If you're like me and you have sensitive skin, you have likely tried one or more brands hypoallergenic products, hoping to find gentle skin care that does not cause a skin rash.
You might be shocked to learn that many products labeled "hypoallergenic" will actually cause skin inflammation! Even if you are diligent about only buying products that claim to be free of allergens, you might not be doing yourself much good. There are NO industry standards for cosmetics or other skin care products.
Many of them just remove the fragrance components, and slap on a "hypoallergenic" label. Without fragrance or artificial colors, consumers are more likely to just assume that the products are free of harsh chemicals. Many still contain sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, mineral oil or propylene glycol, all of which are well known to be irritating to sensitive skin. In fact, some of these ingredients are known irritants to the skin, eyes and lungs.
Finding Better Skin Care Products
Unfortunately, finding the right sensitive skin care products is a bit of trial and error, since no two people have exactly the same physiology. What may be fine for one person could cause another person to develop a severe skin rash.
Watch your own skin reactions. It doesn't matter if the label says "hypoallergenic" or not, your skin will know the difference! Even some natural components, like herbs or botanicals can irritate your skin.
Once you establish which ingredients bother your skin, watch for them next time you shop. Don't rely on the obvious "hypoallergenic" labels.
If something bothers you, go over the product ingredient list. Watch out for fragrances which are some of the top allergens in the world, and can cause numerous skin rashes and other side effects like neurotoxicity.
Skin Care Ingredients to Avoid
Also beware of strong chemicals like BHA, BHT, pthalates, and formaldehyde-based preservatives such as diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin. These ingredients are all quite toxic to the body and should be avoided by anyone with sensitive skin.
Other ingredients which are not as toxic, but which can still cause potent allergic reactions and skin rashes include alcohol, aluminum, mineral oil and propylene glycol. All of these ingredients are present in most of today's personal care and skin care products.
Other ingredients of concern include paraben compounds such as methylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben, all of which can be irritating or even toxic to sensitive individuals. These are used as preservatives, and are contained in most skin care products.
Choosing Safer Hypoallergenic Products
Take is slowly when trying a new product. Very sensitive skin can react severely, so only use a little bit of any new product until you know it's safe for you.
The best idea is to test a product on the inside of your arm first. It's much better to have an itchy or red reaction on your arm instead of all over your face. If there are no problems after a few days, then you can try it on your face.
You should also never assume that an entire line of products is safe for you just because one or two products are fine. You need to always take each new product slowly. Never test more than 1 new skin product at a time either.
So overall, never assume that any hypoallergenic product will be safe for you to use. Always do your own testing and keep track of the ingredients when you find a product that irritates you.
M Rochell has over 30 years of first hand experience discovering safer, natural solutions for sensitive skin care. Read her humorous hypoallergenic shampoo story at http://www.mysensitiveskincare.com/hypoallergenic-shampoo.html