Ingredient Directory
Low (highly refined)Vegan

Petrolatum

Vaseline / white petroleum jelly

Safety Notes

Must be highly refined (pharmaceutical/cosmetic grade); fully refined petrolatum is GRAS (FDA); excellent occlusive barrier; no penetration; not COSMOS-permitted; essential in baby barrier products

Function & Common Use

Function

Occlusive Emollient

Category

Emollient

Common In

Lip balms baby care barrier creams ointments

Origin

Mineral (petrochemical)

Concentration Limits

India (CDSCO)

No limit

EU Cosmetics Reg.

No limit

US FDA (21 CFR)

No specific 21 CFR cosmetic limit identified in source checked

Korea (MFDS)

No specific MFDS limit identified in source checked; verify if ingredient is used in a Korean functional cosmetic category

Pregnancy: No specific restriction identified in source checked; standard cosmetic use

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Petrolatum safe to use in skincare?

Petrolatum has a High concern rating. Must be highly refined (pharmaceutical/cosmetic grade); fully refined petrolatum is GRAS (FDA); excellent occlusive barrier; no penetration; not COSMOS-permitted; essential in baby barrier products

Is Petrolatum allowed in India?

Petrolatum is currently classified as "Permitted" under Indian cosmetics regulations. No concentration limit is specified for India.

What is Petrolatum used for in cosmetics?

Petrolatum functions as: Occlusive Emollient. It is commonly found in: Lip balms baby care barrier creams ointments.

TCS Assessment
Low (highly refined)
Data Confidence
High
Based on peer-reviewed safety data, regulatory status, and expert review by The Clean Sheet panel.

Regulatory Status

India (CDSCO)
Permitted
EU
Permitted
US FDA
Permitted
Korea (MFDS)
Permitted
Australia (TGA)
Cosmetic ingredient; standard TGA cosmetic framework applies; no therapeutic goods listing required unless therapeutic claims are made
Canada (NHPID)
Not specifically listed as restricted cosmetic ingredient in NHPID source checked; standard Health Canada cosmetic notification applies

Identifiers

CAS8009-03-8
EC232-373-2

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