talkhealth forums

On behalf of Verity:

The skin on my face is very sensitive and I have been struggling to find suitable skin care products that my skin won't react to. I would like to know if products labelled hypoallergenic are safer for sensitive skin?

Dear Verity,

Many thanks for taking the time to post a question. Whilst the term "hypoallergenic" means the product is likely to cause few allergies than something without the label, this does not mean there is guarantee of this. This is mainly because there isn't technically a legally binding definition of the term in skincare.

If you notice you have sensitive skin, firstly I would recommend patch testing the product on either the skin behind your ear or the inner part of your forearm and look to see if you develop any irritation or redness in subsequent days before applying a new product all over your skin.

Secondly, you may find that your skin responds better to products that do not contain fragrance, essential oils (these are often heavily loaded with fragrances), alcohol, sodium lauryl sulphate, ammonium lauryl sulphate, methylisothiazolinone, camphor, and chemical based sunscreens (look for sunscreens that contain minerals such as zinc and titanium instead).

Thirdly, be very cautious using anti-aging type products that contain retinoids and hydroxyacids as these can also cause sensitivity and irritation.

I hope this helps as a starting point!

Best wishes,

Anjali