The top 5 myths about mineral oil - Part 1
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We often see the advice that people should avoid mineral oil at all costs. This idea is 
propogated by numerous “natural” companies. Well, this advice is just bogus. It’s not based on any scientific studies. Mineral oil is a perfectly fine ingredient and has been used in cosmetics for over 100 years.
Here are the top 5 Myths that companies tell people to make them afraid of mineral oil. In part 2 we look at why “natural” companies would be trying to scare you.
Mineral Oil Myths
1. Mineral oil is contaminated with carcinogens. While it’s true that some petroleum derivatives contain carcinogenic materials (like some polycyclic aromatic compounds) the mineral oil that is used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry is highly refined and purified. It’s purity is even regulated by the US FDA and other international regulatory agencies. There is absolutely no evidence that cosmetic grade mineral oil causes cancer. And there has been plenty of testing done to ensure that fact. We could find no published reports in any of the dermatological or medical journals indicating a link between mineral oil and any forms of cancer.
2. Mineral oil dries the skin and causes premature aging. Mineral oil works as a barrier between the skin and the air. It acts as an occlusive agent which prevents water from naturally leaving your body through your skin. It will not dry out your skin or cause premature aging. Quite the contrary. It will provide moisturization.
3. Mineral oil robs the skin of vitamins. Since many vitamins are oil based, people assume that mineral oil will pull them out of your skin. There is no legitimate scientific evidence that this is true. Mineral oil has no effect on the vitamin levels in your skin.
4. Mineral oil prevents absorption of collagen from collagen moisturizers. Collagen in your skin lotions and moisturizers is too big to actually penetrate your skin. Therefore, mineral oil will have no effect on whether the collagen gets absorbed or not.
5. Mineral oil causes acne. In some people, mineral oil can exaserbate acne problems. However, most people will not experience any problems.
So, if it is not for safety concerns, why would companies be telling you to avoid mineral oil? We’ll look at that in part 2 of our series.
The Beauty Brains Bottom line. Mineral oil is NOT bad for you or your skin. It is one of the best ingredients available in skin lotions and moisturizers. It is also 100% natural taken directly out of our dear Mother Earth.
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Sonia Says:
I looooove mineral oil, straight-up out of the bottle or in my fav moisturizer, Nivea Soft Creme! I love concealers such as Vincent Longo Creme Concealor and Trucco’s Concealer for their mineral oil content. Mineral Oil is one of the few things that can relieve my parched Sahara skin. It also doesn’t cause allergic reactions on my uber-sensitive skin! Why anyone would hate on mineral oil is beyond me.
blackjade Says:
This is a great article! I can’t wait to read Part II.
I’ve never known what to think about mineral oil. I kept hearing about how evil it was, but, especially in the winter, it seems to be exactly what I skin needs. The only place I don’t use it is my face - except for the mini tubs of vaseline I have stashed at home and work to keep my lips from getting chapped.
thebeautybrains Says:
We’re glad you like the post, Blackjade. You said you don’t use mineral oil on your face except for the Vaseline you use on your lips. Remember, although they’re related, Vaseline (petrolatum) is not the same thing as mineral oil.
Amy Alkon Says:
You guys are amazing — you provide such a great service — will link to you when I remember!
Pretty by Nature » Mineral Oil is Yuck. Discuss. This Time, with Back Up Says:
[...] You know how I hate Mineral Oil? I needed to know why, so I asked the Beauty Brains and they came up with an amazing 5-point answer for me. Please tell me what you think. [...]
thebeautybrains.com » Will Olive Oil Really Make a Difference? Says:
[...] So does the Olive Oil based formula work better than the mineral oil based one? An excellent question. While we haven’t tested this question exactly, the most likely answer is no. Olive oil is a decent oil solubilizer but mineral oil is better. And since it’s been shown that mineral oil does not cause acne, you should not fear using a formula with this ingredient. But if the olive oil based formula is working well for you and you don’t mind spending the extra money, feel free. It’s not any better for you but it’s probably not going to be bad for you either unless you have a condition like these folks. [...]
Annette Says:
RE: “Collagen in your skin lotions and moisturizers is too big to actually penetrate your skin. Therefore, mineral oil will have no effect on whether the collagen gets absorbed or not.”
I agree. But what about the skin care ingredients that can penetrate the skin / be absorbed by skin cells (eg all the research about Vitamin C)? Does mineral oil prevent their absorption? I would hate to spend a fortune on Vitamin C serums to then find the cheap mineral oil I was using was preventing them working. Thank you for your response.
smartie_smart Says:
you guys called yourselves scientist? I like the way you state the facts:
“Mineral oil is NOT bad for you or your skin. It is one of the best ingredients available in skin lotions and moisturizers.”
so… blocking your pores is cool yeah? suffocating your skin with CHEAP gasoline by-product is very good… how naive I have been! I wonder why is that my skin fells better with vegetal derivated ingredients than with vaseline… well maybe it is just me. You guys can still buy overpriced beauty products… I will not tell anyone
Right Brain Says:
Smartie:
I’m sorry, but you missed the point of this post. Despite what you are told by the companies that want to sell you other products (like the vegetable oil products you mentioned) there is no scientific data to show that mineral oil clogs your pores. If you don’t like the way it feels on your skin, you don’t have to buy it, but don’t go shooting your mouth off without any scientific data to back you up.
nina Says:
I love vaseline on my face and I alway use baby oil, which is mineral oil, on my legs. My legs always feel soft and silky with the baby oil, and it also make shaving alot easier. As for my face, vaseline is the only thing that helps my face when I have a breakout of eczema. It protects it against the elements too. Sure, it looks greasy. But I just put a light coat on and then some loose face powder over it and my face looks and feels very smooth. I tried putting extra virgin olive oil on my skin, and the first day it was fine, but the next day I broke out. So, they say vegetable oils won’t clog pores, but somehow I broke out with it, and I have never broken out with the vaseline. Everyone is different, so there’s never just one right way to do things. But for vaseline and mineral oil, I wouldn’t be without them.
thebeautybrains.com » Are Natural Products Better Than Synthetic Says:
[...] propylene glycol. But if you’re a regular reader of the Beauty Brains, you already know that mineral oil is perfectly fine for your skin! (And basically the same is true of propylene [...]
thebeautybrains.com » The Proper Way To Apply Skin Care Ingredients Says:
[...] Anxiously Asks: I read your post on mineral oil myths. I’m curious about using mineral oil with skin care ingredients that should penetrate the skin [...]
James Says:
This article is so riddled with contradiction and muffled assumption that it could have only come from the pen of “real scientists”. I feel I have to say something if only so i can feel like i made a stand on your dinky little soap box. It was only after I read a few lines into this article that your true colors were shown “In part 2 we look at why “natural†companies would be trying to scare you”. I mean you could have at least tried to offer up your opinion without automatically going into propaganda mode. The “natural companies” as you label them, hell why not just call them “reds under the bed” and be done with it. It is a sad day when people need to be coerced away from naturally occurring alternatives and back onto petrochemicals like mineral oil by such a bold faced attempt to slander the “natural” industry. It’s almost a like the school bully saying he is getting pushed around by the tiny hippy kid. This may be news to you but the Pharmaceutical industry has a bad rap for doing, surprise surprise allot of bad things. I don’t know if this was covered in “real Scientist” school but natural alternatives have been around since the dawn of man. Your two bit mineral oil racket has only been around since companies started stripping the mineral resources of, now how did you put it? “Dear Mother Earth”. From the minute oil was being refined this glorious gunk called mineral oil was being produced as a bi product which, by the by costs less for a pharmaceutical company to purchase then it would for the refinery to dispose of it. It is a ridiculously cheap option when a company chooses to join the skin care game and because no one has found the funding to research the possible negative side effects of using petrochemicals that some how gives you the right to make truly stupid statements like “Mineral oil is NOT bad for you or your skin. It is one of the best ingredients available in skin lotions and moisturizers. It is also 100% natural taken directly out of our dear Mother Earth†I mean come on; you all must have been rolling around on the floor at Beauty Brain Head Quarters when you penned that little gem. That statement has so many warn out lines you could have almost copied it word for word from a Tobacco lobby groups media brief from the 1950’s. Where does one begin? Alright for starters Mineral oil can not be considered GOOD for you. The Notorious FDA who you so confidently refer to revoked the application for mineral oil to be applied on food processing equipment as a release agent. They revoked this application because they considered that allot of dead lab mice who were ingesting (relative to there size) approximately 2 milligrams per day of mineral oil was a decent enough reason for concern. 2 milligrams per day, now how much mineral oil do you think the skin, the bodies largest organ would ingest daily when using skin care products? Must be a bit huh? So getting back to your oh so funny closing statement. I think my favorite puff of hot air would be the “100% natural†the part preceding this about mother earth is just too funny for me to even argue. Lets just say you had a rough night and wanted to finish this little masterpiece fast. So 100% natural huh? Well put me down for a case. For starters a highly refined petrochemical is a far cry from 100% natural especially in the context you are trying to swing. Maybe you were all out side of “real scientist†class staring directly into the sun on the day they taught this, but refining a naturally occurring substance for human congestion of any kind does not make it better. Sugar, wheat, honey, grains, rice, vitamins the further you refine from the original substance the more foreign it will be to our bodies. We have been doing our thing on this planet for a very long time and the last time I checked mineral oils haven’t. You have made a drastic, bumbled attempt to discredit the natural industry with your poky argument and lowered the bar for the pharmaceutical industry to follow.
James Says:
Now for kicks I will attempt to answer your 5 questions from a free thinking person’s perspective.
1. Mineral oil is contaminated with carcinogens: Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH’s (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). In the same way you would never give you baby tap water if you thought it could be contaminated, even if the water board told you it was safe. Why would you risk using a chemical that is so susceptible to this happening? Human error will happen and although Cancer is a big word to throw around contaminated oils can make you very sick. Where the oil from say, an olive will not carry these carcinogens and will taste great with salad. win win I say
2. Mineral oil dries the skin and causes premature aging: I think your own answer, if read carefully is a far better rebuttal than I could come up with. “Mineral oil works as a barrier (like varnish, woohoo) between the skin and the air. It acts as an occlusive agent who prevents water from naturally leaving your body through your skin (wait it prevents the body from naturally breathing and perspiring? Well that’s why moisture leaves the body after all. I’m sure tat good for you). It will not dry out your skin or cause premature aging (well hang on it also inhibits your skin from the simple processes with which it is designed to do). Quite the contrary. It will provide miniaturization.â€(Ahh no it wont! it will provide the illusion of miniaturization. There is nothing in mineral oil that the body wants, that’s why it sits on the surfaceâ€
3. Mineral oil robs the skin of vitamins: it doesn’t need to. Simple the shock of being sealed under a layer of “protective†marketing bullsh#t gives the skin plenty of work to waste precious vitamins and mineral on.
4. Mineral oil prevents absorption of collagen from collagen moisturizers: “Collagen in your skin lotions and moisturizers is too big to actually penetrate your skin. Therefore, mineral oil will have no effect on whether the collagen gets absorbed or not.†Ah well dodged “Real Scientistâ€. Not only have you pointed out how companies using Mineral oils in conjunction with collagen are doubly screwing us over, but you also negated to tell us that if a beneficial compound was small enough to be absorbed it would still be locked out because the skin wants nothing to do with mineral oils or the wares it’s peddling.
5. Mineral oil causes acne: “In some people, mineral oil can exaserbate acne problems. However, most people will not experience any problems.†Ok here is another way of saying this: 5. shooting yourself in the foot will kill you: In some people shooting themselves in the foot can cause them to die. However most people will not experience death from shooting themselves in the foot, they will just look stupid and easily led.
“So, if it is not for safety concerns, why would companies be telling you to avoid mineral oil? We’ll look at that in part 2 of our series†stay tuned as the “Real Scientist†uncover a group of fiendish individuals across the world who are trying to brain wash you with there natural alternatives, to what, with a little less processing by fancy machines are just plain and simple poisons. I hope you nail those Natural scum suckers to the wall. The Pharmaceutical companies need all the negative green washing they can get to protect them from the mean old cottage industry that is Ma and Pa run holistic health care
Please feel free to argue your case with me at the address I have provided. But I must warn you I am not a trained “Real Scientist” like you people just a man who doesn’t like what he reads.
Jo Says:
Mineral oil is derived from petroleum, that says enough for me. Natural all the way
Kay Says:
I am so confused
thebeautybrains Says:
Jo, what’s more natural than petroleum? It comes right out of the ground of mother Earth.
And as we like to say here at the Beauty Brains, snake venom is natural.
Vanessa Says:
James,
I couldn’t agree with your rebuttal more… I have a sneaky suspician that the REAL SCIENTISTS that are answering these questions are not that at all..in fact I would be interested in knowing where these people studied/worked/are published/interned..etc… documentation also please MR/MRS REAL SCIENTIST. I would be willing to bet this website is somehow funded by the cosmetic industry…so why dont all you people who are so EXCITED about Petroleum just go siphen some gas out of your cars and smear it all over your face.. bet that would give you a nice healthy glow
Liquefied petroleum gas (also called liquified petroleum gas, liquid petroleum gas, LPG, LP Gas, or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer.
AND GUESS what else you ignorant people:
LPG is synthesised by REFINING petroleum or natural gas; it was first produced in 1910 by Dr. Walter Snelling, and the first commercial products appeared in 1912. It currently provides about 3% of the energy consumed in the United States.
I think the keyword here is REFINED…
People pull your heads out of your hineys and stop killing yourselves slowly and killing your kids slowly..dont you really care about the health of your children? Why smear these harmful ingredients all over thier skin only to find out years down the road that your little daughter is going to die from cancer before she even gives birth to children..I for one would rather be safe than sorry… but that’s on your ignorant head isn’t it…
EDUCATE YOURSELF PEOPLE…and not on this website..
Left Brain Says:
Yawn. You mineral oil bashers constantly engage in personal attacks. Clearly you can’t prove the things you say so you have to try and tear down anyone who disagrees with you.
James provides lots of wild claims about mineral oil but no proof. For example, he says mineral oil is contaminated with carcinogens. This is just not true. Cosmetic grade mineral oil is purified. He also says that mineral oil causes acne. Not true according to this scientific study. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050531075410.htm
Vanessa, this website is not funded by the cosmetic industry. Instead of wasting words on personal attacks why don’t you attempt to educate people with your “facts”. We are perfectly willing to change our minds about mineral oil if you could show some proof of what you say. So where is your proof? Where is the scientific study that shows that mineral oil or petrolatum are bad for you?
Please enlighten because you are clearly smarter than everyone else.
Kristie Says:
Thank you so much for clarifying everything! I almost purchased over $200 worth of “all natural” products because of the whole no mineral oil scam.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
Jessica Says:
I challange everyone who currently uses petroleum products to use something that doesn’t contain them for two weeks. Feel the difference. There may not be extensive research as of now (probably restrained by the oil companies)…the proof that everyone is looking for, but I could definantly feel the difference when I switched.
thebeautybrains Says:
Jessica, this would make sense if you could do it as a blinded study. If someone knows they have switched products they will be biased either to like the new product or to hate it. The only way a test like this would make sense is to not know whether you are using a petroleum derived ingredient containing product or not.
Ask yourself, could you ever be convinced that petroleum derived products are good for your skin?
Passion Says:
i have recently sworn off the use of petroleum based poroducts for one very simmple reason. no i didn’t read all the propaganda on the net and decided to go natural but simply because using mineral oil gave me headaches.
i first used motion hair lotion a few months ago and the day after my first use i developed a headache. i mean a heavy knock down headache that wouldnt go away no matter how many painkillers i took. i stopped using everthing new to me at that time including the hair lotion and eventually the headache went away. i put the incident out of my head until a few weeks ago when i decided to try a doo gro hair lotion which also has mineral oil as its main ingredient. the headache this time could definitely be blamed on the hair lotion. i washed it out a the headache went away
would something that innocent and blameless cause me days of agony?
Left Brain Says:
Passion, nice job of attempting to isolate your problem. This is just the kind of thinking that we encourage from the Beauty Brains community. However, there are other conclusions you could’ve come to even if the hair lotion was causing your headaches. Despite the fact that mineral oil is the main ingredient, there are other, more likely ingredients that could cause such problems. Fragrance is most likley but there are others.
And even if mineral oil is causing you problems, that doesn’t mean it’s bad for other people. Naturally grown peanuts actually KILL some people. Does that mean everyone should avoid peanuts? Does that mean peanuts are toxic? Are they unsafe for everyone?
The experiences of individuals can not be generally applicable to everyone.
thebeautybrains Says:
Do you have something more to say about Mineral Oil? Well, head on over to the Beauty Brains forum and tell everybody what you think!
If you’ve joined the forum just click here to discuss…
If you haven’t signed up yet, sign up for the forum here.
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » Do You Believe Cosmetics Cause Cancer? Says:
[...] are evil and leading us to an early death. Just read some of the comments on our posts about mineral oil to understand how passionately some people [...]
tulin Says:
Hi, I have a very simple question. Is using Mineral Oil on lips to remove the long lasting lipsticks safe?
After reading all the comments I am totally confused. Most oil based make-up removers contain Mineral oil. So using plain mineral oil should be ok.
Please someone clarify…
Thank you.
thebeautybrains Says:
Yes, cosmetic grade mineral oil is perfectly fine to use on your lips.
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » Is Mineral Oil Good for Split Ends? Says:
[...] The Left Brain’s reply: While it might sound like a spell that Harry Potter would use, Paraffinum liquidum is actually just another name for mineral oil. Yes, mineral oil. As regular readers of the Beauty Brains know, many people seem to think mineral oil is the spawn of the devil, even though it’s a great skin moisturizer. (In case you missed them, here are our previous posts on mineral oil and cancer.) [...]
valerie whyte Says:
I have been using mineral oil as my eye makeup remover for 30 years with no problems, I am a Beauty Therapist and clients are always amazed when I tell them that mineral oil will not harm them, I had one lady tell me a story about women who had been autopsied after death and they found lumps of coal behind the retinas because the women had been using mineral oil!! Where these stories come from I don’t know, but isnt coal formed from past bush fires??? Not mineral oil.
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » Does Skintactix Control Acne Inflammation? Says:
[...] clog your oil duct by forming a follicular plug called a microcomedo. (That’s where the term comedogenic comes from, get it?) This tiny plug is the first sign of acne. As more and more gunk fills up the [...]
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » Four Easy Tips For Longer, Stonger Nails Says:
[...] you can prevent loss of moisture and reduce the chance of breakage. Lotions with petrolatum or mineral oil are the best. You might try the Terra Naturals Nail [...]
casey Says:
try putting a cracker/graham cracker in a bowl of mineral oil…
do the same thing only use a bowl of water.
wait 15 minutes or more… the longer the cracker is in the mineral oil, the harder it gets. Why?
This is what mineral oil does to your skin- it doesn’t allow it to breathe.
Left Brain Says:
The cracker that gets put in the bowl of water breaks down into little mushy pieces. Is water going to break down your skin too?
This demo is bogus. Crackers don’t breath. They also don’t continue to get harder and harder. I wonder if Casey has ever actually done this demonstration.
A better demonstration is to put your hand in a bowl of mineral oil and one in a bowl of water. The one in water will get all prune-y and the one in mineral oil will feel soft and moisturized. Really, try it.
casual reader Says:
Both sides of the argument seem pretty biased. If you are to allow people to make the decision for themselves, you need to present unbiased information either statistically/scientifically. Readers: watch out for opinion words such as “best”,”worst”, or connotative discriptives such as “angellic”, etc. which usually means the writers are trying to impose their opinions on unsuspecting, gullible readers. not that you are one, ofcourse…
thebeautybrains Says:
Casual, you’re right that people should make up their own mind. That’s what this blog encourages above all else…logical thinking based on scientific evidence instead of emotion. There are no gurus who tell you what to think. There are scientists who present and interpret facts.
Incidentally, who said “angellic”?
s Says:
what about hair products like brylcreem it also has mineral oil in it is it bad for your hair too?
thebeautybrains Says:
Mineral oil isn’t bad for your hair. It will make your hair feel greasy but it’s not “bad”.
Rhonda Says:
My mom has used mineral based make-up products for years. I used to use them, altho, I did not realize I was using them until recently. Now let me state that I stopped using almost all make-up products not because of mineral oil because I didn’t even know of this contoversy until yesterday and I stopped using most products years ago. I have very weird skin and nothing out cheap or expensive seemed to work so I basically gave up on them. I am not even sure why started using them in the 1st place. For most of my life I have used nothing by water and wash clothe to wash my face and I never had a pimple until I started using products on my face. But you should know I have major allergies. Anyway, this is not really about me. I am on this website because I went to a “home party” where they sell lotions, cleansers, make-up, etc. and they pride themselves on not using Mineral Oil, Collagen, Lanolin, etc… Well, my mom has recently lost a bunch of weight and her face is wrinkled and dry and she is considering trying something new. When the lady that is selling this new stuff I went to the party for told me the Mineral Oil was a carcinogen. Now, I am not biased either way, I am however researching the point. Now some of you make interesting points, I would appreciate it however if you would send me any links to actual scientific studies supporting your points. My e-mail is rrholscher@cinci.rr.com. Thank you for all your input and help. Rhonda
ttt Says:
well ever since i used baby oil it just made my skin fell soft it didn’t break me out at all other lotions with high chemical breaks me out bad so i just use Vaseline and baby oil i love it
Kellerassel Says:
Do you have this double-blind studies comparing Mineral and natural oils, which you are talking about in an earlier reply? I’m curious about real proofs, as I cannot find them in your article.
And I don’t want to know, wether the claims are untrue, that you want to disprove, because they are a little childish.
I only want to know: Is Mineral oil superior to natural oils? Has it been proven in double-blind studies? And I’d really love to read studies, that are financed by neutral institutions, not by one of the sides (oh sorry, I know, you are all good scientists, you would never went of the path, no matter who gives you the monthly paycheck… ;)).
As I’m open to both sides (Mineral and natural) I have to say, that this article and the next article (part2) reads like the same subjective stuff, that you can find all over the Inet in forums, blogs and communities, which are more on the natural side - only the opposite. A statement of faith. I’m dissappointed about the argumantation, as this kind of argumantation is what bothered me in the Inet, which is the reason why I read your blog in the first place.
A quote from part2: “Every cosmetic chemist who reads studies published in the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists knows it.” I can reply: Every good citizen with a good heart who reads the bible knows, that natural is better. That is as much true as your statement (but without that implied feeling of superiority of the chemists to us normals), as it says and proofs nothing.
This is maybe the reason, why so much people protesting against these articles. You did better on other subjects. It’s not very convincing after all.
Andy Says:
There seems to be this idea that scientist all think the same way and have the same opinions. I would like to say to the nay sayers that scientists love to contradict and pick at things in the literature on all types of subjects. So the fact that the beautybrains haven’t found contradicting journals and assuming they are not biased I would not bash them.
Maria Says:
Thank you so much JAMES !! for clearint this up and taking the time.
There is a reason why most cosmetic companies do not use Mineral oil anymore.
Maria Says:
Thank you so much JAMES !! for taking the time to clear this up.
There is a reason why most cosmetic companies do not use Mineral oil anymore. I do not go near mineral oil, ever !
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » Questions From Kids: Acne, Acids, and Allergies Says:
[...] safe for skin, but many people still think some ingredients are bad for you. Read our post on the myths of mineral oil if you want more [...]
Amy Says:
Please everyone, listen to james. I am an esthetician and i would never EVER put mineral oil on my skin. You keep slathering your skin with that crap and I promise you will regret it when your 40. I used a body lotion with mineral oil in it for about 2 weeks a couple of years ago when i wasn’t sure how I bought into the whole mineral oil bad thing. After 2 weeks or so ( and lots of research)I could actually scrape it off my skin. Believe me this is not the worst thing about this ingredient. It DOES STRIP YOUR SKIN OF VITIMINS and the molecule is to big to penetrate the skin so not just collagen but any other active ingredient could never penetrate the skin (yes including vitimin C). Think about it! If you had dry skin you are just putting a barrier over it and not actualy moisturizing it at all. If you had oily skin you are suffocating it. When you people say it is a great moisturizer you are saying that based on how it feels and thats why cosmetic companies use it. It is cheep and it “feels” great but it means nothing. The people who say mineral oil and petrolem are great are just trying to sell it to you. IT SUCKS! Try products without it and you WILL feel the difference.
Left Brain Says:
Blah, blah, blah. where is your proof that mineral oil strips your skin of vitamins?
Mineral oil and petrolatum are excellent moisturizers based on how they improve the properties of skin such as elasticity, moisture level, and softness. It’s not just how they feel.
Additionally, I say they are great moisturizers and I’m not trying to sell you anything. Feel free to buy (& believe) whatever you want.
Here on the Beauty Brains we believe people have to prove what they say & using your “authority” as an esthetician and anecdotal stories is not proof. Proof is rational, scientific, double-blind studies. Where are those?
As for proof that mineral oil does work, just do a quick search on Pubmed.com and review moisturization studies in dermatology journals.
Maria Says:
Just going on gut instinct alone I would say that natural oils are better for skin, period! while there may not be substantial proof mineral oil is harmfull ,it may be forthcoming, but the chances a natural oil will be proven harmful is not likely lol.
Better safe than sorry
thebeautybrains Says:
Well, your gut is mistaken because poison ivy produces a natural oil and you don’t want to put that on your skin.
thebeautybrains.com » Blog Archive » A Beauty Question and Answer Year in Review Says:
[...] glycol, and parabens, but nothing generates vitriol like mineral oil. When we wrote about the 5 myths about mineral oil and the follow-up mineral oil myths part 2, we set off a comment storm that put the Beauty Brains [...]
LeAnne@hairsmystory.com Says:
My personal take on the mineral oil controversy is personal perfrerence. I’ve used products with and without petroleum/mineral oil and found nothing conclusive about either side of the argument. Although I am pretty natural with my hair products, I wouldn’t say that everthing with petroleum suck. For instance, Profectiv Mega Growth mask is a wonderful deep conditioner, and Arosci Shine Defining Cream moisturizes so well. I also didn’t have hard time getting these products washed out of my hair, either. I use Vasaline Cocoa Butter Deep conditioning lotion on my skin and see no problems. I’ve used cheaper brands without mineral oil and they ended up in the garbage.
There are so many factors into this debate. What other natural ingredients are in the product? If you just mix 5% cocoa or shea butter with water, its no different than slathering baby oil on your body. Neither one will work.
Now, if the product is a combo of natural carrier oils or essential oils to help carry out the moisturizing properties of the cocoa nut to the skin, then I think you should purchase.
Just do you own experiment and see for yourself if it works. Anything these days can cause skin cancer, even if it is organic. Some organic oils depleet your body’s natural defenses against UVA/UVB rays. Don’t let the organic trip fool you.
hairsmystory.com
mcmasehere Says:
My grandmother is severly sick from a caregiver giving her doses of mineral oil a day. Mineral oil is the #2 cause of death in elderly. Don’t believe me…look it up on the internet. It is highly toxic and even a child smelling it can cause repiratory problems and death. I would not put this stuff near an animal everlong a human.
I beg you not to use it, for your sake, your childs sake and your families sake.
I only wish i knew then what i know now….maybe I would have recognized the signs or syptoms to have helped my grandmother. now she is in a nuring home and suffers greatly due to mineral oil abuse. Hopefully this person will be arrested/prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
You can go to Chestjournal.org and look up mineral oil. You will be astounded at what you find from these medical doctors and their cases.
thebeautybrains Says:
Mcmasehere,
So sorry to hear about your grandmother’s troubles. It an awful thing that a caregiver would do that. People can be poisoned by many different things.
Unfortunately, many of the things you wrote are just not true.
According to the CDC, the leading causes of death in the elderly are…
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Stroke
4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
5. Pneumonia/flu
Mineral oil is not the #2 cause of death!
It is true that when ingested in large quantities mineral oil can cause problems. However, ingesting any oil (even shark oil) can cause similar problems. Using mineral oil on your skin is not problematic.
mcmasehere Says:
OH NO! I know you are probably in the business to sell this mineral oil for
skin purposes…but my information is factual. IT IS THE #2 CAUSE OF ELDERY
DEATH. Already there have been many cases before the court. On the skin…there has been numberous child deaths from mineral oil also. This oil
does not allow the skin to breath. A woman with a 5 year old child died from
respiratory problems and the cause was just breathing mineral oil.
Obviously you did not go to the website I suggested. It is a website of official publications of the
American College of Chest Physicians
http://www.chestjournal.org SO PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME YOU KNOW MORE THAN THEY. They have documented cases there if you care to look up mineral oil in the search.
in prolonged use (1 year) It has been known to cause lipoid pneumonia, loss of bowl and urine control, dementia, kills brain cells, depletes vitamens A, k, E, D, A out of the system, cause blindness,cancer, tumors and neurological disorders…just to name a few.
Sorry you are wrong and so was the caregiver who tried to kill my grandmother with mineral oil in order to steal from her. Right now my case is with the district attorney in NC ..do you think he would waste his time if mineral oil was not a poison? Mineral oil is a poison. The body can not digest it.
I suggest sincerely that you do more detailed research on mineral oil.
Posting stuff on your website like this
can cause some ones death.
Like I said…PLEASE PLEASE DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET OR CONSULT A DOCTOR FIRST.
Mineral oil should never be given to a child or elderly adult without the consent of a physician.
thebeautybrains Says:
No, we’re not in the business of trying to sell mineral oil. I don’t care if people buy it or not. I do care about science and seek the truth about things.
I went to Chestjournal.org, put “mineral oil” in their search box and found nothing that said mineral oil was the #2 cause of death of the elderly. Please give a more specific page because the resource you’re giving doesn’t say anything about it.
The information that I got was from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) which is our government’s official agency for such matters. They don’t list mineral oil as the cause of death for anyone.
I too encourage people to do their research if they are concerned. But remember ANYONE can put information on the Internet, so it’s not a very good place to go unless you know your sources.
Mineral oil is not poison. Mineral oil, as used in a cosmetic, will not cause someone’s death.
mcmasehere Says:
Well, if you can not look up mineral oil on the website I gave you http://www.Chestjournal.org then I think that says alot. I had no problem at all. I searched mineral oil and it popped up everything: Lipoid pneumonia, oil aspiration, pulmonary hazard of the ingestion of mineral oil….ect.
These cases are by well known doctors:
John B. Meyers,MD of St. Louis MO
and Robert L. Griffith, MD of Seattle, Washington. Plus it was just updated
Jan. 4, 2008.
********************
You can also do a Google search for “case against mineral oil” by Time Magazine.
I will give you the web address but if you can not pull it up you then you can do a Google search.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,887690,00.html
It too will relect what I have told you already but the chestjournal is much more informative.
Since this is obviously going no where with you Beauty Brains….I will cease to respond back. I have given you all the facts you need and what you choose to believe is up to you. Just don’t let Beauty over rule your brains.
I hope everyone viewing this checks these articles out too.
Maybe this beauty tip will be MORE helpful..And all Natural…and not a
poison.
Extra virgin olive oil:
great for hair and skin, plus affordable too. Used it on my skin when I was pregnant and I have no stretch marks. I am of little frame and my son was a 11 pound c-section. I was all baby and no stretch marks any where.
NOW there is my beauty secret!
Enjoy. Live long and well.
curious Says:
I stumbled upon this website in an effort to, like other posts, determine the fact or fiction about mineral oil usage in skin products.
I, too, have witnessed the soda cracker demonstration at a home spa party. (I thought to myself, hmmm, interesting selling angle.) Obviously, it piqued my interest enough to see what else I could find out about mineral oil.
After visiting the websites in the last post, my only thoughts are it seems that the most damage is done by digesting it…eww…and if the adverse effects of its use have been known since the 1947 Time Magazine article, why is it still allowed to be on the market? In the end comes down to choice, just like so many other products we shouldn’t use yet people choose to, nicotine, aspartame, and the list goes on.
May we all just try to make educated choices and learn to always question what we are told.
thebeautybrains Says:
Curious,
Great comments. Particularly the last line. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find out the truth. Magazines like Time are not good at reporting on science and this isn’t where people should go to learn things.
thebeautybrains Says:
Do you have something to add to the Mineral Oil debate?
Go to the Beauty Brains Forum and leave your mineral oil comments there.
Prove to the world that you know the facts about mineral oil!
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