Is Mineral Oil safe in My Cosmetics and Skin Care Products?

Question?
I have heard that mineral oil causes cancer…is this true?

What it is?
Mineral Oil is a mixture of refined liquid hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. It is colorless, transparent,odorless and tasteless. It is an occlusive oil, which means that when used in skin care formulations it creates a protective barrier or sits on the surface. In poorly refined, high concentrations mineral oil may become comedogenic, meaning it can clog pores.

Why it's not included in Arbonne's products?
The answer lies in understanding of the skin’s function. As one of the body’s largest organs, its job is to protect the body against: Injury, heat and light radiation, the penetration of chemical agents and the invasion of microbes and microorganisms. The skin also acts as a temperature regulator, enabling the body to adapt to different ambient temperatures and atmospheric conditions by regulating moisture loss.

Staying consistent with the Arbonne product philosophy of pure, safe, beneficial, we choose not to use mineral oil because we believe it is not beneficial for daily skin care use. We believe its occlusive properties may be disruptive to the normal skin functions as outlined above. We also believe that because it is occlusive, it is disruptive to advanced delivery systems in which the objective is to send beneficial ingredients to target sites and keep it there so it can provide maximum benefit while avoiding reactions.

Depending on the level of refinement, mineral oil can also be defined as comedogenic, which means it can clog pores and induce acne lesions or comedones. Instead of mineral oil, we choose to use natural oils that have moisturizing and conditioning properties such as jojoba, almond and wheat germ that do not have extreme occlusive properties, and are not known comedogenic
ingredients.

The facts
Unsubstantiated claims regarding mineral oil are often found on the Internet and in cosmetic marketing propaganda claiming mineral oil Is carcinogenic, can leech vitamins and minerals from the skin and causes dehydration. Mineral oil is harmless when used for intended purposes. Mineral oil is inexpensive, rarely causes allergic reactions and is widely used in the cosmetic industry. Mineral oil can offer positive results when used for specific medical conditions where setting up a temporary protective barrier to aid skin repair is necessary. Examples of conditions where a protective barrier is necessary include laser surgery, burns and skin grafting.

For more information please refer to the following:
Cosmetic Ingredient Review Board @ www.cir-safety.org
Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association @ www.ctfa.org
U.S. Food and Drug Administration @ www.fda.gov