6 Skincare Ingredients to Avoid

When you’re picking superb medical grade skin care products, it’s not just about what’s in them, it’s about what’s NOT in them.

Ever look at the ingredient label and wonder what you should be looking for? Well we’re here to give you the ultimate break down of which ingredients you should avoid when shopping for skin care products!

Why do certain ingredients need to be avoided?

The first concern is allergic contact dermatitis, which is an allergic response that happens in select individuals. The second concern is chemical irritation which eventually occurs in most individuals. Skin inflammation and irritation are the typical results are both allergic contact dermatitis and chemical irritation.

The list of bad actors:

  1. Fragrance - this ingredient is the most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis in skin care products. Linalool, a floral scent, and limonene, a citrus scent, are common types of fragrances that are added to skin care products. Obviously, we are more attracted to substances that smell good, but your skin will thank you later for purchasing fragrance-free products.
  2. Caffeine - this ingredient is loved by many for a boost of energy to start the morning, but it might cause irritation and is best avoided in skin care products.
  3. Propylene Glycol - this substance acts as a carrier for active ingredients, but it is also used as a food additive or as an ingredient in hygiene products. Not only is this substance controversial because it’s an ingredient in antifreeze, but it was also American Contact Dermatitis Society’s “Allergan of the year” in 2018. People that have eczema or other skin conditions are likely to have sensitivities to propylene glycol.
  4. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - this inexpensive ingredient is used as a cleansing agent that creates a large volume of foam. Although foam is generally a desired characteristic in cleansers, it is a powerful skin irritant that can cause dry skin by stripping out its natural oils.
  5. Parabens - this low-cost synthetic substance is used as preservatives in skin care products, various foods and pharmaceuticals. Although this phenolic compound kills microorganisms which stops the growth of bacteria and fungus, it is also known to disrupt hormone functions. Studies show that certain parabens can lead to aging when they are converted into a toxic reactive oxygen on exposure to UV light.
  6. Kathon- is another powerful preservative that kills yeast, mold, and bacteria. You can find this ingredient on cosmetic labels as: methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone. It is known to be a strong skin irritant, and in high concentrations is known to cause chemical burns.

Although everyone will have different skin sensitivities, it is important to be aware of what ingredients might be contributing to irritation and inflammation. Our medical-grade skin care products have two significant advantages over many retail (and even some other medical grade) skin care products. Firstly, our products have significantly high concentrations or the key “effective” ingredients, leading to more impressive results. Secondly, and just importantly, our products do not contain problematic ingredients that can cause irritation and allergic reactions.