Paraffin

Paraffin is a type of white wax that helps smooth and soften skin as well as provide occlusive properties. It forms a flexible film on skin that prevents moisture loss, which is why you’ll see it in many products meant for dry skin and dry, chapped lips.

Derived from petroleum and highly purified for use in cosmetics, paraffin is supplied as a solid (saturated) mixture of hydrocarbons, which are chemicals made up of only hydrogen and carbon (hence, “hydrocarbon”). A broad range of cosmetic ingredients are hydrocarbons, including the alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, natural waxes such as beeswax and plant oils such as those from palm, sunflower and coconut. In no way are any of these dangerous or bad ingredients for skin.

Although its starting point is natural, paraffin is considered synthetic due to the processing it undergoes prior to its use in cosmetics. Paraffin is available with various melting points, so formulators can choose the degree to which this happens, a decision that impacts a cosmetic’s texture, spread and wear.

Paraffin is considered safe and non-toxic as used in cosmetics, including products such as those for lips where some ingestion is possible. This ingredient has an extraordinarily wide use range, from 0.001%–90% depending on the type of product and its intended purpose.

Note: newer research has shown that paraffin isn’t good at restoring skin’s barrier, which makes sense given it sits on skin’s surface due to its large size and, unlike ceramides and cholesterol, isn’t naturally found in skin. Other research on hand eczema has shown paraffin baths (extremely dry hands dipped in warm liquid paraffin) produced a significant improvement in dryness compared with placebo.