Ingredients with a documented concern, from official datasets and our reviewed database.
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.
cooling agent · fragrance
Sensitive skin: High cautionBabies & kids: Use with cautionEczema-prone: High caution
- Irritation:Sensory irritant; the cooling feeling signals nerve stimulation, not soothing.
The cooling molecule from mint. Refreshing on healthy skin but a genuine irritant for reactive, broken or infant skin.
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 cautionEczema-prone: High caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable allergen with well-documented sensitization.
A rose/geranium scent molecule and one of the more frequently positive fragrance allergens in patch testing.
Babies & kids: Use with caution
- Irritation:Occasional stinging and irritation, mostly around eyes and on damaged skin.
Today's most common preservative, considered safe by the SCCS up to 1%. French authorities advise avoiding it in wipes and diaper-area products for children under 3 as a precaution.
Sensitive skin: Use with cautionEczema-prone: Use with caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable allergen found in tonka bean and many perfumes.
A sweet hay-scented molecule requiring EU allergen declaration; a regular positive in fragrance patch-test series.
Sensitive skin: Use with caution
- Allergy risk:EU-declarable fragrance allergen.
A floral fixative on the EU allergen list, with early-stage evidence of weak hormonal activity being evaluated by regulators.
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.
Sensitive skin: Use with caution
- Irritation:Irritating at higher concentrations or in leave-on products.
- Allergy risk:Occasional contact allergen.
A pH adjuster that is safe in itself but should not be combined with formaldehyde releasers or bronopol, which can convert it to nitrosamines.
- Irritation:Can irritate freshly shaved underarm skin.
The standard antiperspirant active. Large reviews and the EU's scientific committee found no supported link to breast cancer or Alzheimer's at cosmetic exposure levels.
