Petroleum. A complex combination of hydrocarbons. It consists predominantly of aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons. It may also contain small amounts of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur compounds. This category encompasses light, medium, and heavy petroleums, as well as the oils extracted from tar sands. Hydrocarbonaceous materials requiring major chemical changes for their recovery or conversion to petroleum refinery feedstocks such as crude shale oils, upgraded shale oils and liquid coal
CAS #
8002-05-9
Form
Oil
State
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Antifoaming
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Smooths skin texture
Traditional Use
Derived from crude oil refining processes developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Used in cosmetics as a solvent and conditioning agent, replacing some traditional plant-derived oils in formulations.