Leave off Petroleum Jelly

I know it has been quite awhile since my last entry, but because there has been so much conversation in my office as of late about "Vaseline" or petroleum jelly, I thought I would post something in it's honor. As you may or may not know, there has been much controversy about the safety of petroleum  by products in skin care. If nothing else, leave petroleum based products off the lips especially. Here is a blurb from good ol' Dr Oz:

"Lip Gloss the shine in lip-gloss comes from petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is a byproduct of oil drilling, and when you spread it on your lips, you end up eating it, which is essentially the same as drinking gasoline. Add up the amount of lip-gloss the average woman uses (and consumes) over a decade, and it equals 7 pounds. The European Union has banned many petroleum jelly products, and experts are concerned they could be linked to cancer. Women with breast cancer have twice the levels of hydrocarbons (substances found in petroleum jelly) in their breasts than women who haven’t had breast cancer.

Steer clear of any products that list petroleum jelly or mineral oil on the ingredient list. Choose Lip Treatments that look more like lipstick and avoid any that advertise lip “plumping” capabilities, they contain products that irritate your lips to make them swell and look larger. Instead select products with sunscreen to protect your lips from the carcinogenic effects of the sun (look for zinc oxide on the ingredient list), and glosses made from beeswax, or organic lip treatments which is completely non-toxic. If you are deeply attached to a petroleum-based gloss, save it for special occasions and use a sunscreen under it to protect your lips."