PETROLATUM
Hair Conditioning Agent; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive; Skin Protectant; EMOLLIENT; MOISTURISING; UV ABSORBER
Also listed as
MINERAL JELLY; PETROLATUM AMBER; PETROLATUM WHITE; PETROLEUM JELLY; YELLOW PETROLATUM; MINERAL GREASE (PETROLATUM)
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
| Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
| Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
 | Contamination concerns - PAHS |
 | Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
 | Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Data gaps |
|
See products containing PETROLATUM | |
About PETROLATUM: Petrolatum is a semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum. In the UnitedStates, Petrolatum may be used as an active ingredient in OTC drug products. When used as an activedrug ingredient, the established name is White Petrolatum. See "Regulatory and Ingredient UseInformation," regarding the labeling names for U.S. OTC Drug Ingredients in Volume 1, Introduction, PartA.
PETROLATUM has reported used in the following product types: moisturizer (213); lipstick (120); lip balm (118); lip gloss (114); facial moisturizer/treatment (86); sunscreen: lip balm (69); styling gel/lotion (65); body wash/cleanser (49); anti-aging (46); eye shadow (43)
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as a high human health priority | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 950 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | PETROLATUM | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| European Union - Banned or Restricted in Cosmetics | PETROLATUM | •Restricted in EU cosmetics (mandatory manufacturing or structural specifications) |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | PETROLATUM | •This chemical was deemed a high human health priority and was flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical is suspected to be persistent. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | PETROLATUM | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| European Union - Banned or Restricted in Cosmetics | EC (European Commission of the European Union). 1999-2006. Enterprise Directorate-General Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics. The rules governing cosmetic products in the European Union, Volume 1, "Cosmetics legislation." |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 by Environmental Working Group
All rights reserved.
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