I was visiting my mother and one morning picked up her Mary Kay night cream and looked at the ingredients

I was visiting my mother and one morning picked up her Mary Kay night cream and looked at the ingredients. The first three listed ingredients are Petrochemicals – Petrolatum, Mineral Oil and Paraffin all by- products of the petroleum industry.

Petrolatum is just another name for Petroleum Jelly, which is a soft wax; it is used in cosmetic creams and sold as a skin protector. Some of the side effects of using this product include suffocating the skin, acne, and premature aging.

Mineral Oil has the same side effects; sadly it is used in many personal care products because of its cost not because it is good for your skin. It clogs the skins pores because it is difficult to absorb. When the skins pores are clogged it makes it difficult for the skin to breath and absorb natural moisture. Unlike other oils there are no beneficial nutrients in mineral oil.

Paraffin has the same side effects as Petrolatum and Mineral oil. I guess all I want to say about this product is that it comes from the petroleum refining process. Paraffin is a grey sludge that has to be bleached and processed before it is suitable to be used in skin creams.

Now there are some good ingredients in the night cream. The next three are: beeswax, Candelilla wax, Hydrogenated Soy glycerides although being the 4th, 5th and 6th ingredients I have to wonder how much is really in this cream. These ingredients are all good for the skin. Beeswax is know for it’s healing properties, Candelilla wax is said to help treat inflammation in the skin such as acne and Hydrogenated Soy glycerides help to increase the elasticity and softness of the skin as well as moisturizing and reducing wrinkles.

Maybe these ingredients are to help offset the possible side effects of the first three.

Carnauba Wax is the next ingredient this wax is often used in place of beeswax. It is commonly used in lipstick for it’s glossy dry finish.

The next ingredients are.

Propylparaben, which is used in cosmetics as a preservative and butylparaben, which is used as an antifungal preservative. Without these products the shelf life of this product would be reduced. Studies have been conducted showing that parabens are dangerous. Below are links to some articles regarding Parabens.

The Good Human

The truth about Parabens

Organic Consumers Association

What is Paraben