Petrolatum
Also known as petroleum jelly or Vaseline, it is a by-product of the petrol
refining process and is used widely in bodycare products such as face creams,
body washes and lips balm. It is also used as a lubricant and grease component
in industries. When used on the skin it creates an oily film to lock in moisture
but at the expense of locking in toxins, wastes and stopping the skin from breathing.
Concern has been raised about its use in cosmetics as it contains harmful impurities
and contaminants. It has recently been linked to breast cancer after a study
at Columbia University found that the breast tissue of women with breast cancer
was 2.6 times more likely to contain PAHs which are common contaminants of petrolatum.