Why you Should Never Use Baby Oil
March 27th, 2012 by Roxanne | Filed under Holistic Lifestyle, Natural Beauty & Personal Care.
Baby oil is made of mineral oil. Mineral oil is something completely foreign to the human body. It is a synthetic oil which is a byproduct of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. Wait, gasoline? crude oil? Why do we slather this stuff all over our children? Well, mostly because its cheap and abundant so manufacturers sell it to us and tell us its good for our skin. The honest truth is it is actually harmful to our health.
Mineral oil acts as a thin layer on the skin. It is difficult to absorb and clogs the pores, which slows the skin’s ability to eliminate toxins. Our skin plays a large roll in the body’s detoxification through sweat. If pores are blocked, the toxins remain in the body for a longer period of time. This alone can be harmful. Once the oil is absorbed, it is broken down by the liver and passes through the intestinal tract. Once in the intestines, mineral oil will absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins found there. So all those organic foods and vitamin supplements you spend all your money on will get robbed by mineral oil and your body never gets the benefits.
There are claims that mineral oil can cause damage to the lungs, nervous system, skin, and even causes premature aging. An unbiased study released by the Cancer Prevention Coalition in June 2002, contained the following: “Cancer and health experts just concluded reviews that indicate mainstream cosmetics and personal hygiene products including lotions, soaps and shampoos, pose the highest risk exposures to the general public. This risk is higher than smoking.” It is clear that mineral oil and petrochemicals have no place in skin care products and should never be used on babies or adults.
What should you use instead of baby oil? There are so many amazing and natural oils that you can use in place of mineral oil or petroleum containing lotions. Some of my favorites are:
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Shea butter
Tags: baby oil alternative, mineral oil dangers, natural beauty products, natural massage oil
LOVE my coconut oil!
me too, we use it for so many things!
We do too…and a little goes a long way!
It’s the only thing I use for sun protection on me and my son and we never burn!
So what should I do with the baby oil I got at my baby shower? My ‘baby’ is 17 months old and I’ve only used about 3 drops of it in a wipe solution recipe I tried once. I have a small collection of products we never use, like greasy perfume-laden baby lotions and stuff.
Use it to grease squeaky door hinges. Bicycle chains. And to prevent punchers from rusting stuck… or make a baby food jar into a water globe with the oil. Sparkles and glue a little figure to the bottom inside.
‘Pinchers not punchers
I’ve never used any of those baby lotions, baby oils, etc. on my kids. Mineral oil is good for killing ear mites if you have a cat, though.
I never knew all this about baby oil. I am going to stop using it on my skin. I will switch to olive oil if I want to put an oil on my skin. I appreciate the information.
You’re welcome! I know it’s a bit surprising, isn’t it? I’m glad to share! Olive oil is a good alternative, others you can try are coconut oil, shea butter or sweet almond oil.
Great ideas for other uses for baby oil you already have in the house!
I am looking into making our own cloth wipe solution and baby oil was recommended as one of the main ingredients… any suggestions to use in its place? (Expecting in June!)
Hi Lauren, what else is in the recipe? I am wondering if the purpose of the baby oil is to moisturize or to make the solution more slippery? If its to moisturize I would use olive oil in place of it but if its to make it more slippery you might try castor oil. I’d be curious to know the recipe!
Hi! Most ‘cloth wipe solution recipes’ I’ve seen have a few squirts of baby soap, a few drops of baby oil (although now that I look into it more, almond oil is also recommended, or the oil is completely skipped), and water. I don’t have any baby bums to experiment with yet, but I know it will take a bit of tweaking. Thanks for making me aware of this!!
You could use it as a polish for door frames, and borders, Or for aquarium covers that have lost their shine (Have used oil before for that) and a tiny amount on lightbulb bases so they don’t get stuck in the socket… but I’m getting carried away. :p I’ve heard of the eat mite thing.
Yup…I got baby oil, baby powder, Johnson’s baby shampoo and lotions all at my baby shower…never use any of them.
I came across this post for another use for baby oil in case anyone is still trying to get rid of what they have: http://organizing.yourway.net/quick-tip-frugal-stainless-steel-cleaner/
Roxanne recently posted..Fasts & Juice Cleanses: Are they Healthy?
Great info! Another great oil to use on babies and for great skin care is Organic Cold Pressed Sesame Oil. It does wonders on keeping skin hydrated, soft, and healthy. We offer Sesame Oil on our site if anyone is interested in trying it out.
Exactly!!
[...] just came across this article: http://theholisticmama.com/why-you-should-never-use-baby-oil/ which explains the dangers of using mineral oil/baby oil. This is the first time I’ve read [...]
Well, we hardly ever use baby oil. We’ve used it for cradle cap on occasion. I do have some coconut oil. I even made body butter with coconut oil and lavendar oil. I didn’t know baby oil was bad for you though.
I’ll have to tell DH–he’s the one who wants to use it.
Far be it from me to judge anyones’ opinion, and the less chemicals the better for sure. But to say that these things pose a greater risk than smoking is ludicrous, and likely a totally biased study. Definitely look for things with less chemicals in them, and advocate for safer products, but don’t propagate incorrect information. This article would have been fine, and your point taken, without the addition of a “study” with no validity.
Baby/mineral oil is also lamp oil, or liquid candle wax. It’s expensive to use it that way, though.
The World Health Organization classifies highly refined oils as Group 3, meaning they are not suspected to be carcinogenic but available information is not sufficient to classify them as harmless.
A study reported in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2005) found that the type of highly refined and purified mineral oil found in cosmetic and skincare products is noncomedogenic (does not clog pores).
That’s is my I love using our Arbonne products. It does not use any mineral oil and many other harmful ingredients. If you like to learn more please visit the website or email me skarbluv@yahoo.com. (consultant # 12733900)