Ingredients with a documented concern, from official datasets and our reviewed database.
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.
Sensitive skin: Best avoidedPregnancy: Use with cautionBabies & kids: Best avoidedEczema-prone: Best avoided
- 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.
Sensitive skin: Use with cautionEczema-prone: High caution
- Allergy risk:American Contact Dermatitis Society Allergen of the Year 2018.
- Irritation:Can irritate compromised skin at higher concentrations.
A workhorse humectant and penetration enhancer that is fine for most, but a recurring culprit in eczema patients' patch tests.
surfactant · foam booster
Sensitive skin: Use with cautionPregnancy: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Use with caution
- Cancer concern:IARC Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic); listed under California Prop 65.
- Allergy risk:Recognized contact allergen in rinse-off products.
A foam booster classified as possibly carcinogenic by IARC and largely phased out of reputable formulas since its 2012 Prop 65 listing.
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 cautionBabies & kids: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Use with caution
- Irritation:Milder than glycolic; still increases photosensitivity.
A gentler AHA that exfoliates and hydrates simultaneously; the usual pick for drier or more reactive skin starting acids.
- 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.
- Irritation:Low-pH formulas can sting reactive skin.
Pure vitamin C — a proven antioxidant and brightener whose acidic formulas may tingle on sensitive skin; derivatives are gentler.
glutaralRegulatory dataAllergy riskIrritationEnvironmental impactEU CLP Skin Sens. 1AEU CLP Skin Corr. 1BEU CLP Aquatic Acute 1/Aquatic Chronic 2
