Mineral Oil ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an occlusive emollient and skin-conditioning agent that reduces transepidermal water loss. It also gives balms, creams, and ointments slip, cushion, and a protective afterfeel.
What does Mineral Oil do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an occlusive emollient and skin-conditioning agent that reduces transepidermal water loss. It also gives balms, creams, and ointments slip, cushion, and a protective afterfeel.
Is Mineral Oil clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because many standards restrict petroleum-derived materials and because purity depends on high refining to control polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon residues. Cosmetic-grade material is generally low-irritation and non-sensitizing, but its origin and restricted-list status keep it controversial.
Is Mineral Oil sustainable?
This material comes from a nonrenewable fossil feedstock and does not align well with renewable-carbon goals. It is hydrophobic and relatively slow to biodegrade compared with many plant oils, although wastewater behavior depends on chain distribution and formulation.
Is Mineral Oil COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted in COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic products because it is a petrochemical material. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak, with a nonrenewable feedstock, limited biodegradability, and no meaningful circular sourcing benefit.
How does Mineral Oil work chemically?
This material is a highly refined mixture of saturated aliphatic and cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons, typically in the C15 to C50 range, with very low polarity and high oxidative stability. Use levels often range from a few percent in lotions to 20 percent or more in ointments and balms, and it is pH-independent, insoluble in water, and needs emulsifiers or structuring agents for stable aqueous formulas.
Last updated 2026-05-13