ATB Beauty Notes: Cosmetic Selection Criteria in Sensitive Skin Patients

Got sensitive skin? The cosmetic formulation book I'm reading suggests you keep the following in mind when purchasing products: (my comments in italics)


1. Powder cosmetics should be selected: makes sense, as it reduces the shelf life of products and also inihibits contaimination by microbes. The whole mineral makeup line also uses mostly powder based products. I guess lesser the water / liquid, lesser the preservative content.

2. Cosmetics should be water removable: Oil based cosmetics need careful removal, or else it can leave behind traces on the skin which causes clogging of pores. It is the cleansing to blame, not the product.

3. Old cosmetics should be discarded:
No brainer. Old = expired preservatives = microbes + ingredients that have decomposed/broken down into maybe noxious toxins

4. Eyeliner and mascara should be black: Colored pigments generally are known to cause eye irritation. Black eye makeup actually has the least amount of irritating pigment. The ones with the largest is actually liners with red or purple pigments. For example, I am able to wear MAC Teddy (brown) without any problem on my waterline, but when I tried MAC Prunella (purple), it stung my eyes.

5. Pencil formulations should be used for eyeliner and eyebrow cosmetics: I really don't know why they suggest this, I'm guessing pencil liners have lesser chemicals compared to liquid liners that may have waterproofing ingredients.

6. Eye shadows should be earth-toned (tan, beige, light pink, cream): Less pigment which can cause irritation

7. Avoid chemical sunscreens in cosmetic formulations: Chemical sunscreens have been proven to break down when exposed to sunlight, the break down products can cause allergies to flare up in sensitive skin. Physical sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium oxide) are much better, as they tend to sit on the surface of skin and don't penetrate to cause reactions, they are also much more stable.

8. Select cosmetic formulations with as few ingredients as possible: Kind of self-explanatory

9. Avoid nail polishes: I think it is very telling that nail polishes are in the avoid list. Nail paints are known to be the most toxic makeup products. So much so, that in certain regions in US, you cannot dispose them in the regular waste as they are classified as highly toxic for the environment. If you have to use nail paint, I'd say use transparent or very sheer ones.

10. Select cream/powder facial foundations or, if liquid, silicone-based formulations: Silicon can cause acne in some people, but it is also inert by nature and less likely to cause allergic or sensitive skin to flare up.

What are some things you keep in mind when shopping for sensitive skin?