Are our cosmetics dangerous - part 2
An allergen is an agent that causes an allergy. Each cosmetic product has a formulation and may contain one or more allergens. To help you identify dangerous and harmful allergens on your cosmetics packaging, there is an "official" list of 26 allergens in Europe.
The list of allergens (INCI names):
Amyl Cinnamal - Benzyl Alcohol - Cinnamyl Alcohol - Citral - Eugenol - Hydroxycitronellal - Isoeugenol - Amylcinnamyl Alcohol - Benzyl Salicylate - Cinnamal - Coumarin - Geraniol - Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclo Hexene Carboxaldehyde - Anise Alcohol - Benzyl Cinnamate - Farnesol - Butylphenyl Methylpropional - Linalool - Benzyl Benzoate - Citronellol - Hexyl Cinnamal - Limonene - Methyl 2_Octynoate - Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone - Evernia Prunastri -Evernia Furfuracea
These 26 compounds, particularly present in essential oils, must appear in the list of ingredients (INCI list) as soon as they are present at more than 0.01% in rinse-off products and more than 0.001% in leave-on products.
Irritant substances
In addition to these allergens, other ingredients can cause skin irritation. Allergenic substances cause reactions in anyone who has developed an allergy to these ingredients. Conversely, irritants can cause redness and itching in any individual.
Among the irritants, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) have recently been recognized for their side effects. MIT is a new preservative used in cosmetics as a substitute for parabens (read our article on parabens to understand its dangers). MIT is not recommended because it causes many diseases such as eczema. Ammonium lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate are very good detergents with high foaming power. They are present in many hygiene and cosmetic products. They can have an irritating effect on the eyes and skin. They are likely to be contaminated by toxic ingredients, endocrine disruptors. They are capable of penetrating tissues and fixing residues in the areas of the heart, liver, lungs, and even the brain.
Advice: We advise you to remove any irritating substances from your cosmetics by checking the list of ingredients (full list in our article list of ingredients to avoid). If you have allergy symptoms, check that your products do not contain ingredients from the list of 26 allergens. If you have any doubt, do a test on your forearm before applying the cosmetic product to your skin to ensure that you are not allergic to any of the compounds.
Make the right choice when shopping for cosmetics...