Why is mineral oil bad?

[Glib Gurl]

I have no idea why it's bad or what makes it different from other oils that we love (olive oil, jojoba, castor oil, etc.). Is it synthetic? Is that the problem?

Can someone school me on why it's bad news for our hair?

*scratching my head*

Glib

 

[HoneyDew]

Personally I don't think it is bad when used within reason.

For me ( I can only speak for myself), conditioners with mineral oil don't seem to work well with my styling products. It is as if it gets too heavy with everything. I stick with conditioners without mineral oil and that works better for me.

I prefer moisturizers without mineral oil, as well. They just seem to providebetter longterm, effective moisture, while the mineral oil based ones have to be reapplied.

I admit that I have fallen for a few products that have mineral oil, but not high on the ingredient list. Like, Mane N tail Carrot oil cream or their soy oil cream, for example. Those I really like.

But, I would not use them as my base moisture/leavein. Just as a daily top-off moisturizer to get me through until next wash day when I can use my mineral oil-free stuff.

 

[Candy_C]

I have no idea why it's bad or what makes it different from other oils that we love (olive oil, jojoba, castor oil, etc.). Is it synthetic? Is that the problem?

Can someone school me on why it's bad news for our hair?

*scratching my head*

Glib

its not bad babe, its another myth


its only "bad" (pore blocking) when obviousley put on pores (scalp) which CAN block them and cause less growth (maybe) and itchy scalp.

i dont use anything on my scalp i dnt intend to wash out

thats all

any oil is nice on hair, that has been wet with water

any oil traps in moisture thats present

which is great

dont believe the hype. i've always used my grease and my mineral oil

 

[Jas123]

I believe it's because it blocks moisture from getting in (for how long IDK)..hopefully some other ladies will chime in to explain

 

[Artemis]

Personally I don't think it is bad when used within reason.

For me ( I can only speak for myself), conditioners with mineral oil don't seem to work well with my styling products. It is as if it gets too heavy with everything. I stick with conditioners without mineral oil and that works better for me.

I prefer moisturizers without mineral oil, as well. They just seem to providebetter longterm, effective moisture, while the mineral oil based ones have to be reapplied.

I admit that I have fallen for a few products that have mineral oil, but not high on the ingredient list. Like, Mane N tail Carrot oil cream or their soy oil cream, for example. Those I really like.

But, I would not use them as my base moisture/leavein. Just as a daily top-off moisturizer to get me through until next wash day when I can use my mineral oil-free stuff.

ITA w/the bolded. It sucks b/c some of the most popular lines have mineral oil in the products I don't need them to be in (like Keracare and Design Essentials )

None of my deep conditioners can have mineral oil in them, but my daily moisturizers can (provided I'm using very little at a time, maybe once that whole day--the ones without mineral oil, I can use as much as I like throughout the day).

 

[Twisties]

its not bad babe, its another myth


its only "bad" (pore blocking) when obviousley put on pores (scalp) which CAN block them and cause less growth (maybe) and itchy scalp.

i dont use anything on my scalp i dnt intend to wash out

thats all

any oil is nice on hair, that has been wet with water

any oil traps in moisture thats present

which is great

dont believe the hype. i've always used my grease and my mineral oil

I COMPLETELY agree with this statement.

 

[cocoberry10]

I think it depends on the person. For some people, their hair will love mineral oil. It's all about what works for you!

 

[candy1214]

Well baby oil(mineral oil) never felt good in my hair. I think it may be the size of the molecules...but I'm sure that it may work within reason (ie-sealing).

 

[Evazhair]

Another thing mineral oil is not water soluble(an organic compound), so it requires an organic solvent to break it down, so it can be rinsed away. I keep it off of my scalp, and since I chelate regularly (hard water) It does not cause a problem for me. Before I started doing this and I used Keracare products exclusively, every so often all heck would break loose. Even the 1st lather shampoo didn't completely solve it.

 

[JustKiya]

I don't think it's BAD across the board - I think that there are many heads that would be HEALTHIER without mineral oil, and just as many heads that don't care about mineral oil.

If you aren't happy with the results your products are giving you though, trying to go cone/mineral oil free might be a tweak that you wanna look into....

 

[meia]

in time i've found out that mineral oil is a bi-product of machinery in factories. Apparently, many companies use this oil because its cheaper in price to use as opposed to, say, a Jojoba oil or an Olive oil (even if its not 1st pressed olive oil) so its not really safe for human use although they do put it in nearly every product because it is so cost-effective. This I knew but below is some other things I didn't that I got from Wikipedia:

liquid petrolatum is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. It is a transparent, colorless oil composed mainly of alkanes (typically 15 to 40 carbons) [1] and cyclic paraffins, related to white petrolatum. Mineral oil is a substance of relatively low value, and it is produced in very large quantities. Mineral oil is available in light and heavy grades, and can often be found in drug stores.

• Mineral oil with added fragrance is marketed as baby oil in the US, UK and Canada.
• Used as an ingredient in baby lotions, cold creams, ointments and other pharmaceuticals and low-grade cosmetics.
• Certain mineral oils are used in livestock vaccines, as an adjuvant to stimulate a cell-mediated immune response to the vaccinating agent.
• Used on eyelashes to prevent brittleness and/or breaking.
• Used in small quantities (2–3 drops daily) to clean ears. Over a couple of weeks, the mineral oil softens dried or hardened earwax so that a gentle flush of water can remove it. In the case of a damaged or perforated eardrum, however, mineral oil should not be used, as oil in the middle ear can lead to ear infections.
• Lubrication
• Fuel, for items such as oil lamps.
• Electric mineral-oil–filled space heaters
• Coolant
• Fog machines
• Used in some guitar string cleaners
• Automotive and aviation brake fluid that does not absorb water molecules by osmosis
• Low viscosity mineral oil is sold as a preservative for wooden cutting boards and utensils.
• A coating of mineral oil protects metal surfaces from moisture and oxidation.
• Food-preparation butcher block surfaces are often conditioned periodically with mineral oil.
• Light mineral oil is used in textile industries and used as a jute batching oil.
• Mineral oil is used to darken soapstone countertops for aesthetic purposes.
• It works (albeit poorly) as a release agent for molds, especially in fiberglass casting.
• It is used as a release agent for baking pans and trays.
• It is occasionally used in the food industry (particularly for candy). Some studies suggest that prolonged use might be unhealthy because of low accumulation levels in organs. It has been discouraged for use in children's foods, though it is still occasionally found in candies in China and Canada.
• Used as a cleaner and solvent for inks in fine art printmaking as well as in oil painting, though turpentine is more often used.
• In the poultry industry, plain mineral oil can be swabbed onto the feet of chickens infected with scaly mites on the shank, toes, and webs. Mineral oil suffocates these tiny parasites.
• Some people have found success using mineral oil to remove henna used as a hair dye.
• Using mineral oil or baby oil to reduce a grease, oil, or asphalt stain on clothing may be counter-intuitive, but is often effective, as the mineral oil dilutes and liquefies some of the stain thereby making it easier to clean out of the clothing.
• Some people have used mineral oil as a cooling system for a computer, by completely submerging the computer's motherboard and system components into an aquarium tank filled with mineral oil. The oil does not have any long term effect on the components. A video and instructions on building a mineral oil cooled computer can be found here.
• It is commonly used to create a "wear" effect on new clay poker chips, which, without the use of mineral oil, can only be accomplished through prolonged use of the poker chips. The chips are either placed in mineral oil (and left there for a short amount of time), or the oil is applied to each chip individually, and is then rubbed off, removing any chalky residue from the new chips, also improving the look and "feel" of the chips.
• Used to cover gummy worms for the glossy effect it produces.
• Used by boxers and other combat athletes to increase sweating, reduce warm-up times and help with weight loss.
• Used to remove creme makeup.

seeing in as how its also used in petroleum jelly I don't even use that anymore...... its used for too many other reason inconsistent with human consumption (although they do use it and shouldnt)...... hmmm i think its really up to the consumer if they will use it.... but I don't and I always try not to wherever possible. I can even notice the difference in the product when I use it. Deeeeffinitely not good.

 

[Empress Yahudah]

Personally I don't think it is bad when used within reason.

For me ( I can only speak for myself), conditioners with mineral oil don't seem to work well with my styling products. It is as if it gets too heavy with everything. I stick with conditioners without mineral oil and that works better for me.

I prefer moisturizers without mineral oil, as well. They just seem to providebetter longterm, effective moisture, while the mineral oil based ones have to be reapplied.

I admit that I have fallen for a few products that have mineral oil, but not high on the ingredient list. Like, Mane N tail Carrot oil cream or their soy oil cream, for example. Those I really like.

But, I would not use them as my base moisture/leavein. Just as a daily top-off moisturizer to get me through until next wash day when I can use my mineral oil-free stuff.

I agree the long term effects it had on my hair wasnt good ..my hair became dry and crispy no matter how often I moisturized..once I took mineral oil out the picture my hair was a happy camper... I have only been able to get away with using dominican rinses that have mineral oil in it I guess because u rinse them right out.

 

[Energist]

Not too long ago, my husband put on some type of patch on my lower back for back pain. Now, when he put it on I was under the impression that there was a center section that wouldn't stick, because I figured the heat or whatever was to come from it would be there. Well I was wrong and the entire thing stuck to my back and I couldn't remove it for crap. I mean it stuck like glue.

I used my castor oil, olive oil, vaseline, vitamin e oil to try and break it loose and then when none of that worked, I broke out the mineral oil and the patch slipped right off

I then thought back to how mineral oil is used to break up ear wax as well. This tells me that mineral oil has pretty strong breaking down properties within it. I don't want this anywhere near my hair

 

[bravenewgirl87]

I think it depends on the person. For some people, their hair will love mineral oil. It's all about what works for you!

Pretty much. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes not.

 

[Allandra]

It doesn't bother my hair. For some, it clogs their scalp pores.

 

[*Muffin*]

What's good for one may not be good for someone else. All I know is that I use mineral oil/petroleum very infrequently. I'm not totally against them, though. Petroleum is great for blocking chemicals from penetrating the hair shaft, and I use it when I get my relaxers done. But when I used mineral oil on a daily basis (I used to use Luster's Pink Oil Moisturizer) my hair always felt straw-like and brittle. When I discovered Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Coconut Oil, on the other hand, I felt as if heaven opened up and all the angels started singing ! My hair responded much better with them. But I don't believe those oils affect everyone adversely. It just depends on the individual.

 

[Poohbear]

It's not bad... mineral oil can act as a great protectant for hair.

 

[Candy_C]

Not too long ago, my husband put on some type of patch on my lower back for back pain. Now, when he put it on I was under the impression that there was a center section that wouldn't stick, because I figured the heat or whatever was to come from it would be there. Well I was wrong and the entire thing stuck to my back and I couldn't remove it for crap. I mean it stuck like glue.

I used my castor oil, olive oil, vaseline, vitamin e oil to try and break it loose and then when none of that worked, I broke out the mineral oil and the patch slipped right off

I then thought back to how mineral oil is used to break up ear wax as well. This tells me that mineral oil has pretty strong breaking down properties within it. I don't want this anywhere near my hair

maybe its just very lubricating

 

[lollyoo]

its not bad babe, its another myth


its only "bad" (pore blocking) when obviousley put on pores (scalp) which CAN block them and cause less growth (maybe) and itchy scalp.

i dont use anything on my scalp i dnt intend to wash out

thats all

any oil is nice on hair, that has been wet with water

any oil traps in moisture thats present


dont believe the hype. i've always used my grease and my mineral oil

which is great
i agree- on the scalp no no except if washing daily. but on hair no issue my elasta qp and keracare humecto in tub has mineral oil and will be using these for life.
personally though for silling in moisture i like castor oil, it does the job better than any grease.