Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Along with the cold, dark and short days of winter comes dry, irritated and itchy skin. Dermatologists typically recommend over-the-counter moisturizers to help treat eczema, psoriasis, dry skin and various skin rashes. Especially this time of year, many dermatologists recommend moisturizing your skin regularly, sometimes twice a day or more. But did you know that the some common moisturizer ingredients can trigger allergies?
Am I Allergic to My Moisturizer?
Many people choose to buy hypoallergenic moisturizers, especially if they have sensitive skin or eczema. However, hypoallergenic does not mean that a product will not cause an allergy—only that it is less likely to cause an allergy. Hypoallergenic moisturizer ingredients can trigger allergies. Hypoallergenic moisturizers are not likely to cause an allergic reaction—but they can! With enough usage of a product, and with an underlying predisposition, some of us can develop an allergy to ingredients in our moisturizers.
Allergens in Moisturizers
The American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) is a good resource for people who have allergies and sensitivities. If you have allergies, they can help you locate a doctor in your area that specializes in finding out what moisturizer ingredients could trigger your allergies. Here is a list of common allergens (things that cause allergies) that the ACDS has identified.
How common are potential allergy causing ingredients in our moisturizers? The answer: Common! In this study published in the journal JAMA, the authors found that out of 153 moisturizing products, 43% contained 3 to 4 ingredients that could cause allergies, and 13% contained 5 or more ingredients that might cause allergies in some people!
What Moisturizer Ingredients Are Most Likely to Cause Allergies
There is a pretty lengthy list of ingredients in moisturizers that can cause allergies. A few common ones to look out for are:
- Fragrance mix
- Paraben mix
- Tocopherol
- Phenoxyethanol
- Propylene glycol
- Benzyl alcohol
- Lanolin
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Cocamide diethanolamine
You can see more potential allergens here.
What Moisturizers Should be Safe?
Keep in mind that nothing is a guarantee (except death and taxes!). But according to experts, the following moisturizers are much less likely to trigger an allergy in their users.
Organic Shea butter by Sky Organics
Castor Oil Skin Softener by Now Solutions
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream
Cheap Doesn’t Always Mean Bad
If you’re on a tighter budget, don’t feel like you have to pay a lot of money for a moisturizer that’s less likely to cause an allergy. Remember, product makers tend to jack up their prices when they add the words “hypoallergenic” or “dermatologist approved.” Check out this affordable shea butter from Smell Good African Shea butter. And don’t forget generations of our grandma’s and aunties weren’t wrong about Vaseline! Good old Vaseline can be a wonderful moisturizer and is unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. Cheap and effective!
