The Ugly Truth About Baby Oil

If you know anything about em, you know that we pride ourselves on using only natural ingredients in our products. Of course, we all know that natural is best; but sometimes I think it's even more important to know why some products out there aren't the best for us to use on/in our bodies, not to mention that of our darling babies!

So, first, a few questions. Raise your hand if you've ever used baby oil on your baby. How about on yourself? Tons of women use baby oil on their pregnant bellies to keep their skin soft, so, if you are/were one of them, it doesn't surprise me. And, baby oil seems like a perfectly natural thing to put on our babies, doesn't it? I mean, it's called "baby" oil, right?  Think again!

I've known for years that the base ingredient in baby oil is mineral oil. You may know that, too. But, mineral oil doesn't sound so awful. It must have minerals in it, right? In reality, mineral oil is made from petroleum. That's something I knew because of all the research I do, but is it something you knew? Most people don't even think of it. Petroleum is, of course, a naturally occurring substance. However, the refining process it goes through in order to render it into what is marketed to us as body products is not.  It includes all types of caustic substances including sulphuric acid. Now add to that the fact that many petroleum compounds are known to be carcinogenic. Thinking twice about the use of baby oil and petroleum jelly yet?

So, that brings me to something I found online awhile back that really made my skin crawl. Really, it's stuff I already knew; but I had never heard it worded this way and it's pretty powerful. This is from a description of mineral oils found on a Canadian aromatherapy site...

They should not be used for massage with essential oils; they are not a suitable medium as they do not absorb into the skin, but lie on the surface therefore stopping the skin functioning effectively. The body cannot cope with mineral oils so they are deposited in the tissue as toxin. Mineral oils are dead oils that diminish the positive effect of essential oils.

Umm, OK, like I said, can you say "gross"? Makes you really think about putting petroleum jelly on anybody's body much less using baby oil, right? The thought, like I said, makes my skin crawl. And, again, that's why em only uses natural ingredients. Mother Nature gives us some mighty fine ingredients to use, and we think Mother knows best.

If you haven't tried our fabulous body products yet, I invite you to try them. You'll be delighted at how great your skin feels, and you'll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're doing the right thing for your skin. If you're specifically looking for something to replace your baby oil with, try our body oil. It's a delicious blend of 4 natural oils that absorbs easily and won't leave you feeling greasy.  Light enough to use every day, it's the perfect replacement!