#Quick fix concealer skin

While it is true that industrial grade mineral oil contains carcinogenic components (so-called polycyclic compounds), these are completely removed from cosmetic and food grade mineral oil and there is no scientific data showing that the pure, cosmetic grade version is carcinogenic.

#Quick fix concealer skin

Mineral oil does not give the skin any extra goodness, it is simply a non-irritating moisturizer working mainly by occlusivity.īadmouthing mineral oil is a favorite sport of many, it is a cheap material and being connected to petrolatum makes it fairly easy to demonize. Not penetrating the skin but mostly just sitting on top of it and not containing biologically active components, like nice fatty acids and vitamins mean that mineral oil does not 'nourish' the skin in the way plant oils do. The pros of mineral oil can be interpreted as cons if we look at them from another perspective. The chemical composition of plant oils is more complex with many more possible allergens or irritating components, while mineral oil is simple, pure and sensitivity to it is extremely rare. If you check out the classic French pharmacy brands and their moisturizers for the most sensitive, allergy prone skin, they usually contain mineral oil.

The other thing that mineral oil is really good at is being non-irritating to the skin. When compared to heavy-duty plant oil, extra virgin coconut oil, the two of them were equally efficient and safe as moisturizers in treating xerosis, a skin condition connected to very dry skin. It is a great emollient and moisturizer working mainly by occlusivity. Occlusivity is one of the basic mechanisms of how moisturizers work and it means that mineral oil sits on top of the skin and hinders so-called trans-epidermal water loss, i.e water evaporating out of your skin. Chemically speaking, cosmetic grade mineral oil is a complex mixture of highly refined saturated hydrocarbons with C15-50 chain length. It is not merely a 'by-product' but rather a specifically isolated part of petroleum that is very pure and inert. Trust us, if something is used for more than 100 years in cosmetic products, it has advantages. It is a very controversial ingredient with pros and cons and plenty of myths around it. The clear oily liquid that is the 'cheap by-product' of refining crude oil and the one that gets a lot of heat for its poor provenance. The famous or maybe rather infamous mineral oil.