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Skincare product

Baby oil is, in general terms, an inert oil for the purpose of keeping skin soft and supple. It is often used on babies for the purpose of maintaining "baby soft" skin, but it is also often used by adults for skincare and massage. The skin of an infant, especially a premature one, is sensitive, thin and fragile. The skin's neutral pH on the surface significantly reduces the protection against excessive bacterial growth. The epidermis and dermis are thinner than those of adults and the epidermal barrier is not yet fully developed. Consequences can for example be dry skin, infections, peeling, blister formation and poor thermoregulation. The application of different oils to the skin of the newborn is routinely practiced in many countries. In general, these oils are used for cleansing, to maintain the skin's moisture and to protect its surface. Additionally, baby oil is used for the massage of newborns and as additive in lotions and creams.

Typical components of baby oils are the highly purified mineral oil products such as liquid paraffin (INCI name: paraffinum liquidum) and vaseline (INCI name: petrolatum). These compounds are odorless and tasteless, dermatologically tested and approved, not allergenic, hydrophobic and contain no pesticides or herbicides. Preservatives or antioxidants are not necessary, because in contrast to vegetable oils, there is no risk of rancidity with paraffins. Nevertheless, the use of mineral oil in cosmetics is being criticized. Natural cosmetic companies claim that the use of mineral oil results in skin occlusion. Conventional cosmetic manufacturers and even dermatologists and cosmetic chemists argue against that and studies were not able to show any statistical difference between paraffin oil and vegetable oils in terms of skin penetration and skin occlusion. On the contrary, petrolatum based preparations have been shown to be effective to the skin barrier function, even in premature infants.

Baby oils are largely used as skin care products and their principle use remains as skin moisturizers. In particular, baby oils find application in the treatment of various skin diseases like atopic dermatitis, xerosis, psoriasis and other eczematous conditions. Another area of use is the oil massage of the newborn which has been a tradition in India and other Asian countries since time immemorial. In addition to its principle usage, liquid paraffin based baby oil is commonly used in the automotive maintenance industry as a fuel for diagnostic smoke test machines, which generate smoke used to detect leaks in engine induction systems, brake system, manifolds, gaskets and similar sealed systems. When heated to approximately 300°C in a low oxygen environment, liquid paraffin creates a thick and visible smoke which is injected into the sealed system. Leaks in a system can easily be found by observing the place at which smoke escapes.