paraffins
better than their reputation: paraffins originate from the distillation of mineral oil. in dermatology and cosmetics paraffin is used both in its liquid and its solid form. almost every baby oil is composed of purified mineral oil (”paraffinum liquidum“), and vaseline is pure, solid ”petrolatum“. in the opinion of a number of dermatologists and cosmetics chemists paraffin is one of the best oils that can be used in skin care products.  paraffin does not react with the skin, it does not generate any allergies and does not form any radicals with oxygen (peroxide), something which, in the case of plant oils, is capable of causing skin irritation.mineral oils possibly tend to be better tolerated than plant oils because they do not contain any proteins.in addition, after cleansing, paraffin forms an even protective film on the skin under which the natural skin barrier can regenerate. the qualities used in cosmetics are at the same time ultra-pure. the oils are used for cleansing the whole of the body and can (for example) bring about a clear and sustained improvement in the skin’s barrier function which may have been disturbed by showering or bathing. the notion prevalent today that the oils settle on the skin like a layer and clog the pores and/or adversely affect the skin’s “ability to breathe”, is wrong. Instead it has even been proved that the oils are distributed in the corneal layer of the epidermis and are incorporated into the lipid membranes of the skin cells located there.  skincare products containing paraffin are thus particularly suitable for sensitive skin with a tendency to allergies. the proportion of paraffin at the same time determines whether the product is better suited to dry or to combination skin. the oily type of skin is the only type where it is advisable to adopt a low-key approach in relation to oily components of any kind.

perfume
collective term for fragrances (see above under fragrances)

polymere
polymerisation, as it is called, plays an important part in the nail polish hardening process. the polymers subsequently form a hard layer of polish.

pocket beauty
ready to go! Time spent planning and incorporating the most important beauty aids of the past are an intrinsic feature of essence pocket beauty’s. The specially selected products (which are perfectly coordinated with one another) are small and handy for travelling or to keep in your handbag. But at the same time amazingly practical for use at home!

PAO
period after opening gives the shelf life of cosmetic products once opened - to be found on all cosmetic products from march 2005. the symbol is a can with an open lid. in it or next to it is the minimum number of months the product will keep after opening.

pigments
small, colour particles used in powders, lipsticks, eye shadows, nail polish and mascara. they produce widely differing colour and light reflexes.