Cosmetic ingredients to avoid when you have 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.

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 (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:

1. 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.

2. 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.