QuestionHi Christopher,
Please can you advise why it is important for the skin that we do not use Mineral oil based products for massage?
Many thanks
Lillian
AnswerGreetings Lillian. The thought of using mineral oil on skin makes me shudder. Mineral oil is a by product of the production of gasoline from crude oil. It is felt by many, myself included, that this contains too many harsh, toxic substances that could be absorbed through the skin. When one looks at the alternatives to this, such as apricot kernal oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, olive oil (great for arthritic joints), and even vegetable oils, why take the risk? The natural, plant oils have a lot more in common with the oils in our skin than petroleum-based products do. In fact, jojoba oil is the closest possible match for human sebum (skin oil).
Some also feel that the mineral forms a much denser barrier layer, and could limit the amount of respiration the skin does. It might also prevent sweat from exiting the pores, clogging the pores with the waste material that it would normally expell (remember that oil and water do not mix, so it could trap it under itself.)
To be fair, many people believe that mineral oil is okay for the skin. One such website can be found here: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=47 Many people use mineral oil as an oral laxative, so it cannot be that toxic to the system.
I give this to you so that you can make up your own mind and decide for yourself. I hope that this gives you a starting point from which to make an informed decision.
Sincerely,
Christopher
