Ingredients with a documented concern, from official datasets and our reviewed database.
surfactant · foaming agent
Sensitive skin: Best avoidedDry skin: Best avoidedBabies & kids: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Best avoided
- Irritation:The reference irritant used in dermatology research; strips barrier lipids.
Caredermis curated dermatological review
A powerful foaming cleanser so reliably irritating that dermatology studies use it as the standard positive control for skin irritation. Fine for many in rinse-off use, but a poor match for dry, sensitive or eczema-prone skin.
Sensitive skin: Best avoidedPregnancy: Use with cautionBabies & kids: Best avoidedEczema-prone: Best avoided
- Allergy risk:Fragrance is the single most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy.
- Irritation:Frequent trigger of stinging and redness on reactive skin.
Caredermis curated dermatological review
An umbrella term that can hide dozens of undisclosed scent chemicals. Fragrance is the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis from cosmetics, and dermatologists routinely advise fragrance-free products for eczema, babies and sensitive skin.
surfactant · foaming agent
Sensitive skin: High cautionDry skin: Use with cautionBabies & kids: Use with cautionEczema-prone: High caution
- Irritation:Milder than SLS but still drying for compromised skin.
The gentler cousin of SLS used in most mainstream shampoos and washes. Its manufacturing can leave trace 1,4-dioxane, which reputable makers strip out — an issue of quality control rather than the ingredient itself.
Sensitive skin: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Use with caution
- Allergy risk:Named Allergen of the Year 2004; impurities (amidoamine) drive most reactions.
A mild coconut-derived surfactant in countless 'gentle' cleansers. Most allergy is caused by manufacturing impurities, so quality varies by brand.
Sensitive skin: Use with caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable fragrance allergen.
A common jasmine-scented ingredient in fine fragrance and skincare, declared as an allergen on EU labels.
- Irritation:Occasional transient stinging or redness on sensitive skin.
A mild food-grade preservative usually paired with sodium benzoate; well tolerated by most skin types.
- Environmental impact:Poorly biodegradable; can remobilize heavy metals in waterways.
A metal-binding stabilizer that is safe on skin at the tiny amounts used; its criticism is environmental persistence.
- Irritation:Can cause transient, non-allergic flushing/stinging on reactive skin.
A food-grade preservative generally regarded as one of the gentler options; occasional non-immune stinging is its main drawback.
- Allergy risk:Rare reports of sensitivity.
A widely approved blue dye with a benign cosmetic safety record.
BENZOIC ACIDRegulatory dataIrritationEU CLP Skin Irrit. 2EU CLP Eye Dam. 1
