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Consumers with acne-prone or sensitive skin or a tendency to have oily skin may pay more for an oil-free moisturizer because they believe the product will not exacerbate their skin conditions. Unfortunately, several manufacturers of oil-free products are under scrutiny after being accused of including a variety of oils in these supposedly oil-free brands.
Allegations of Fraud
In one recently filed class action lawsuit in California, named plaintiff Narguess Noohi alleges she purchased Neutrogena oil-free moisturizer but discovered the cream contains palm oil. On the ingredients list, palm oil is referred to as “Ethylhexyl palmitate,” a term allegedly meant to hide from most consumers that the product does indeed contain oil.
In addition, Noohi cites the inclusion of “Soybean Sterols,” a fancy term for soybean oil, as further evidence the moisturizer contains oil.
Two other Neutrogena products labeled oil-free are Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Facial Moisturizer and Bright Boost Overnight Recovery Gel Cream, both of which allegedly contain dimethicone, a silicone-based chemically devised oil that manufacturers often add to help cosmetics go on more smoothly, according to Cosmopolitan.
Neutrogena is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., the named defendant in the lawsuit that accuses the company of “intentionally labeling its skin care products with false and misleading claims that they contain no oil and are ‘oil free’… .”
In another lawsuit, Illinois man and named plaintiff John Daly takes issue with Murad’s claim its Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel is oil-free. He says the products contain synthetic oils that are listed among the ingredients — but only as chemical compounds most people would not recognize as common oils.
Other companies under fire for allegedly hiding oils in their oil-free moisturizer, sunscreen or makeup include CeraVe, Tarte, Aveeno and No7.
Why Oil-free Moisturizer Matters
If you have oily skin or know someone who does, you may have hunted through a drugstore or department store searching for oil-free products because the last thing you want to do is add more oil to your skin. That dewy glow tends to be natural when the sebaceous glands on the face produce more sebum, the skin’s natural oil.
While some consumers suffer from dry skin and wish to add oil to their skin, adding extra oil to an oily person’s skin can cause clogged pores, which can lead to pimples and enlarged pores.
Acne caused by moisturizers or makeup is referred to as acne cosmetica, usually identified by tiny bumps on the skin’s surface that cause it to feel rough to the touch, according to VeryWellHealth. It’s caused by the offending product accumulating in a hair follicle, resulting in the blockage of the pore. Heavy, oily moisturizers and foundations can cause such breakouts, especially when used daily.
Oil-based moisturizers also are usually thicker than water-based moisturizers and will leave a film on the skin.
According to HowStuffWorks, moisturizers contain four key ingredients:
- Emollients: These may be oil-based or oil-free. Mineral oil and petroleum jelly are two oil-based emollients.
- Humectants: These ingredients help draw water from the air to moisturize the skin.
- Preservatives: Without preservatives, bacteria may grow in a jar or bottle of moisturizer.
- Fragrances: Added for aesthetic reasons, fragrances may convince a consumer to buy (or not to buy) a cosmetic based on its smell.
When a product is labeled oil-free, the consumer expects the product to be free of natural and synthetic oils. A consumer who specifically seeks out an oil-free moisturizer and pays a premium price for the lack of all oils expects the product to live up to its oil-free labeling. By including oils under scientific chemical names in the ingredient list but not owning up to the inclusion of oils in the marketing or naming of the product, a company is allegedly subjecting consumers to deceptive marketing and leading them to pay more for the merchandise under fraudulent terms.
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31 thoughts onIs Your Oil Free Moisturizer Really Oil Free?
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