What is mineral oil made of?

Mineral oil is made from any oil-producing mineral source, which is typically (but not always) a petroleum product. Petroleum-based oils are also known as white oil, liquid petroleum and liquid paraffin. Mineral oil is frequently perfumed and sold as baby oil.

In addition to petroleum-based oils, mineral oils can also be aromatic-based or naphthenic-based. Mineral oils of all types are used in a wide variety of applications, including industrial, medical, veterinary and household uses. In the skin care industry, mineral oil is commonly used as a base for cosmetics and as a cleanser for makeup removal. It is occasionally used in the food industry, particularly to give candy a shiny appearance.