The ingredient, explained

Paraffin

A published safety assessment explicitly covers PARAFFIN.

PerfumingSkin conditioningViscosity controlling

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Ingredient guide

What it is and what it does

Paraffin is a solid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum characterized by relatively large crystals.

About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗

Perfuming: A formulation role for perfume and aromatic raw materials that give a product its scent.
Skin conditioning: A broad cosmetic role for maintaining skin condition. It does not identify a particular clinical benefit.
Viscosity controlling: Adjusts how thick or fluid a product is.

Function definitions: Danish Environmental Protection Agency: Cosmetic fragrance functions ↗ · European Commission ingredient function definitions (SCCNFP/0299/00, pages 16 to 20) ↗

Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.

A closer look

What the research shows

Safety assessment

The panel accepted the described historical cosmetic uses after animal and clinical toxicity review.

What this does not tell us

Published safety assessment, not an efficacy trial. Its conclusion is limited to the reported cosmetic uses and concentrations, and relies partly on group read-across where individual data are missing. It does not establish current regulatory status or guarantee tolerance for every formulation. Wax purity and composition matter. Liquid paraffin moisturizer or vehicle studies are not substituted for paraffin wax.

Sources for this summary. DOI 10.3109/10915818409010516 ↗

Research review checked Oct 1, 2026

Read exact local candidate abstracts first; select identity-relevant papers; targeted primary PubMed/publisher searches. This is not an exhaustive systematic review.