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:Potent sensitizer, typically blended with MIT (Kathon CG).
- Irritation:Corrosive in concentrate; irritating at use levels.
Caredermis curated dermatological review
The chlorinated partner of MIT, restricted in the EU to rinse-off products only. A leading cause of preservative contact dermatitis worldwide.
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: 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: Use with cautionEczema-prone: High caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable allergen; oxidation products are potent sensitizers.
The citrus-peel scent molecule. Like linalool, it becomes allergenic mainly after oxidizing in opened products.
Sensitive skin: Use with cautionEczema-prone: High caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable allergen; oxidized linalool is a common patch-test positive.
A floral scent molecule found in lavender and many essential oils. It oxidizes on air exposure into strongly sensitizing compounds, which is why it must be declared on EU labels.
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.
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 floral fixative on the EU allergen list, with early-stage evidence of weak hormonal activity being evaluated by regulators.
preservative · solvent · fragrance
Severity 3/10Sensitive skin: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Use with caution
- Allergy risk:One of the 26 EU-declarable fragrance allergens.
- Irritation:Mild irritation possible at higher concentrations.
A preservative and fragrance component that must be declared on EU labels because it can trigger contact allergy in a small share of users.
Sensitive skin: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Use with caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable fragrance allergen.
A rose-type scent component on the EU's mandatory-declaration allergen list.
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.
- Allergy risk:Occasional contact allergen (Allergen of the Year 2017 family).
A gentle sugar-based cleanser used in baby and sensitive-skin washes; allergy is uncommon but documented.
- 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.
BENZOIC ACIDRegulatory dataIrritationEU CLP Skin Irrit. 2EU CLP Eye Dam. 1