Sitting in front of me are 2 bottles of massage oils from two different brands; both reputable brands which I am not going to name due to confidentiality issues. Somebody asked me which bottle is worth the price, given that both are rather pricey. Bottle A is touting itself as a “skin care & massage oil with vitamins” while bottle B markets itself as “body treatment oil”.
Given that both descriptions do not provide an accurate gauge of their efficacy, I look at their ingredient lists. On bottle A, it is listed Paraffinum Liquidm (Mineral oil), Laureth-2, Sweet Almond (Prunis Amygdalus dulcis) oil, Parfum, Tocopheryl acetate, Retinyl palmitate, Sunflower & many other ingredients too long to list. While on bottle B, I see Sesamum indicum (Sesame) seed oil, Prunus amygalus dulcis (Sweet Almond) oil, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) oil, Cupressus sempervirens (Cypress) oil, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) oil, & also a long list of ingredients including Tocopherol (Vitamin E).
It is a known fact that the ingredient with the highest percentage is always listed FIRST in the ingredient list, followed by other ingredients in decreasing proportions. Thus on bottle A, I have mineral oil as the majority, followed by Laureth-2 which is an emulsifying agent, then with Sweet Almond oil, Parfum (which is a most likely synthetic fragrance in this case) & other ingredients. On bottle B, I see a whole range of natural skin-enhancing oils, starting from sesame oil, sweet almond oil down to vitamin E in the list.
Looking through both ingredient lists, one bottle I am paying for a mineral oil-based formula while the other bottle I am paying for a plant-based formula. Which one would I buy? Personally I would purchase the latter as it is more natural without the dreaded mineral oil component.
Many people have argued that mineral oil should be good for the skin since it is used extensively in some baby products, i.e. baby oil, etc., & baby skin is delicate, therefore, such products should be beneficial for adults too. However, we must not forget that baby skin is “balanced” & moisturized; having mineral oil in the preparation is simply to seal the skin against moisture loss & external irritants, such as, urine, etc. When used on adults, mineral oil seals up our pores, depriving our skin of moisture, which is the element that our skin requires. Mineral oil clogs up our pores as their molecular weight is heavier than those of the vegetal oils, therefore preventing them from passing through the skin barrier. On the other hand, as the molecular weights of vegetal oils are lighter, they are able to penetrate into our skin easily, thereby, providing the necessary moisture & nutrients to the skin.
Hence, when one buys any product, look at the ingredient list to determine whether the product is as good as it seems. Ignore the fanciful tag lines on the labels, look at the fine print & make your informed choice.
Cedric Chow - Aromatherapy Principal Trainer
