An estimated 10% of people experience side effects, hypersensitivity or allergy-related irritation from certain cosmetics[1]. Whether you’re grabbing soap from Herb’N Eden or hitting up a local drugstore for makeup and skincare, knowing which products are safe for your skin is crucial.
Let’s look at a few signs that you have allergy-prone skin and some ingredients to avoid when choosing new cosmetics.
Skin Allergy Symptoms
Skin allergy symptoms may appear right after applying a new cosmetic or develop later. A couple of symptoms you may feel include:
- Burning
- Itching
- Stinging
- Tingling
In addition to feeling the allergies, you’ll likely notice one or more of the following physical signs:
- Blisters
- Dryness
- Red bumps or patches of skin
- Hives
- Peeling skin
- Discolored skin
If you notice any of the above signs, wash the cosmetic off immediately. If your skin is still irritated, try applying a soothing ointment or antihistamine cream to the affected patch.
Allergic Ingredients in Cosmetics
Allergic ingredients in cosmetics typically fall into five groups: latex, fragrances, preservatives, dyes and metals. Latex is often the easiest to spot as it’s listed either as “latex” or “natural rubber.” For the other allergens, you’ll need to be familiar with a few ingredient names that fall under the broader banner:
Fragrances
A few fragrance substances include:
- Amyl cinnamal
- Amylcinnamyl alcohol
- Anisyl alcohol
- Benzyl alcohol
- Benzyl benzoate
- Benzyl cinnamate
- Benzyl salicylate
- Cinnamyl alcohol
- Cinnamaldehyde
- Citral
- Citronellol
- Coumarin
- Eugenol
- Farnesol
- Geraniol
- G-methylionone
- Hexyl cinnamaldehyde
- Hydroxycitronellal
- Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde
- Isoeugenol
- Lilial, d-limonene
- Linalool
- Methyl 2-octynoate
- Oak moss extract
- Tree moss extract
In some cases, fragrances will be listed as “fragrance” or “natural fragrance.” If you’re allergic to any fragrance, it’s best to avoid those products.
Preservatives
Common preservatives include:
- Methylisothiazolinone (mit)
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone (cmit)
- Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing ingredients
If you’re allergic to preservatives, look for natural products labeled “preservative-free.” Preservative-free products are often labeled as “natural” or “clean,” but you should still check the ingredients of the product you’re using.
Dyes
Dyes in cosmetics are usually in hair dyes or henna products. Two common dyes include sp-phenylenediamine (PPD) and coal-tar.
Metals
Nickel and gold are two common allergenic metals found in cosmetics.
Are Hypoallergenic, Fragrance-Free or Sensitive Skin Products Allergen Free?
Many people lean on labels like “hypoallergenic,” “fragrance-free” and “for sensitive skin” when looking for new cosmetics. Unfortunately, the United States doesn’t regulate the definitions of any of those terms; your best bet is always to check the ingredients list before purchasing.
Taking an allergy test is an essential step in protecting yourself against allergy symptoms. Contact ENT of Georgia North to schedule your test with one of our specialists.
[1] Zukiewicz-Sobczak, W. A., Adamczuk, P., Wróblewska, P., Zwoliński, J., Chmielewska-Badora, J., Krasowska, E., Galińska, E. M., Cholewa, G., Piątek, J., & Koźlik, J. (2013). Allergy to selected cosmetic ingredients. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii, 30(5), 307–310. https://doi.org/10.5114/pdia.2013.38360