Petroleum Distillates
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: Mineral oils, Paraffin oils
Synthetic
Solvent
Not Clean
Petroleum. A complex combination of hydrocarbons. It consists predominantly of aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons. It may also contain small amounts of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur compounds. This category encompasses light, medium, and heavy petroleums, as well as the oils extracted from tar sands. Hydrocarbonaceous materials requiring major chemical changes for their recovery or conversion to petroleum refinery feedstocks such as crude shale oils, upgraded shale oils and liquid coal
CAS #
8002-05-9
Form
Oil
Functions
Antifoaming
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Smooths skin texture
Traditional Use
Byproducts of petroleum refining used in cosmetics since the early 20th century as solvents and conditioning agents. Developed as cost-effective alternatives to natural oils and plant-based ingredients.
EWG
9
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Regulatory Agencies
🧂Conflict of interest.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed1 review →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026 · 🧪 = conflict
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR