Crude oil in baby care products
Do skincare products for babies contain crude oil? Really? That can’t be true!
Unfortunately, it is the truth. No, the product does not actually contain the exact black stuff. But it is actually used as a base for ingredients in personal care products. And they don’t leave personal care products for babies out. Examples of these ingredients are paraffin (liquidium), wax, petrolatum and petroleum, also known as mineral oils. Just take a look at the list of ingredients of any product in the bathroom. You see something familiar?
Why are mineral oils used?
Mineral oils are long lasting, cheap, fragrance free and deliver little skin irritation. They also serve as carriers of other ingredients because they have little to no effect on other (more useful) ingredients. The amount of mineral oil in a product depends on the other ingredients. Is paraffin, petrolatum or vaseline at the top of the ingredient list? Then you can assume that the proportion is large. Common products with high amounts of mineral oil are body lotions, creams or massage oils of well-known brands. Did you know that some brands even sell baby massage oils with 99% mineral oil?
What is the effect of mineral oils?
The main function of a mineral oil is giving a soft feeling to the skin. But as soon as the mineral oil disappears, the skin does not have that soft touch anymore. Mineral oils contain no vitamins or fatty acids and do not support the skin. A mineral oil does not support the skin in its immune function, it is not free of radicals and does not support the skin in repairing itself and staying healthy. The main effect of mineral oil is that the skin eventually becomes inactive and therefore it results in drying out of the skin. And that’s exactly that what you want to avoid, especially with those dry cheeks of our little ones. As we all know, crude oil comes from an extremely polluting industry. Now we know it also does not add much value as skincare. It’s just a cheap way to fill up personal care products.
Plant oil as a substitute for mineral oil?
Natural, fatty plant oils are good alternatives to mineral oils. Plant oil is more than just carrier of other ingredients and filling of a product. A plant oil contains valuable vitamins and minerals, which are very important for healthy skin. It supports the skin in its important barrier function and helps to restore the skin back to health. Up to the point where the skin does the work by itself. The big difference with a mineral oil is that a plant oil supports the skin for its imbalance and getting it back in order, while a mineral oil is mostly a temporary solution.
We just get really happy about beautiful flowers and plants. We cannot say that about petroleum. Plants and flowers not only give us magnificent ingredients, but also take care of bees, nature and provide oxygen. They’re multifunctional, they are essential for all life on earth. You can only love them, right? At Petit&Jolie we only use plant oils. We use organically grown plant oils such as sunflower oil and almond oil. Sunflower oil has a very soothing effect due to the increased oil acids that are in it. Almond oil is rich of unsaturated fatty acids, protein, vitamin A and B and even more. A characteristic of plant oil is that it regulates and moisturize the skin and reduces skin irritations. Yes, that way you can use skincare with true peace of mind.
Do you want to know more about Petit & Jolie and the ingredients in our products? You can find here answer to the most frequently asked questions. Still more questions? We are pleased to help you. Just send an email and we will answer it within 24 hours.
