Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Body Lotion — ingredient safety report

• Allergy risk:Fragrance is the single most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy.
• Irritation:Frequent trigger of stinging and redness on reactive skin.

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.

• Allergy risk:Caused an epidemic of contact allergy; banned in EU leave-on products.
• Irritation:Irritating even in people without allergy.

A preservative behind one of the largest contact-allergy epidemics in cosmetic history. The EU banned it from leave-on products and restricts it in rinse-off products to 15 ppm.

• Pore-clogging:Rated 4/5 comedogenic; best kept off acne-prone facial skin.

A rich body butter that is highly comedogenic on facial skin — great for body, risky for breakout-prone faces.

• Allergy risk:Increasingly reported contact allergen.
• Irritation:Restricted in the EU; not allowed in products for children under 3 (body lotions).

An iodine-based preservative with EU restrictions including a ban in lip products and limits for young children.

• Irritation:Occasional stinging and irritation, mostly around eyes and on damaged skin.

Today's most common preservative, considered safe by the SCCS up to 1%. French authorities advise avoiding it in wipes and diaper-area products for children under 3 as a precaution.

• Pore-clogging:Cosmetic grade is minimally comedogenic despite its reputation.

Highly refined mineral oil is an inert, non-sensitizing emollient. Its bad reputation comes from industrial-grade oils that are never permitted in cosmetics.

• Environmental impact:Not biodegradable; accumulates in the environment via wash-off.

The workhorse silicone — inert and non-sensitizing on skin (even FDA-approved as a skin protectant), with persistence in the environment as its main criticism.

• 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.

• Allergy risk:Rare hypersensitivity reactions, better documented in food than cosmetics.

Tartrazine yellow dye; approved for cosmetics with rare sensitivity reactions reported.

• Cancer concern:Concern applies only to unrefined grades containing PAHs; cosmetic grade is highly refined (EU-mandated).

The most effective occlusive known and a staple of eczema care. The cancer concern belongs to unrefined industrial grades — pharmaceutical-grade petrolatum in cosmetics is rigorously purified.