What Is Paw Paw Cream? (And What Should Be in a Good One)
Paw paw cream is one of those things every Australian household seems to own — a soft, skin-loving cream made from the tropical paw paw fruit (Carica papaya). The fruit’s natural enzyme, papain, along with its vitamin C, is why paw paw earned its place in Aussie bathroom cabinets generations ago: it helps soften, smooth and condition the skin. But here’s the thing most people don’t realise: not all paw paw creams are made the same way — and the label tells the story. Read the label: what’s actually in most paw paw products Plenty of the famous paw paw tins and tubes at the chemist are built on a petroleum jelly base — often well over 90% — with a small amount of fermented paw paw mixed in. Petroleum jelly isn’t from a plant; it’s a by-product of the oil industry. It works by sitting on top of your skin as a greasy seal. A true natural paw paw cream is different: it’s designed to absorb, carrying the fruit’s goodness into the skin without the greasy layer. What we put in ours instead Our Paw Paw Magnesium Body Cream is made with fresh Australian paw paw in a plant-based formula — no petroleum at all — blended with magnesium and aloe vera. It’s vegan and cruelty-free: no beeswax, no honey, no animal ingredients. How our cream is made differently Three choices set our creams apart, and every one of them is on the label. First: where most creams start with plain water as the main ingredient, ours starts with certified organic aloe vera juice. Second: the whole formula carries less than 1% preservative — genuinely rare on today’s market. Third: the paw paw itself is real Australian paw paw extract, sourced from Australian organic growers — never a powder imported from overseas. Made in New South Wales, Australia. What’s inside a really good paw paw cream? Across our range you’ll find the paw paw backed by a team of skin-loving naturals: organic aloe vera juice, jojoba oil, shea and cocoa butters, coconut, macadamia and camellia oils, native quandong extract, chamomile, lavender and ylang ylang oils, and natural vitamin E. Our face cream adds hyaluronic acid to the mix. Every ingredient is listed openly on our ingredients page. Which of our creams is right for you? Paw Paw Magnesium Body Cream 200ml — the everyday all-rounder: natural paw paw cream plus magnesium and aloe vera, for body, hands, elbows, heels and anywhere skin needs softening. Our most popular product. Paw Paw Face Cream with Hyaluronic Acid 125ml — the facial specialist: lighter, with hyaluronic acid for that plump, hydrated feel. Plenty of our customers keep both — one on the bathroom shelf, one on the bedside table. Everyday ways people use paw paw cream Dry lips — a light layer any time they need softening Elbows, knees and heels — the rough-skin trouble spots Hands and cuticles — especially after washing up or gardening All-over moisturiser — gentle enough for the whole family, light enough for everyday How cosmetics are regulated in Australia (and why our wording is careful) In Australia, skincare sits under real rules. Creams that claim to treat or cure skin conditions are regulated as medicines by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA); honest cosmetic makers stick to what a moisturiser truly does — soften, smooth, moisturise and condition. That’s exactly how we describe ours, and it’s why you’ll never see wild medical promises on a Real McArthur label. If a paw paw product somewhere makes big healing claims, that label is worth a second look. Quick answers Natural, vegan, petroleum-free — paw paw cream the way it should be.Shop our paw paw creams → Keep reading: paw paw ointment vs natural cream · why our range is built on certified organic paw paw
Why We Built Our Natural Skincare Range on Organic Paw Paw
When we started making skincare, we made one decision that shaped everything after it: the paw paw would be real, Australian, and from organic growers — or we wouldn’t make it at all. Australia’s skincare fruit Paw paw — known in many places as papaya — is a tropical fruit with soft golden flesh and a naturally nourishing reputation. For generations it has been part of Australia’s skincare story, in balms, creams and everyday care products. Organic paw paw is naturally rich in skin-loving compounds, including vitamins and antioxidants found in the fruit, and it’s valued in skincare for the way it helps support soft, smooth and comfortable-feeling skin. That’s why it has become such a trusted botanical ingredient in natural skincare — and why we built our whole range on it. Real fruit, organic growers The heart of every product we make is real Australian paw paw extract — not a powder shipped in from overseas, but fruit from Australian organic growers. That single choice is why the word “organic” means something on our labels instead of being decoration. Where the organic ingredients show up Look down our ingredients page and you’ll see it through the whole range: Certified organic aloe vera juice — used in place of the plain water most creams start with Certified organic paw paw (papaya) extract — the star of the show Certified organic coconut oil, organic camellia oil, certified organic cocoa and shea butters — the skin-loving support cast Native quandong extract — a uniquely Australian touch And the whole formula carries less than 1% preservative — genuinely rare on today’s market. What “natural skincare” means in practice For us it’s simple tests, applied to every product: Is the base plant-derived, not petroleum? Is it vegan and cruelty-free — no beeswax, no honey, no animal ingredients? Are the ingredients listed openly, in full? Would we put it on our own family’s skin every day? If a product can’t pass all four, we don’t make it. One philosophy, four products Paw Paw Magnesium Body Cream 200ml — our most popular product: organic-grower paw paw with magnesium and aloe, for everyday all-over moisturising Paw Paw Face Cream with Hyaluronic Acid 125ml — the facial specialist Natural Unscented Paw Paw Soap (Handmade 3-pack) — plant-based soap with no added fragrance Kakadu Plum Capsules — farm-grown Australian Kakadu plum, with loose powder coming soon Quick answers Organic paw paw. Open labels. Australian made. Shop the natural range → Keep reading: what makes a soap actually natural · what belongs in a good paw paw cream
Magnesium Cream: Why We Blend Magnesium Into Our Paw Paw Cream
Magnesium cream has become one of the most searched-for skincare products in Australia — a body cream with magnesium blended into it. If you’ve seen tubs of “magnesium sleep lotion” and “magnesium body butter” appearing everywhere from pharmacies to gift shops, you’ve watched the trend grow. Here’s the full, honest story of the mineral behind it — and why we blend it with paw paw. A quick history of magnesium Magnesium has been part of daily life for over 400 years. The story goes that in 1618, a farmer at Epsom in England noticed his cattle refused to drink from a certain spring — the water was bitter with what we now call Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). Those salts made Epsom famous, and people have been soaking in magnesium baths ever since. The mineral itself was first isolated in 1808 by the chemist Sir Humphry Davy, and it takes its name from Magnesia, an ancient region of Greece. Not bad for something most people first meet in a foot soak. What magnesium actually is Magnesium is one of the most common elements on Earth — it’s in the ground beneath us, dissolved through every drop of seawater, and it even sits at the very centre of chlorophyll, the green in every plant leaf. In people, it’s an essential dietary mineral: your body uses it constantly, and you get it from foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Where the magnesium in creams comes from The form used in skincare is almost always magnesium chloride, and most of the world’s supply comes from natural brines — mineral-rich waters from ancient underground seabeds and salt lakes, the most famous being deep European deposits laid down millions of years ago. The brine is purified and concentrated into magnesium chloride flakes or liquid. The forms magnesium comes in Magnesium chloride — the skincare one: creams, “magnesium oil” sprays (not really an oil — just concentrated brine) and bath flakes Magnesium sulfate — Epsom salts, the classic bath soak Dietary forms (citrate, glycinate, oxide and others) — the tablet and powder forms sold as supplements; talk to your pharmacist about those, that’s their department, not ours How a magnesium cream is made The magnesium chloride is dissolved and blended through the cream’s water phase — and in our case, that phase isn’t plain water at all: we use certified organic aloe vera juice instead. Then it’s emulsified with natural oils and butters, together with our real Australian paw paw extract — sourced from Australian organic growers, never an imported powder — and finished with less than 1% preservative, which is rare on today’s market. The full list is open for anyone to read on our ingredients page. Why we put it in a paw paw cream When we created our Paw Paw Magnesium Body Cream, we wanted to bring together two things Australians already love: the traditional skin-softening paw paw, and the modern magnesium cream ritual. As far as we know, nobody else in Australia makes a paw paw and magnesium cream — it’s genuinely our own. Many of our customers make it part of a wind-down routine — after the evening shower, before bed — a few minutes of looking after your skin at the end of the day. Let’s be straight about what it is (and isn’t) Our cream is a cosmetic. It moisturises, softens and conditions the skin — and it does those things well. It is not a medicine, and it isn’t intended to treat any condition. We’d rather tell you that plainly than dress it up — you’ll always get the honest version from us. Quick answers One cream, two Australian favourites — paw paw and magnesium, together.Shop the Paw Paw Magnesium Cream → Keep reading: what belongs in a good paw paw cream · natural paw paw cream vs petroleum ointments
Paw Paw Ointment vs Natural Paw Paw Cream
Looking for the Best Paw Paw Ointment? Meet the Natural Alternative Every Australian knows paw paw ointment. It’s in handbags, first-aid kits and bedside drawers across the country. But here’s something most people never read on the label: many of the popular paw paw ointments are mostly petroleum jelly, with only a small amount of fermented paw paw added. At Real McArthur, we do it the other way around. What’s actually in a paw paw ointment? A traditional paw paw ointment is usually a petrolatum (petroleum jelly) base — often more than 95% — with a small percentage of fermented papaya. Petroleum jelly is a by-product of the oil industry. It sits on top of the skin as a barrier, which is why ointments feel thick and greasy. Our approach is different: we start with fresh Australian paw paw and build the product around it. The natural alternative: fresh paw paw, not petroleum Our Paw Paw Magnesium Body Cream is built on a high concentration of fresh paw paw, blended with magnesium and aloe vera. No petroleum. No beeswax. No animal ingredients at all. That means: Plant-based and vegan — most paw paw ointments and balms are not Petroleum-free — made from fruit, not fossil fuel by-products Fast-absorbing — a cream that moisturises into the skin, rather than a greasy layer that sits on top Australian made — made in New South Wales, Australia Real paw paw extract — from Australian organic growers, never an imported powder Ointment, salve, balm or cream — what’s the difference? You’ll see all four words on shelves, and they’re not the same thing. An ointment is the thick, greasy one — usually petroleum-based, sitting on the skin as a seal. A salve is similar but softer, traditionally made with waxes and oils. A balm is the firm one in tins and sticks — most lip balms are balms, and they’re usually made with beeswax, which means they’re not vegan. A cream is the lightest of the four: it absorbs into the skin rather than sitting on top, with no greasy film left behind. We make a cream — on purpose. It carries more fruit, less grease, and it’s the only one of the four that feels like skincare rather than sealant. Ointment or cream — which should you choose? Traditional paw paw ointment Real McArthur paw paw cream Main ingredient Petroleum jelly Fresh paw paw Feel on skin Thick, greasy barrier Light, absorbs in Vegan Usually no Yes Added extras — Magnesium + aloe vera Made in Varies Australia If you love the idea of paw paw ointment — that gentle, old-fashioned Aussie skincare — but you’d rather it came from the fruit itself instead of a petroleum base, a natural vegan paw paw cream is the natural next step. How people use it, day to day Lips — a light layer whenever they feel dry, without the waxy balm feel Heels, elbows and knees — the rough patches that drink up moisture Hands and cuticles — especially after washing up, gardening or a day in the shed After a day outdoors — when skin feels dry and tight, a cream that absorbs beats a barrier that smears All-over body moisturiser — light enough for every day, gentle enough for the whole family What to look for on any paw paw label (ours included) Wherever you buy — even if it’s not from us — here’s how to read a paw paw label like a pro: Where does paw paw sit on the ingredients list? Ingredients are listed in order of amount. If petrolatum or paraffin is first, you’re mostly buying petroleum. Is the base plant-derived or petroleum? The word “petrolatum” is the giveaway. Vegan or beeswax? Balms and many ointments use beeswax — fine if that’s your choice, but it’s not plant-based. Where is it made? Australian made means Australian standards. Are the ingredients listed openly? Ours are, in full, on our ingredients page — including certified organic aloe vera juice where most creams use plain water, and less than 1% preservative in the whole formula. A family business Real McArthur is run by Darren McArthur — son of Tom McArthur, known to many Australians as the Paw Paw Man. Darren carries on the family business with his father’s blessing. Our products are our own, made in New South Wales, Australia. You can read our full story here. Frequently asked questions Keep reading Paw Paw vs Papaya: What’s the Difference? What Is Paw Paw Cream? (And What Should Be in a Good One) The Benefits of Paw Paw as a Food and as a Cream Real McArthur Paw Paw Products — natural, vegan, petroleum-free skincare made in Australia from fresh paw paw. Keep reading: natural paw paw cream vs petroleum ointments · what belongs in a good paw paw cream
Natural Paw Paw Cream vs Petroleum-Based Ointments: The Honest Difference
Turn over the most famous paw paw products in Australia and read the first ingredient. On many of them, it isn’t paw paw — it’s petrolatum, better known as petroleum jelly. Often more than 90% of the tube. What petroleum jelly actually is Petrolatum is a by-product of oil refining — the same industry that fuels cars. It’s been used in skincare for over a century because it’s cheap, extremely stable, and forms a waterproof seal over the skin. To be fair and honest: it’s permitted in cosmetics and considered safe by regulators. This isn’t a scare story. It’s a choice story. The two philosophies A petroleum-based ointment works by sitting ON your skin — a thick, greasy barrier that seals things in (and out). The fruit content is usually a small percentage carried in that base. A natural paw paw cream works by absorbing IN — the plant oils and the fruit’s own goodness soaking into the skin with no greasy film left behind. The fruit isn’t a garnish; it’s the point. How we make ours Our Paw Paw Magnesium Body Cream contains no petroleum at all. Instead: real Australian paw paw extract from Australian organic growers, certified organic aloe vera juice where most creams use plain water, magnesium, and natural plant oils and butters — with less than 1% preservative in the whole formula. It’s a paw paw cream and a magnesium cream in one — a combination you won’t find in the big-name tubes. Vegan and cruelty-free throughout, made in New South Wales. Every ingredient is on our ingredients page. Which should you choose? Petroleum-based ointment Natural paw paw cream First ingredient Petrolatum Fruit and plant ingredients Feel Thick, greasy seal Light, absorbs in Origin of base Oil industry Plants Vegan Usually no Yes (ours) If you want a waterproof seal, a petroleum ointment does that job. If you want skincare that feels like it came from a fruit rather than a refinery — that’s why we exist. We’ve written a full ointment vs cream comparison here. Quick answers From the fruit, not the refinery. Shop natural paw paw cream → Keep reading: paw paw ointment vs natural cream · why we blend magnesium into our paw paw cream