EFFECT OF PETROLEUM JELLY INGREDIENT IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS

Most common ingredient in products like vaseline, petroleum jelly is a derivative of oil refining. In short, it is a byproduct of oil industry and therefore not eco-friendly.  In most of the beauty products, it is used to treat everything, right from dehydrated, flakey skin to diaper rash.

Though generally regarded as safe, the components that are removed from the oil during the refining process of petroleum jelly are carcinogenic in some cases. Vaseline supposedly has all of these [components] removed, but there are probably plenty of petroleum jelly imitators, and one doesn't always know the extent that they're removed. It has also been pointed out by experts that since petroleum jelly can be found in "different grades of purity," one doesn't always know how non-toxic different petroleum jelly-based beauty products really are. (For the record, Vaseline is highly-refined, triple-purified and regarded as non-carcinogenic.)

For the skin, petroleum jelly can create the illusion of moisturized, hydrated skin, all the while suffocating the pores. It's water-repellant and not water-soluble, meaning it merely seals the barrier so that moisture does not leave the skin. So while one might feel the instant gratification of a softened surface, one is actually drying out the pores by keeping out air and moisture. What's more, the thick texture makes it difficult to cleanse from the skin, so never slather Vaseline on an unwashed face if you want to avoid breakouts. It essentially seals in the dirt.

People suffering from skin conditions like acne and rosacea should stay away from petroleum jelly altogether, since such thick emollients can aggravate those conditions. Those who rub Vaseline on dry, cracked noses to get through a cold might want to think twice, too: If petroleum jelly gets into the lungs, it can cause lipid pneumonia. It won't happen if you apply it once in a while, but experts recommend not making a daily habit of it.

Petroleum jelly is an inexpensive way for a formulator to offer the appearance and immediate feel of hydrated skin. As a mineral oil, it doesn't actually moisturize, but it does a good job at holding in moisture provided skin is washed and is moist before application. Experts say its like putting a piece of plastic over one's skin -- it prevents evaporation.


Therefore, if you're looking for a dewy moisturizer, just opt for more natural alternatives and check ingredients. Products containing beeswax, coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter and cocoa butter seal in moisture and don't come without any of the risks of petroleum jelly. Natural ingredients get absorbed into the skin, so it's nice to use something that you wouldn't mind putting into your body.

In Herbally Radiant, we mostly use coconut oil, lavender oil, cocoa and shea butter, as key ingredients in moisturizers. To complement these, we use several other herbal ingredients: aloe juice, pink grape seed oil, extracts of black willow bark, avocado, rosemary, extracts of rooibos tea, oatstraw, organic marshmallow, vitamin E and fine combination of essential oils which deliver superb beauty benefits to the skin, allowing total penetration of active ingredients into the deeper layers of the skin.

Unlike petroleum jelly mixed products, natural ingredients in beauty products lead the process of revitalization by purifying and deep cleansing the skin, stimulating blood flow to rehydrate and nourish the skin, thereby intercepting the visible signs of aging, improving firmness, elasticity and resilience, and making the skin texture soft and smooth.  These have long lasting effect.

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