Mineral Oil...???
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:12 am

Can anyone explain why mineral oil isn't good for your skin? What does it do, and what is mineral oil anyways? Confused

...and I've also been wondering about eyecream, why aren't you supposed to put it on your eyelids? My logic tells me eyelids need tender loving care as much as the rest of your face...

puzzled over the mysteries Wink

free skin care · Thu Nov 10, 2005 2:12 pm

HI.
I've been also researching mineral oil myself. being an esthetician. we are told that it's not the greatest thing for the skin. and throw research I have also found that it's not the best thing. You have products like La mer and Ponds cold cream that the main ingredients are mineral oil.
It does come from a "natural source" pertrolum. even tho it is boiled and refind to be used on the skin.. when applied on the skin it feels nice. it creates a film over your skin not allowing anything in. smokes, toxins, etc. etc.. but also it doesn't let anything out. which is the bad part. our skin is a living organ. and one of the main organ that excretes toxins. so if there is a film over your skin your skin can't basically breath. no oxygen can get to it. A friend of my works for la mer (second ingredient is mineral oil) every time i've tried it I've broken out. And even tho he doesn't break out he skin looks as if it has no life.. no oxygen. i've also read that I takes all the vitamins from you skin.... this is a good topic.. maybe more people have other info on it..

free skin care · Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:48 pm

I am not sure that this is true- a MAC employee told me this years ago (MAC does not use mineral oil).

Mineral oil in an eyecream or used to remove eye makeup (it really works) will eventually collect behind the eye and get stuck there. If you think of removing your eye out of the socket, inside the socket itself- that is where mineral oil ends up. Once it is there, it is stuck and cannot be removed. It has been linked to cataracts because it dissolves the natural "film" on your eyeball.

Coal tar is also derived from petroleum. It is used in anti-dandruff shampoo (the kind that stinks) but also used in North America to pave roads and driveways. When applied to the skin, it shuts down cell production- essentially making new cells not being formed. It is recommended by dermatologists to treat scaly, flaky skin condtions (i.e.psoriasis) because stopping the skin cells temporarily remedies the problem. But in the long run, you are stopping new cells from being formated-is that good for the skin?

It is not hard to see the link to mineral oil and why it is falling out of popularity.

But again, just to be clear, this is coming form third party sources. I avoid mineral oil, mainly because I am oily.

Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:03 pm

Oy, junkie - that's SCARY! Shock

My mother was MIA for a number of years, and my father was never very understanding of my needs for girl-type things and was adamently against buying pricey (pricey meaning anything over a dollar..) eye make-up removers and instead encouraged me to use baby oil. I have YEARS of using mineral oil for eye make-up removal behind me.. am I in trouble or what?! I have enough trouble with my eyes as it is. I hope she was wrong!

After another couple of years using said pricey eye make-up removers, I've since started using my jojoba oil to remove.. do you think that if that's true about mineral oil it's true about certain other oils, as well?

free skin care · Fri Nov 11, 2005 8:57 am

I found this on the web....I was wondering your same question.

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).

Paula Begoun

free skin care · Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:21 am

Olivia, I can´t help noticing that your sources are somewhat outdated. Do you have more recent studies, saying the same thing?

free skin care · Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:50 am

not really...I've been looking online for information and as soon as I find one that says it is harmless i find another to say it it terrible. Very confusing topic.

free skin care · Fri Nov 11, 2005 10:15 am

In recent study's mineral had been found not to be bad for the skin.. the more we learn the more toxic it becomes.

free skin care · Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:50 pm

So does those mineral makeup that everyone is using?...does it contain mineral oil and are they toxic too?? Shock

Sat Nov 12, 2005 2:07 am

Hang on a sec.... I just recently started using a Thalgo eye cream that had mineral oil in it and I loved it - used it over my eyelids too. However, knowing the bad wrap that mineral oil gets, I went online and did lots of searches as I started using this cream because I was a little concerned about it. What I found was heaps of info (off medical and derm sites) that said the contrary - basically that mineral oil is NOT bad for your skin, it is highly refined and does NOT clog pores. It does form a film over the skin (which can be problematic for some I guess) but that makes it good at preventing moisture loss.

free skin care · Sat Nov 12, 2005 6:42 am

Hi Stardustdy

Mineral Makeup does not contain mineral oil. They are two different animals.

Mineral makeup is made up of dry minerals ... rather like crushed rocks. Mineral oil is a highly refined derivative of the petroleum industry.

I too have read a number of scientific/dermatological articles that debunk the idea that mineral oil is harmful, although I can't say that I'd run right out and buy products containing it. It all depends upon the product and how your own skin reacts to that ingredient.

Many fine hand creams have mineral oil in them ... and the skin on my hands/arms/legs seems to not mind that at all.

Mary

free skin care · Sun Nov 13, 2005 7:31 am

wow...plenty of info, thanks ladies:)

but what about the question of where to put your eyecream...cause I got the impression you're only supposed to put it under your eyes and not on the eyelids as well - regardless of the mineral oil question...

ciao and great sunday!

Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:02 am

Ruth wrote:

but what about the question of where to put your eyecream...cause I got the impression you're only supposed to put it under your eyes and not on the eyelids as well - regardless of the mineral oil question...

Personally, I generally only use eye cream under the eyes and around the side, not on the eyelids. Mainly because it can cause puffiness. However, some creams specifically state that they can be used on the eyelid (e.g. Cellcosmet) while some specifically say not to (generally anything heavy or anything with AHA, retinol, etc). I've found that it's been trial and error for me to see which others I can use (e.g. the Thalgo one). However, I wouldn't actually apply much cream to the eyelid in either case - I just dab my fingers on my eyelids so that any leftovers from applying under the eye transfer onto the skin.

free skin care · Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:55 am

Thanx Mabsy wave

The puffiness makes sense... I have nøt been using much cream on my eyelids in general, but I got my first (!) eyecream a few weeks ago (Decleors deeply hydrating eye cream) and wanted to put on my eyelids but it said on the box to use on the under eye area + I've read in here in several places not to use eyecream on the lids...

Actually finally got round to trying the MDFormulation eyegels the other evening, and I used them both under and on top - had puffy eyelids like never before the next morning! Not too gorgeous Laughing

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.