COSMETIC
ALLERGIES
FRAGRANCE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF CONTACT ALLERGY IN COSMETICS.
GRUME CONTAINS NONE.
26 ALLERGENS
MUST BE NAMED
EU RULES REQUIRE 26 FRAGRANCE SUBSTANCES KNOWN TO CAUSE ALLERGY TO BE NAMED ON THE LABEL ONCE THEY PASS A THRESHOLD — AND THE LIST GREW AGAIN IN 2023. TURN A BOTTLE OVER: LIMONENE, LINALOOL, CITRONELLOL, GERANIOL. NONE OF THEM IS THERE FOR YOUR SKIN. THEY ARE THERE FOR THE SMELL.
IRRITATION
OR ALLERGY?
NOT THE SAME THING. IRRITATION AFFECTS ANYONE IF THE DOSE IS HIGH ENOUGH, AND IT FADES WHEN YOU STOP. AN ALLERGY ONLY AFFECTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SENSITISED, IT CAN APPEAR AFTER YEARS OF TROUBLE-FREE USE, AND IT DOES NOT GO AWAY. BOTH REDDEN AND ITCH — ONLY A PATCH TEST, WITH A DERMATOLOGIST, TELLS THEM APART.
“HYPOALLERGENIC”
MEANS NOTHING
NO REGULATION DEFINES WHAT THE WORD COVERS. IT MEANS WHATEVER THE BRAND WANTS IT TO MEAN, AND COMMITS NO ONE TO ANYTHING. THE ONLY ACCOUNTABLE INFORMATION ON A PACK IS THE INCI LIST — AND THE SHORTER IT IS, THE MORE READABLE IT GETS.
IF YOUR SKIN
REACTS
STOP EVERYTHING EXCEPT A GENTLE CLEANSER AND A PLAIN MOISTURISER. DO NOT TRY TO FIX IT WITH ANOTHER PRODUCT: INFLAMED SKIN TOLERATES NO EXTRA ACTIVE, NOT EVEN A SOOTHING ONE. KEEP THE PACKAGING — THE INCI LIST IS WHAT YOU WILL TAKE TO THE DERMATOLOGIST. IF THE REACTION RETURNS WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, THEY SHARE AN INGREDIENT, AND ONLY A PATCH TEST WILL NAME IT.