Petrolatum / Mineral Oil
The question

Is Petrolatum / Mineral Oil safe in lotion?

AvoidLotion

Petroleum-derived occlusive agents. Safe when highly refined, but poorly refined grades may contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic.

What the research flags

  • EU restricts impure petrolatum — only cosmetic-grade (highly refined) permitted
  • Contamination with carcinogenic PAHs in lower grades
  • Occludes pores — may worsen acne-prone skin
  • Petroleum-derived — environmental concern

Regulatory
EU restricts — only permitted if full refining history documented and not carcinogenic

Other lotion ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    DatabaseIngredient database — 705033-PETROLATUM
  2. [2]
    RegulatoryInternational regulator — sccs_o_136.pdf
  3. [3]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 21154690

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific lotion product. This is not medical advice.