Cosmetics Ingredients: What — and How Much Of It — Is Really In a Product?
Marcie Mom from EczemaBlues.com interviews Laura, CEO of VMV Hypoallergenics, to find out more about product claims and why they’re important when choosing your skin care…particularly if you or your child has eczema. Q: Is the Ingredients List on cosmetics packaging compulsory and regulated? Does the it cover all ingredients? Or can companies pick and choose what they want to reveal? A: In many countries, cosmetics are regulated […]
6 Truths About Acne That May Surprise You
Which 5 statements about ACNE are TRUE? Learnmore about acne on VMV Hypoallergenics’s YouTube channel! Acne is an inflammation of the follicle. Skin conditions like keratosis pilaris, pityrosporum folliculitis, ingrown hair, and others can be confused for acne. Acne means your skin is dirty. Oily skin is something that needs to be fixed. Things that cause […]
Virgin Coconut Oil Is Not Comedogenic, and What You Really Need To Prevent Acne
“Don’t use virgin coconut oil! Or stearic acid! They’re so comedogenic!” … are they, though? And is “non-comedogenic” alone the one magic, major thing you need to clear acne? The internet is a wonderful source of good information, but also outdated information, information without context, incomplete information, and wrong information. Comedogenicity, for […]
Curly Hair & Silicones…What’s Really Bad (and Good!)
Curly hair does require special care. While there are lots of great resources online for important daily maintenance and styling tips — using a silk pillowcase, air drying or using a microfiber towel or T-shirt, etc. — we thought we’d add some information from a dermatological and formulation angle and address one ingredient in particular that has been flagged as “bad” for curly […]
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (SARS-CoV-2) Please note that this page is a summary of what we currently know about novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and skin concerns. As of the time of this writing, skin lesions were beginning to be described in COVID-19. Avoiding rashes and other skin problems from the irritants and contact allergens described below is important as they may be mistaken […]
COCONUT FLOUR: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Coconut Flour Like so many things from the coconut — its oil, jam, sugar, meat, and monolaurin — coconut flour is not a top contact allergen. Made from dried coconut meat derived from copra (more processed) or virgin coconut meat, coconut flour is a great alternative to rye or wheat flour, which are common causes of protein […]
FACIAL SHEET MASKS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Facial Sheet Masks We’re not talking about the DIY masks you might mix at home using ingredients from your fridge and pantry — although, because many natural ingredients are contact allergens, those can have issues, too. We’re talking about the popular pre-packaged, ready-to-go facial masks that come as a sheet with cut-outs for your […]
NOODLES: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Noodles Making noodles from scratch can expose the skin to common contact allergens, especially if they’re from of wheat or rye flour. But noodles that are already made and ready for cooking — especially if they are not wheat or rye but but made from rice, beans, starch, or seaweed — do not tend to cause […]
PAINT: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Paint Contact dermatitis from activities where painting is done is common due to the many contact allergens — and photo-allergens — that go into paint. These include acrylates, resins, preservatives, formaldehyde, isothiazolinones, benzophenone, glues (the colorants need them to adhere to the painted surface), inks, dyes, and certain plastics. Water-based and soy ink are better (the base is not […]