Introducing the Product

 

Would you like to apply a Lubricating Oil, like auto engine oil to soften your facial skin ? No !

If there is also Wax in it to make the skin slippery ?  Thinking ?

All right, I would add some perfume and pack it in attractive bottles. Can consider ?

You are tiring me. I would get Venture Capital funds from SBI or others, pay models like Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina, Karishma or  such others to say a few words softly that your skin would be envied. [ Not many bother that Gopichand  turned down Coco cola's modeling offer, because he did not agree that the product benefits the public ]

Then you would buy and test ! If possible tell others also. 'very good' - the claims will get designed to lull you into purchase

 

Naming Ceremony

 

Easy Face Wax

Do you like the name ? I know you would. It has the latest imaginary benefits of Skin Technology

Special introductory offer: On purchase of 1 kg of the wax, the buyer can get free an applicator, a pizza or samosa, one kg of washing detergent or 5 gms of Silver. Rush now or you can buy it next month, when more discounts may be given

Do not worry. I am not going to sell Easy Face Wax. I will disclose the secrets to you, Free. Read the details below

 

Vaseline. What is it ?

 

It is White Petroleum Jelly. Vaseline is the brand name for Hindustan Unilever's Petroleum Jelly.

Easy Face Wax is my brand name for White Petroleum Jelly. I shall convey below what Easy Face Wax is about. I have no interest in selling such low technology / functionally inferior items.

What is a Petroleum Jelly ?

made by ‘By fractional distillation of still residues from the steam distillation of paraffin-base petroleum or from steam reduced crude oils from which the light fractions have been removed'. 

[ light distillate mean mineral oils having Boiling point between 240 to 300 * C. Heavy Oils having boiling point in the range of 300 to 350 are used. These Oils come out, just before the final waste, Tar / Dambar. These heavy oils, with anti knocking compounds of Lead plus special chemicals, if any, are mixed and sold as Engine Oil / Auto Oil / Lubricating Oil  by the Oil Marketing Companies ]

Synthetic: By mixing heavy petroleum lubricating oil with a low melting point paraffin wax. The USP grade is called White Petroleum Jelly and NF grade is yellow petrolatum. [ White Petroleum Jelly is normally used in Cosmetics Industry ]

[ The above details are from a Chemical Dictionary - some sentences above, within brackets, are mine. ]

If Lubricating Oil keeps the auto running, it can help pedestrians also. who operate at a lower speed. Sounds logical ?  [perverse - products different like chalk and cheese]

 

How to make it ?

One has to buy, say one litre of this Heavy Oil. Or just take one litre Engine Oil from the Petrol Pump. Paraffin wax is needed. There are hundreds of Waxes but Paraffin is simple and known. Melt the Paraffin wax gently till it becomes a liquid. It will melt around 100 degrees centigrade. Pour the molten wax into the cold Lubricating Oil with minor stirring. Stir again after an  hour.

Wax has been dispersed in Heavy Mineral Oil - Jelly has been made. That is all

Trial: Just take a teaspoon of vegetable oil that you use at home. Light a candle which is made with Paraffin wax and other items. Just allow the molten wax to drop to the Oil - say about 20 drops / 1 ml. Stir it well. After some time, you will get a fine dispersion. There are very many waxes available.

These sort of Wax Dispersions are used in Letter Press and Offset Inks. Petroleum wax, having finer particle size compared to Paraffin, would normally be dispersed in Linseed Oil. Printing Ink manufacturers make such dispersions for their internal use. Further details are unnecessary for this page

Why make it ?

If only Petroleum Jelly, do not bother to make it. It would be available with some shops selling Chemicals in your town. The  white Petroleum Jelly is normally used in Cosmetics. The retail price of White Jelly is about 125 / kg in retail, in Ahmedabad as on 12th January 2012. So buy it if it suits you. It is better than paying Rs 600 plus / kg just for perfume and small containers.

 

Drawback of Wax

 

Wax, being lighter, will rise to the surface. That would give a uniformly dull, slightly slippery, face. It will attract dust fast. Not bad for make up. The heavy mineral oil base will not dry up. So, Oily face is a bonus with Petroleum Jelly. Wax coat should theoretically close the sweat glands. That is not a hygienic practice

 

Some Sellers dupe.  Dubious claims fed.  Hair / skin goes for a toss

You have to read the files fair n lovely  jnj baby oil   question Lever  Toilet Soaps  Unfair practices to know the reason for my assessment. The page on J & J's baby oil will tell you the side effects of Mineral Oil. Jelly has heavy mineral oil content

Hindustan Unilever advertises Vaseline as a 24 hours, total moisturiser. [Sony TV, Comedy Circus, 1-1-2012] This is a deliberately misleading, unwanted, meaningless claim. As I have explained the product earlier, you would understand it. If not, read on

What is Moist ? Chamber's Dictionary

 

moist adj: damp, humid rainy, watery,  moisten - to make moist: to wet slightly: moisturise to add or restore moisture:

Moisture has something to do with water. You do not use the term to wet a cloth with Oil, petrol or kerosene. So Lever advertising Vaseline as Moisturiser is just not English, the way the dictionary defines it.

Secondly, how can a heavy Mineral Oil, provide moisture? It is a hydrocarbon containing mainly Hydrogen and Carbon. Scientifically, it has no Moisturising Capacity at all. It does not have 'hydroxy / OH' component. So this is a deliberate, unscientific, misdirection by Lever to dupe the Public.  Castor oil is a moisturiser by such self created definitions

24 hours could be right because when you apply wax coat of a heavy mineral oil, it would not dry up. And with all the accumulated dust, it would take extra quantity of soap to wash the face and feel fresh. And if you use the 'Toilet Bars' of Levers, you may have to wash the face twice.

Lever's cheapness is very annoying and nauseating. They sell an ordinary jelly with hyperbolic terms and force the naive users to waste further money on Toilet bars and side effects due to Mineral Oils

To end, do not buy Petroleum Jelly with false expectations. A touch of vegetable oil is safer, economical and more functional product than these near waste petroleum products

 

I have to admit one thing. Lever stoops to new and novel levels of cheapness with every passing year

 

	Errors and Omissions exempted.  If there be any unwanted oversights, mistake in content or suggestions for improvements,  I will be thankful for your feedback
	Personal website of R. Ranganathan M.Sc., [ MBA - IIMA]    Main / original content: around 2002: last minor modification, Feb 8, 2012.    Supply   Contact