Throw It Out Thursday

“It clogs the pores and suffocates the skin. Cosmetic companies formulate moisturizers with heavy oils, such as mineral oil or petroleum, to replenish dry skin. But those oils have large molecular structures, so they usually never truly penetrate. Your moisturizer should always absorb into the skin, not just sit on the surface”
— Renée Rouleau, Dallas-based celebrity aesthetician
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This is a touchy topic, there are many people and companies in this world who swear by mineral oil. It is a common ingredient found in skincare, makeup, baby products and recommended even by your doctor! So why am I taking a stance on this and throwing it out? Let me start off by saying, for the right issue it can be the right solution. The problem lies in people using it when it is not the right solution, and that is when you need to throw it out!

I always like to begin with understanding the why behind products before I give them the heave-ho. So what is it about mineral oil that makes it a common ingredient? Mineral oil comes from a family known as hydrocarbons, also in this family are petroleum and paraffin, but we’ll get to those later. These ingredients are great for lubrication and to seal in, think of when you get a paraffin dip for your manicure and it’s like warm candle wax that then kinda rubberizes. Mineral oil is not going to rubberize on your skin, but it will seal it from outside factors and from water escaping.

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Having an ingredient that is going to keep external factors from getting in, creating a seal, or not allowing water to easily leave the skin’s surface is known as occlusive. An occlusive product is something that reduces something trans-epidermal water loss, which is the process of water evaporating through our skin’s surface. This sounds amazing, however not all skin types need these products. If your skin is functioning correctly and dependent on your skin type, you may not need a super heavy product with occlusive ingredients. If you have an acne issue or are prone to breakouts, adding an occlusive product won’t help and may make it worse. Just remember, when it comes to skincare there is no blanket answer for everyone!

So right now, you should be about 50/50 with it, you know it’s highly moisturizing and prevents water from getting out, but its cousins are stuff you really don’t need or want near your skin. And do you even need something that heavy on your face regularly? The reason that it is used is for the moisturizing factor, however, it can be and usually is too moisturizing and too heavy especially on our face. It can block the skin from being able to function properly, pushing bacteria that creates breakout deeper into your skin and thus, creating breakout. In the right environment, this ingredient has the wrong result. During my research, I came across an article on WebMD about the topical use of mineral oil. The interesting thing is that it was only discussed in regards to skin burns from radiation or diaper rash. Neither of those are commonly found on the face, so my question is, are there better ingredients than mineral oil we could be using? Survey says, yes.

The good news is that because it is so heavy of a molecule, it cannot penetrate into your skin. It can cause a whole mess of other issues, but there is big debate on whether or not it has carcinogenic properties so I will leave that to the professionals to discuss.

“Before the invention of synthetic oil, mineral oil was predominantly used as a mechanical lubricant. According to the Environmental Working Group, mineral oil is derived from petroleum and may be contaminated with cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Mineral oil aggravates acne and negatively impacts skin function, causing it to age prematurely.”
— Maggie New, Why Is Mineral Oil Bad for Your Skin? | Livestrong.com
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I love a good debunking! Being a huge fan of Ghost Adventurers, there is some gratification in finding out that it wasn’t just a bug flying by or that it can be debunked. In this case, it might be better to know you were right about mineral oil working but maybe just not in the way you thought. So here are three common myths about mineral oil and their truth is revealed:

Truth

  1. So…this is mostly true and also kinda not. It is derived from petroleum but it is highly refined. That process is supposed to remove all the bad stuff, leaving behind our friend/foe mineral oil. And, it can’t absorb in.

  2. Again, mostly true but only in the right circumstances. If your skin is extremely dry and peeling, mineral oil might help the skin heal, but isn’t a long term plan. In the wrong skin, it can create the environment for blackheads and acne.

  3. Emollients by nature are hydrating. So it is actually moisturizing your skin. However, it can work too well and over hydrate which can cause your skin to react by reducing oil production, becoming red or showing signs of impaired barrier function. So does it cause those premature aging and wrinkles? Maybe indirectly.

Myth

  1. It is derived from petroleum, which we use inside of our cars. So it has to be toxic and horrible to put on our bodies. We are essentially putting motor oil on our bodies and it is absorbing into our skin.

  2. Mineral oil is really heavy and occlusive (think sealant) and because of that it creates blackheads and acne.

  3. It’s actually not hydrating, because it is so heavy and coats the skin, the skin cannot breathe. This dries out the surface of your skin and causes premature aging, wrinkles and dry patches.

I know it can be confusing, but just remember that you have other skin on your body than just the stuff on your face. So this product might be the recommended product depending on your conditions present. It just might not be right for your face or your skin type, there are other, possibly better, products out there that are skin healthy and doing more than just coating the surface. So what should you replace it with?

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A while back I wrote a Back to Basics blog about facial oils and which one is for what skin type, click here to read more. Using oils or rich emollients are great for the right skin. If you notice that you feel oily midday and don’t like the feel of moisturizers, you can try using a hydrating serum or a gel-based moisturizer. If you notice that you have drier areas on your face, try a hydrating serums with a cream-based mask over it once a week and don’t skimp on keeping up with your day and night skincare routine.

Skincare is a lot of detective work, we need to uncover why you are experiencing conditions on your skin and the many causes for it. The most common problem I see in the treatment room is that clients aren’t exfoliating, not using serums or moisturizing twice daily. Consistency is the key to anything, and the same is true for your skincare. Clean your makeup brushes often, replace your pillowcase two to three times a week and follow your morning and night skincare routine. Read labels and know what is in your skincare and body care. Getting regular facials helps keep skin healthy and gives you the peace of mind that someone is in your skin’s corner. Be good to your body and it will thank you for it!

Till next time, be good to your skin and even better to yourself,

xx eri

Throw It Out ThursdayErica Shaw