Why You Might Want to Rethink Petroleum-Based Products (and What to Use Instead)
Petroleum sounds like something meant for engines and machinery — not skincare, haircare, or baby products. Yet petroleum-derived ingredients quietly appear in everyday items such as lotions, lip balms, shampoos, ointments, and even products marketed for sensitive skin.
Ingredients such as mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, and certain synthetic waxes all originate from crude oil. While highly refined versions are legally permitted for cosmetic use, they don’t align with my approach to low-tox living—especially when transparency, long-term exposure, and ingredient function are considered.
This isn’t about fear or perfection. It’s about understanding what these ingredients are, how they’re processed, and why many people choose to limit or avoid them when well-studied alternatives exist.
Petroleum Ingredients & Refining: Why Processing Matters
Petroleum-based ingredients are not inherently skincare-ready. They undergo extensive purification processes to remove impurities before being used in personal care products.
During refining, trace contaminants can remain depending on processing quality, purification methods, and oversight. The most commonly discussed group is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) — compounds that naturally occur in crude oil and are regulated due to known toxicity at higher exposure levels.
PAHs are not intentionally added to cosmetics. Their presence depends on the degree of refinement of a petroleum fraction. While cosmetic-grade petroleum ingredients in the U.S. are expected to be “highly refined,” there is no mandatory pre-market testing that confirms purity before products reach consumers.
In other regions, including parts of the EU and Japan, additional documentation is required to demonstrate refining quality and contaminant limits. Without consistent transparency, it can be difficult for consumers to assess how well a petroleum ingredient has been processed.
For many people, this lack of visibility is reason enough to look elsewhere.
What Petroleum-Based Ingredients Actually Do on Skin
Petroleum-derived ingredients are often used primarily because they are occlusive.
Occlusives form a seal on the skin, helping reduce moisture loss. This can be useful in certain short-term situations, but occlusion is not the same as nourishment.
Unlike plant oils, butters, and waxes, petroleum ingredients don’t provide vitamins, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, or compounds that actively support the skin barrier. They sit on top of the skin rather than interacting with it in a biologically supportive way.
Some people enjoy the feel of these ingredients. Others find that heavy occlusion can feel congesting or unhelpful over time, particularly if they are prone to breakouts, sensitivity, or barrier imbalance. This comes down to individual skin needs — and understanding ingredient function helps people choose accordingly.
Long-Term Exposure & Why Some People Choose to Avoid Petroleum
Researchers have identified certain mineral oil hydrocarbons in human tissues, including fat tissue and breast milk. These findings do not indicate immediate harm, but they have prompted continued research into long-term, low-level exposure, primarily when petroleum-derived ingredients are used daily across multiple products.
This cumulative-exposure perspective is one reason some people prefer to minimize petroleum-derived ingredients when alternatives are readily available—particularly for infants, children, and individuals managing chronic health conditions.
This approach is about reducing unnecessary exposure where possible, not eliminating every risk.
PEGs, Ethoxylation & Skin Absorption
PEGs and other ethoxylated ingredients deserve special attention. These petroleum-derived compounds are produced through ethoxylation, a chemical process that can introduce 1,4-dioxane as a trace manufacturing byproduct.
While 1,4-dioxane is not intentionally added to products and is typically present only at very low levels, brands are not required to disclose testing for it. This makes transparency and purification standards especially important.
PEGs also function as penetration enhancers, thereby increasing skin permeability. While this can improve a product's performance, it also means these ingredients can increase the absorption of all components in the formula—not just the intended active ingredients.
For individuals focused on reducing overall chemical exposure, understanding both how PEGs are made and how they function on the skin is essential for making informed choices.
Environmental Considerations
Beyond personal exposure, petroleum-derived ingredients raise environmental concerns.
Petroleum is a non-renewable resource, and refining it is energy-intensive. Many petroleum-based ingredients are not readily biodegradable, meaning they can persist in waterways and ecosystems after being washed into them.
Plant-based alternatives, when responsibly sourced, rely on renewable inputs and tend to break down more easily — making them a more sustainable long-term option.
How to Spot Petroleum-Based Ingredients on Labels
If you’re looking to reduce petroleum derivatives in your routine, watch for ingredients such as:
Mineral oil
Petrolatum
Paraffin
Microcrystalline wax
PEGs
Ingredients ending in “-eth”
If a product contains these ingredients and the brand does not clearly disclose refining standards, testing, or third-party certification, you may prefer to choose an alternative that better aligns with your values.
Certifications and transparent brand practices can help bridge this gap.
Plant-Based Alternatives That Work Well
Many effective alternatives provide both performance and skin support:
Shea or cocoa butter for rich hydration
Jojoba, sunflower, or olive-derived oils that closely mimic the skin’s natural lipids
Beeswax or carnauba wax for breathable moisture retention
Olive- or sugarcane-derived squalane for lightweight softness
These ingredients don’t just coat the skin — they contribute to barrier health and overall skin function.
Final Thoughts
Petroleum-based ingredients aren’t inherently evil — but they do raise valid questions about refining practices, transparency, cumulative exposure, and long-term sustainability.
For me, low-tox living is about choosing ingredients that work with the body rather than simply sitting on top of it, and prioritizing materials that are renewable, nourishing, and clearly sourced whenever possible.
When you understand how ingredients are made and what they do, making better choices becomes much easier.
If you’d like to explore products that meet these standards, I curate petroleum-free, transparency-focused options in my Low-Tox Marketplace — all vetted to align with the approach I use in my own home.
