If you have dry skin, prone to redness, irritation, or even scaly patches, it is essential that you identify which ingredients and/or cosmetic actives to avoid so as not to worsen the situation. We provide you with some guidance here.
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Cosmetic ingredients to avoid when you have dry skin.
Summary
- Alcohol derivatives, substances to avoid when you have dry skin
- Synthetic fragrances, to be avoided for dry skin
- Salicylic acid, an active ingredient not highly recommended for dry skin
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a surfactant with a detergent power too strong for dry skin
- Parabens, preservatives to avoid in case of dry skin
Published February 16, 2024,
by
Maylis, Chemical Engineer
—
6 min read
Topics:
Alcohol derivatives, substances to avoid when you have dry skin.
These ingredients can appear in various forms in a cosmetic product: Alcohol Denat, SD Alcohol 40-B, SD Alcohol 40-A, SD Alcohol 40, SD Alcohol 39-B, SD Alcohol 38-B, SD Alcohol 3-B, Polyvinyl Alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. These compounds disrupt the skin's natural hydrolipidic film, leading to dryness, cracks, irritation, tightness, and vulnerability to external aggressions. Moreover, they can exacerbate certain skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea.
Take note! Benzyl alcohol (INCI: Benzyl Alcohol), which can also be referred to as phenylmethyl alcohol, is an effective ingredient for inhibiting the proliferation of bacteria within the product. Introducedin small doses (< 1%), its drying effect is minimal. Moreover, itis on the list of26 allergens regulatedby Europe and it is approved for use in organic products. For this reason, it is present in several of our serums at a concentration less than 1%.
Synthetic fragrances, to be avoided for dry skin.
Synthetic fragrances can be triggering factors for irritant contact dermatitis, even if they represent a minuscule percentage of a product.Substances with aromatic or fragrant properties are thus considered potentially allergenic. Moreover, the ingredient list on a cosmetic product (INCI list) does not inform whether the manufacturer used an essential oil, a synthetic substance, or an isolated component to scent a formula. Therefore, all these active ingredients are subject to the same INCI denomination. For instance, geraniol and linalool are listed among the 26 allergens regulated by Europe. However, these synthetic-origin compounds are more allergenic than those of natural origin.
Salicylic acid, an active ingredient not highly recommended for dry skin.
Originally extracted from willow bark, salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) known for its keratolytic and sebum-regulating properties. It is particularly recommended for taking care of oily skin and preventing or reducing all kinds of imperfections.
However, salicylic acid can be drying, so it should be avoided for dry skin types. These require more gentle exfoliation and hydration. You can then turn to treatments rich in lactic acid or PHA.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a surfactant with a detergent power too strong for dry skin.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium lauryl sulfate (LSS) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), is apowerful detergentand asurfactant. It is found in household products for its excellentdegreasing powerbut also in hygiene products such as toothpastes, shampoos, shaving foams, soaps, etc... This foaming agent is now criticized for two main reasons:
Its irritating effect:
Its detergent properties can be too strong for some sensitive and/or dry skin types, to the point of further drying them out. The SLS destroys the hydrolipidic film, which results in skin tightness after cleansing. It also alters the proteins of the skin and ocular cell membranes, leading to irritations and redness. For this reason, shower gel and bath product manufacturers are using it less and less, preferring the ethoxylated version (SLES = sodium laureth sulfate), which is less abrasive, but its manufacturing process is highly polluting. It should be noted, SLS is still allowed in organic products, while SLES is not.
Its polluting nature:
SLS is also identified as a pollutant to the environment, animals, aquatic habitats, and even plants.REACH (European Regulation for securing the manufacture and use of chemical substances) classifies this substance asecotoxic.
As a precautionary principle, Typology does not introduce sulfates into its cleansing products for the face and hair. Find here ourblacklist of ingredients.
Parabens, preservatives to avoid in case of dry skin.
Some skincare products contain parabens due to their antimicrobial properties. However, these compounds are recognized as endocrine disruptors, meaning they can upset hormonal balance. Additionally, they are potential skin irritants. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid cosmetic products that list ingredients such as Butylparaben or Propylparaben on their INCI list.
It's worth noting that manufacturers have replaced these preservatives with other ingredients such as MCIT (methylchloroisothiazolinone) or MIT (methylisothiazolinone). However, when the skin is repeatedly exposed to the same substances, it can sometimes develop sensitivities to these compounds.
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