Sorbolenes are the biggest selling skin care products in Australian pharmacies.
Sorbolenes may appear to be great value-for-money, at only $3.95 for 100g, however many consumers do not realise the majority of sorbolenes are made from petrochemical by-products, such as mineral oils and paraffin, and are designed to act as barrier creams.
Therefore, sorbolenes do not moisturise the skin, they only act as a barrier cream.
Sorbolene creams are a mixture of oil (between 40% and 60%) and water. They have a high oil content which tends to make the cream sit longer on the skin surface.
Experts believe prolonged use of sorbolene may lead to the break-down of the skin’s normal barrier functions.
Over time, the skin is unable to protect itself against the environment, which may lead to irritation and recurring problems.
In many cases dermatologists have recommended sorbolene to people with dry, irritated and itchy skin conditions.
The application of sorbolene temporarily alleviates the problem by smoothing the skin and making it feel moist.
However, as sorbolene doesn’t penetrate the skin to moisturise, the problem soon returns, the skin becomes dry and once again begins to itch.
Vegesorb compared to traditional sorbolene
Many have found by changing from ordinary sorbolenes to Vegesorb, their dry skin “condition” has been improved simply by providing adequate hydration.
This is because the vegetable oils in Vegesorb are more easily absorbed into the skin than mineral oils due to the smaller molecular size of vegetable oils and the fact they don’t repel water as strongly as mineral oils.
