ESSENTIAL OILS: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Essential Oils These popular, delicious smelling oils are extracted from plants (the first red flag) and have been used for centuries as perfumes or components in perfumes (another red flag). The most popular essential oils — cardamom, cinnamon, citronella, clove, eucalyptus, geranium, jasmine, lavender, lemon, mint, orange, rose, sandalwood, tea tree oil, ylang-ylang (and […]
POTASSIUM DICHROMATE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Potassium Dichromate Yet another top contact allergen that is totally natural — it is a common metal in the earth’s crust and found in loam, clay, ash, soil, water, and sand — potassium dichromate (chromate or chromium salt) can be difficult to avoid. It is found in … If you have a history of sensitive […]
VANILLA: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Vanilla This yummy, ancient spice (it was used by the Aztecs) is part of the Orchidaceae family. It can be found in lots of skincare and perfumes, in everything from essential oils to flavored toothpaste, lip balm, shampoo, conditioner, aromatherapy, skin cream, makeup, baby products, and more. The top contact allergen Balsam of Peru […]
HYALURONIC ACID: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Hyaluronic Acid The great news is this wonder humectant (a substance that retains water) is not a top contact allergen and is actually usually well tolerated by the skin. The other news is … developing. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in our bodies, such as in the synovial fluid of joints, in […]
SLUGGING: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Slugging If using a very pure, allergen-free, non-acnegenic petrolatum-based product like Boo-Boo Balm, slugging is not a top skin allergen and could be wonderful for very dry or barrier-damaged skin. This skincare trend went viral on social media fairly recently and was attributed to the Korean beauty universe but it has been […]
VEGAN (CLEAN, NATURAL) SKINCARE: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Allergen Vegan Skincare The words “vegan skincare” would not appear on standard patch test trays as such but many products labeled “vegan” (along with products labeled “natural” or “organic”) contain lots of top contact allergens. If you have allergic contact dermatitis, it would be best to exercise caution. The bottom line is that terms like […]
COLLAGEN: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Collagen Neither the protein abundantly found in your body that gives skin its elasticity and strength nor the supplements derived from fish or cows (and other sources) is currently a top contact allergen. But supplements and collagen in skincare might also not be doing much for your skin. In topically-applied products, collagen […]
MINERAL OIL: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen Mineral Oil Not a top contact dermatitis (which is impressive considering how common it is in so many products), this oil is a favorite among dermatologists due to how safe, soothing, moisturizing, and occlusive (prevents water loss) it is and its usability on several parts of the body, including the mucosa of […]
SKIN or FACE BASTING: Allergen or Not An Allergen?
Not An Allergen … IF … Skin or Face Basting A recent trend on social media due to its “miracle effect” of leaving the skin impressively soft and smooth, skin basting is basically applying zinc oxide thickly on the face and leaving it on for several hours. IF you face baste with pure zinc oxide […]