I remember when I used to use Suave lotions that contained mineral oil and petrolatum and it did the job I know that these ingredients just coat the skin,but I desire to be greasy not ashy.

You should try cocobutter...I have yet to be ashy after slapping this ish on.

 

[LynnieB]

Re: Mineral Oil & Petrolatum: the safest, most moisturizing ingredients says article

I found this article at http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=47


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).

know wha?

i was a petro queen before transitioning (ultrasheen, all flavors). since i've started though, i've begun to steer clear of the petro or mineral oils not because of their bad effects really - it's just in my quest to find the perfect products for both the trans'ing and relaxed hair - most of the products that work well consistently have little or none of those things in them.

for the winter though, i could definitely see myself dipping back into a big old jar o' grease simply because i think the petro-based product "could" keep moisture sealed in better, especially under harsh winter winds, temperatures, hot dry indoor heat, etc..

one thing i will never ever do again though is to "grease my scalp" with those products - imo, they're just much too heavy to slather on a piece of skin that doesn't get washed everyday.

but, that's jmho.

 

[Ms Lala]

The lotions my dermatologist recommend for my senstive skin have mineral oil and petroleum and they work GREAT!!!! The soap I use (cetaphil) even has SLS and it is the only soap that i've tried that doesn't irritate my face other than pure glyecerin soap (which i lub!)

 

[Qetesh]

I will openly admit that petroleum does seal my hair nicely, esp. the ends BUT mineral oil makes my hair feel like plastic. It’s odd that these 2 things which are supposedly the same things have different effects on my hair, back in the day b4 LHCF I would hot curl my hair with both.
I also will note I have a cuz who when she was younger always wore mineral oil all over her body and she, and her sister both have nice even skin, I don’t know if that was the main reason why or if it was water in diet ext. I will also admit I have not completely given up all products that contain this if it works well for me.

 

[ubavka123]

I have to say that after joining LHCF I began to think that these ingredients were evil. But since moving overseas and having my Kenra products fail me due to different climate and water conditions (which is upsetting because I stocked up on them before I left--wasted money!) I have found some Italian hair products (conditioners/hair masks) which contain paraffinum liquidum, the fancy name for mineral oil, which have worked miracles for my hair. Of course they have other helpful ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, etc., but mineral oil is on the list. I almost passed them up, but I was desperate. I am so glad that I gave them a try, because they are now in heavy rotation and so long as I live here, I will keep using them. Now, I won't be greasing my scalp anytime soon, but I am not going to rule out conditioners with these ingredients anymore, so long as they also contain other good ingredients. I guess what I am trying to say is that I discovered that the overall ingredient list is important and that I cannot rule out an otherwise good conditioner just because mineral oil is down the list somewhere.

 

[preciousjewel76]

I don't mind them in body lotions and creams but I won't use anything with MO or Pet on my hair.

Ditto...I try to avoid hair products with MO or petroleum because they weigh down my fine-ish hair.

 

[Victorian]

MO and petro are too heavy to leave in my hair, but you better believe that the ONLY thing that keeps my skin from turning into a flaky, crackly disaster during this time of year is Nivea Creme (the heavy stuff in the blue tub), which has mineral oil, petrolatum, parrafin, lanolin, waxes...you name it, it's in there--and my skin loves it

But yeah, my reason for not wanting it in my hair products is that my hair is super fine and I get buildup problems really easily.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

My mother used vasoline for many years, along with Oil of Olay. When she passed away, the funeral director was like ! What did your mother use on her skin...her skin is the best skin I have ever worked with because I didn't have to put any makeup on her face. When I saw her then, it looked like she was sleeping. No makeup except a little lipstick. That was it. Everyone was was amazed at how she looked.

My mother's skin was so beautiful. I use the same and people always tell me that my skin is awesome! The combo is a good one.

Blessings....

 

[MoMo]

My dad swears by Vaseline using it on his face and body. I was looking at his legs and I couldn't believe how good they look for a man almost 60 years old. Anyway, I apply a very thin amount on my face at night, concentrating on my eyes and mouth area (courtesy of Tyra Banks). It is really good because it does not clog your pores and protects the skin from outside debris. While, I do not apply it to my scalp, I did achieve the most growth ever by using J & J Baby Oil Gel in my hair in place of regular gel and talk about retaining moisture and my ends!