Petrolatum / mineral oil in cosmetics: why it's flagged
Short answer
Petrolatum / mineral oil is flagged by Olive Detective as a low concern in cosmetics. Occlusive; PAH-contamination concern if not fully refined. The flag is class-level and precautionary, based on EU Annex II (unless refining known); IARC — it describes the ingredient class, not the safety of any particular product.
What the concern is
- Carcinogenicity concern — flagged by IARC or an equivalent body for review.
How it appears on an INCI list
Cosmetic labels use INCI names, which are standardised worldwide, so the same wording appears on a product bought anywhere. This class is matched on petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffinum liquidum.
How it affects the score
Cosmetic scoring follows the Yuka method: a product with only green and yellow ingredients has its score floored at 50, any orange ingredient caps it below 50, and any red caps it below 25. This ingredient is yellow, so it does not cap a product's score by itself.
Source: EU Annex II (unless refining known); IARC
Other cosmetic ingredients we flag
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