What are the key ingredients to make sure a skincare product does not have for sensitive skin.

[astrogirlbunny]

I often get recommended skincare products deemed perfect for sensitive skin yet still get reactions to many. Often will get what looks like a breakout (but it isn't actually acne, it's a skin reaction). Nude Skincare was one of the few my skin could handle but they are no more. What are key ingredients to make sure a skincare product does not have when choosing one for sensitive skin? Any and all information is appreciated. Thanks!

[tastelikewater]

I have mild subtype 1 rosacea and sensitivity with infrequent breakouts (normally I get irritation flares as opposed to acne), and I avoid: alcohol denat, fragrance, menthol, eucalyptus, SLS. It's a pain to comb through ingredients, but my skin is so much happier for it. If I'm ever in doubt about a product, I double-check it through a website like CosDNA or Skingredients. If there are too many ingredients rated medium-high as either comedogenic or irritating, then I skip it. Recently I've had a lot of success with the Youth to the People line. Good luck!

[Sansara]

@astrogirlbunny I have sensitive skin and from my experience ingredient number one to avoid is alcohol denat. Many products contain it. That’s reason I don’t like Shiseido, some Dior, many settings sprays are with alcohol etc. it is natural preservative, very common. Then fragrance and many natural essentials oils can sensitize your skin. That’s reason why I didn’t use Tata Harper. My favorite products are Malin +Goetz (they aren’t sold in Sephora). From what presented in Sephora maybe Youth to people might work. Then Chanel has face cream Solution 10, made for sensitive skin. Reviews are great and I have to try it. 

Another experience from my friends, it can be inflammation from dairy or gluten. Probably they aren’t so healthy as we think, but it’s just a theory. Hope this helps!

[astrogirlbunny]

Thank you! I didn't realize some of my favorite products contained those ingredients! That is frustrating but I'm glad I now know!

[happy79]

I had contact allergy testing done, best thing I ever did.   My skin finally stopped flaring up and all the money wasted at bad dermatologist saying I was hormonal and had adult acne was actually my skin reacting to all the chemicals I was putting on my skin.   It wasn't until a really bad flare up that a Derm finally realize I should be tested.   I have a lot of allergies and to be honest it is very specific what I might react to you verse what you might react to.

If insurance doesn't cover it I would suggest doing your own testing at home on your arm with your products to see if you breakout before putting it on your face.  And if you are having a breakout now then do elimination trial of all your products to see which one is causing it.

For big items I look out for in ingredients is Fragrance (none not even essential oils).   Safer brands are Urban Decay, Tarte, Clinique, Avene (French product), Kiehls.

[astrogirlbunny]

Wow. I didn't think about allergies. But makes sense. I did get full testing awhile back. I need to pull out those results though they are over ten years old. Thank you. You have given me a lot of useful information. Sorry for the delayed response. The Sephora app is pretty bad and makes it hard for me to follow even my own posts. I just realized I never saw all these replies.

[Anonymous]

Avoid lanolin

[astrogirlbunny]

Why is that? I thought it was good for skin? Sorry for the delayed response. The Sephora app is pretty bad and makes it hard for me to follow even my own posts. I just realized I never saw all these replies.

[skcfan]

@astrogirlbunny Unfortunately there isn't a list of ingredients. Typically products for sensitive skin shouldn't have fragrance added, but a lot of skincare is YMMV so it would be impossible to have a product that no one had an adverse reaction to.

I would recommend keeping a list of products you had some reaction to, and avoiding ingredients common to all/most of those products

[astrogirlbunny]

Thank you. That's a really good idea. Sorry for the delayed response. The Sephora app is pretty bad and makes it hard for me to follow even my own posts. I just realized I never saw all these replies.