The 2026 data-driven guide to mineral oil (MOSH and MOAH) contamination in Australian lip balms, lipsticks and cosmetic products — EFSA opinion and label identification

The short version

Mineral oil — also labelled as paraffinum liquidum, petrolatum, ozokerite, ceresin, or microcrystalline wax — is a petroleum derivative used in roughly half of all lip balms, lipsticks, baby oils, body lotions and creams sold across the Australian aisle. The chemistry is complex: refined mineral oil is a mixture of MOSH (mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons) and MOAH (mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons). MOSH accumulates in body fat with chronic exposure — measurable in human tissue at concentrations 1-100 mg/kg after years of daily cosmetic use. MOAH includes molecules with documented carcinogenicity. The EFSA, Germany’s BfR, and the IARC have all expressed concern about MOAH specifically.

This guide explains the MOSH/MOAH chemistry, what regulators have actually concluded, and which Australian products are most likely to contain mineral oil. For label-level scanning, the Low Tox Gear Scanner flags mineral oil and its synonyms under the petroleum_derivative concern tag with severity escalation for pregnancy and skin barrier conditions.

What MOSH and MOAH actually are

Mineral oil from refining is a complex mixture. Two fractions matter:

  • MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons): Linear and branched alkanes, plus saturated cyclic structures. Chemically inert at standard conditions. Don’t spontaneously degrade in the body. Accumulate in adipose tissue and have been measured in the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and other fat-rich tissues of humans with long-term cosmetic-grade mineral oil exposure.
  • MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons): Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including 1-, 2-, 3-, and higher-ring structures. The 3+ ring polycyclic forms include known carcinogens analogous to those in cigarette smoke and coal-tar exposure.

Cosmetic-grade and pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil is refined to remove MOAH almost entirely. Industrial-grade mineral oil contains significantly more MOAH. The unresolved question is how much MOAH actually remains in cosmetic-grade products on Australian shelves, and what fraction of that crosses the skin barrier or is ingested via lip-product exposure.

What EFSA and the BfR have concluded

The European regulatory record:

  • EFSA 2012 opinion (food context): Established a tolerable daily intake of 12 mg/kg body weight for MOSH but flagged that MOAH should not be detectable in food. Subsequent EFSA reassessments (2019, 2022) maintained this distinction.
  • Germany’s BfR (2018): Issued specific guidance recommending mineral oil products intended for lip application contain < 1% MOAH. Found that MOAH was detectable in roughly 30% of consumer cosmetics tested in 2017-2018 surveys.
  • EU SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety) 2020: Concluded cosmetic-grade mineral oil (refined to current standards) is safe for cosmetic use, but specifically called for tighter manufacturing controls to ensure MOAH is consistently below 0.1% and lower (not zero, but indistinguishable from environmental background).
  • IARC: Untreated and mildly treated mineral oils are Group 1 (carcinogenic). Highly refined mineral oils (the cosmetic and pharmaceutical grade) are Group 3 (not classifiable as to carcinogenicity). The classification depends on refinement quality.
  • FDA (USA): No specific concentration restrictions on mineral oil in cosmetics. GRAS for direct food contact.
  • AICIS (Australia): No specific concentration cap on mineral oil in cosmetics. Industry self-regulates.

Where mineral oil appears in the AU aisle

  • Lip balms (Burt’s Bees Beeswax — alternative ingredients, but classic Carmex, Blistex, ChapStick, Aquaphor lip therapy): Often have petrolatum/mineral oil as the primary occlusive base.
  • Lipsticks: Petrolatum or mineral oil often appears in the wax+oil base of conventional lipstick. Higher-end natural brands more often use plant oils + plant waxes.
  • Baby oils: Johnson’s Baby Oil and many conventional baby oil products are primarily mineral oil with added fragrance.
  • Body lotions and creams: Petrolatum is a common occlusive in conventional dry-skin and eczema lotions (e.g. Aquaphor, Cetaphil moisturizing ointment, Vaseline Intensive Care).
  • Cleansing balms and makeup removers: Mineral oil is a common solvent.
  • Pharmaceutical petrolatum (Vaseline): Petroleum jelly is the dominant brand-product. Pharmaceutical grade (USP/EP grade) — different from cosmetic grade.

How to identify mineral oil on Australian labels

Names and synonyms (long list):

  • Mineral oil — the simplest label form
  • Paraffinum liquidum — common in EU/AU lipsticks and balms
  • Petrolatum / petroleum jelly / soft paraffin — semi-solid mineral oil forms
  • Microcrystalline wax / Cera microcristallina
  • Ozokerite / Cera mineralis
  • Ceresin
  • Synthetic wax (where derived from petroleum)
  • Paraffin / paraffin wax
  • Hydrocarbon oils (any naming variant)

Any of these on the ingredient list = mineral oil derivative.

What works as a mineral oil alternative

  • Plant-derived oils: Jojoba oil (most similar in chemistry to human sebum), squalane (now plant-derived from olive or sugarcane), shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil.
  • Plant-derived waxes: Beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, sunflower wax, rice bran wax. These provide the structure that mineral wax provides but from plant sources.
  • Higher-end natural lip products (Eve Lom Lip Balm with shea, Aesop Protective Lip Balm with shea + olive squalane, Mecca Cosmetica balm) and most certified organic cosmetics use plant oils and plant waxes throughout.
  • Lanolin (sheep wool wax): Animal-derived occlusive that performs similarly to petrolatum for very dry skin. Hypoallergenic for some users; sensitising for others.

How the Low Tox Gear Scanner flags mineral oil

The scanner flags all mineral oil synonyms under the petroleum_derivative concern tag. Default severity is amber (the MOAH concern is real but cosmetic-grade refinement standards mean for most users the daily exposure is below concern thresholds). Escalates to red for users selecting: pregnancy, breastfeeding, fertility, contact dermatitis, fragrance sensitivity (since mineral-oil-based products often carry fragrance allergens).

For curated alternatives:

Best practice — what we recommend

  • For lip products specifically, prioritise mineral-oil-free alternatives. Lip products are inadvertently ingested in significant quantities over years of use — a 2018 estimate placed lifetime lip product ingestion at 4-9 lbs per heavy user. This is the exposure category where MOAH ingestion concern is most relevant.
  • For body lotions and creams, mineral oil is generally well-tolerated by most users. Switching is a precautionary preference rather than a clear health-driven necessity.
  • For pregnancy and breastfeeding, eliminating mineral oil from lip products is reasonable conservative precaution given inadvertent ingestion patterns and concentration-without-clearance kinetics.
  • For sensitive skin conditions, plant oils are often (but not always) better tolerated than petrolatum-based products. Some patients tolerate petrolatum specifically because of its inertness; others find plant oils less occlusive and irritating.

Related guides on Low Tox Gear

Sources

  1. EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain. Scientific opinion on mineral oil hydrocarbons in food. EFSA Journal 2012;10(6):2704.
  2. EFSA Panel. Update of the risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food. EFSA Journal 2023;21(11):8403.
  3. German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Cosmetic lip care products containing mineral oil hydrocarbons should contain as little MOAH as possible. BfR Opinion No 008/2018, March 2018.
  4. SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety). Opinion on the safety of mineral oil hydrocarbons in cosmetic products. SCCS/1631/20, 2020.
  5. IARC Monographs. Mineral oils, untreated or mildly treated — Group 1; Mineral oils, highly refined — Group 3. Volume 33 and Volume 100F.
  6. Concin N, Hofstetter G, Plattner B, et al. Mineral oil paraffins in human body fat and milk. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2008;46(2):544-552.

Frequently asked questions

Is mineral oil safe?

Cosmetic-grade and pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil is refined to meet specific purity standards and is considered safe for cosmetic use by EU SCCS, FDA, and AICIS. The concern is that some refined mineral oil products still contain detectable MOAH (mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons), which include polycyclic aromatic compounds with documented carcinogenicity. Highly refined mineral oils are IARC Group 3 (not classifiable); untreated and mildly treated mineral oils are IARC Group 1 (carcinogenic). Refinement quality determines safety.

What's the difference between MOSH and MOAH?

MOSH (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons) are saturated linear, branched, and cyclic alkanes — chemically inert but accumulate in body fat. MOAH (Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons) are aromatic polycyclic structures, some of which are known carcinogens. Cosmetic-grade mineral oil is refined to remove MOAH almost entirely, but residuals are sometimes detectable. EFSA permits a tolerable daily intake for MOSH but recommends MOAH not be detectable in food.

Why is mineral oil in lipstick a particular concern?

Lip products are inadvertently ingested in measurable quantities over years of use — estimated lifetime lip product ingestion is 4-9 lbs (1.8-4 kg) per heavy user. This makes lip products the cosmetic category where the oral-MOAH-ingestion concern is most relevant. The Germany BfR specifically recommended cosmetic lip products contain less than 1% MOAH in 2018 based on this exposure pathway.

Is petroleum jelly the same as mineral oil?

Petroleum jelly (petrolatum, Vaseline) is a semi-solid mineral oil derivative — same petroleum source, similar refinement standards. Pharmaceutical-grade petrolatum (USP/EP grade) is refined to higher purity than cosmetic-grade. Both have similar regulatory concerns regarding MOAH residuals and skin/lip absorption.

Are there mineral oil alternatives?

Yes. Plant-derived oils (jojoba, squalane, shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil) and plant-derived waxes (beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax) replace mineral oil and mineral wax in higher-end cosmetics. Eve Lom Lip Balm, Aesop Protective Lip Balm, and most certified organic cosmetics use plant alternatives.

Should pregnant women avoid mineral oil?

Eliminating mineral oil from lip products specifically is reasonable conservative precaution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, given inadvertent ingestion patterns. For body lotions and creams the case is weaker — mineral oil is well-tolerated by most users and the absorption through intact skin is minimal. The pregnancy-safe beauty shortlist at scan.lowtoxgear.com/guides/pregnancy-safe-beauty filters out petroleum derivatives.

What's the difference between cosmetic-grade and industrial-grade mineral oil?

Cosmetic-grade and pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil are refined to remove MOAH (the aromatic carcinogen-class) and other impurities. Industrial-grade mineral oil contains much higher MOAH concentrations and is not approved for cosmetic or food contact use. The refinement quality is regulated under different standards (USP, BP, JP for pharma; SCCS standards for EU cosmetics).