Ingredients with a documented concern, from official datasets and our reviewed database.
Sensitive skin: High cautionPregnancy: Best avoidedBabies & kids: Best avoidedEczema-prone: High caution
- Hormone disruption:Classified as toxic to reproduction (CMR 1B); banned in the EU since March 2022.
- Allergy risk:Well-documented fragrance sensitizer.
The lily-of-the-valley scent 'Lilial', banned in EU cosmetics in 2022 after being classified as presumed toxic to human reproduction. Still legal in some other markets — check older or imported products.
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.
Oily & acne-prone: Best avoided
- Pore-clogging:Rated 4/5 on the comedogenic scale; a frequent trigger of facial breakouts.
A beloved natural moisturizer for body and hair that is nonetheless one of the most pore-clogging oils on facial 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 caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable fragrance allergen.
A common jasmine-scented ingredient in fine fragrance and skincare, declared as an allergen on EU labels.
- Environmental impact:Poorly biodegradable; can remobilize heavy metals in waterways.
A metal-binding stabilizer that is safe on skin at the tiny amounts used; its criticism is environmental persistence.
- Allergy risk:Rare hypersensitivity reactions, better documented in food than cosmetics.
Tartrazine yellow dye; approved for cosmetics with rare sensitivity reactions reported.