How we scored it
Where it comes from
Paraffin is produced by dewaxing petroleum distillate fractions during crude oil refining. There is no alternative natural-origin production route for cosmetic-grade paraffin.
In plain English
A waxy substance refined from crude oil, used to thicken creams and lotions and give them a smooth, protective feel on skin. It comes entirely from petroleum, not from plants or other renewable sources.
CosIng definition: Paraffin is a solid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum characterized by relatively large crystals.
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References
- 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
- 2PARAFFIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3PARAFFIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PARAFFIN