What is Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream?
Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream is a fragrant moisturizing cream that is said to help maintain the natural moisture of the skin and replenish hydration in dry areas. It is recommended for dry patches, especially on the hands, elbows, and feet. Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream is non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and is suitable for all skin types.
What’s Inside Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream?
The key ingredients in Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream include petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin, beeswax, candelilla wax, and carnauba wax. We’ll discuss each of these ingredients in detail below so you’ll know exactly how they affect your skin.
Petrolatum
Petrolatum is an occlusive agent that reduces the rate of water loss through skin. Since petrolatum has a melting point that is close to body temperature, it softens upon application and forms a water-repellant film around the applied area.
The film prevents evaporation of the skin’s natural moisture and increases skin hydration by causing buildup of water in the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin). This can also help if the skin is injured since petrolatum can protect the skin and replicate the occlusive properties of the stratum corneum.
Mineral Oil
Mineral oil is a clear, odorless oil derived from a mineral source, typically a distillate of petroleum, that functions as an emollient. After application, mineral oil forms a protective film on the surface of skin that helps to prevent evaporation of the skin’s natural moisture.
Paraffin
Paraffin is a very highly refined mineral oil used in cosmetics and medicine. Paraffin is an occlusive emollient that has many of the same benefits of petrolatum and mineral oil. The combination of petrolatum, mineral oil, and paraffin in the Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream gives this cream a very rich texture that some may consider to be greasy.
Beeswax
Beeswax, also known as cera alba, is a natural wax produced by honeybees in the cell walls of honeycombs. There are about 300 compounds found in beeswax, including alkanes, acids, esters, polyesters, and hydroxy esters. Beeswax is also a humectant moisturizer.
Humectants have a molecular structure with several hydrophilic (water loving) groups, which allows them to attract and retain the moisture in the air nearby via absorption. Lastly, beeswax acts as an emollient and occlusive agent. It forms a soft, protective barrier on the surface of skin, which helps to prevent evaporation of the skin’s natural moisture.
Candelilla Wax
The final key ingredients in Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream are candelilla wax and carnauba wax. Both of these ingredients have emollient properties to help leave skin with a soft, hydrated feel.
Fragrance and Menthol
While Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream is said to be suitable for all skin types, it’s important to point out that this product contains synthetic fragrance and menthol.
Both of these ingredients can cause skin irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin.
In fact, menthol is known for its counterirritant properties. A counterirritant is a substance which creates irritation or mild inflammation in one location with the goal of lessening discomfort and/or inflammation in another location. This is why menthol is typically used in OTC products to relieve muscle pain. Overall, menthol is not a very good ingredient to use on dry skin.
Parabens
We’d also like to point out that the Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream contains two parabens, propylparaben and butylparaben, as preservatives.
Parabens have been linked to reproductive, immunological, neurological and skin irritation problems. Parabens penetrate the skin and hang around in our bodies. As preservatives, parabens keep the bacteria out of the products, but keep in mind there are clean alternatives.
Where is Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream sold?
Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream can be purchased directly from the company’s website, on third party online retailers like Amazon, or from an independent Mary Kay consultant. However, it’s a good idea to be prepared for a face-to-face meeting with any beauty consultant, because at the end of the day, their job is to make a sale. Therefore, the savvy consumer will benefit from doing significant research about the company’s products and reading Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream reviews. Such detailed information will help you ask the right questions, so that you can make a truly informed decision.
Is Mary Kay cruelty free?
Mary Kay is not cruelty free. While Mary Kay does not conduct animal testing on their products or ingredients, they do test on animals when required to do so by law (such as in China). According to PETA, Mary Kay has taken steps to work with Chinese officials on the acceptance of using alternative methods to substantiate the safety of their ingredients and products.
Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream reviews
Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream reviews on the brand’s website are overall very positive, with the product receiving an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars after 124 customer reviews. The majority of the positive reviews mention that this cream can be used for a variety of purposes.
Most of the negative reviews for Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream are about the fragrance and about how greasy the product is.
