Cosmetic ingredients to avoid when you have dry skin.

Synthetic fragrances can be triggering factors for irritant contact dermatitis, even if they represent a minuscule percentage of a product.Substances with aromatic or fragrant properties are thus considered as potential allergens. Moreover, the list of ingredients printed on a cosmetic product (INCI list) does not inform whether the manufacturer has used an essential oil, a synthetic substance or an isolated component to scent a formula. Consequently, all these active ingredients are subject to the same INCI denomination. For instance, geraniol and linalool are listed among the 26 allergens regulated by Europe. However, these synthetic compounds are more allergenic than those of natural origin.

Originally extracted from the bark of the willow tree, salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) known for its keratolytic and seboregulating properties. It is particularly recommended for the care of oily skin and for preventing or reducing all types of blemishes.

However, salicylic acid can be drying, so it should be avoided for dry skin types. These require more gentle exfoliation and hydration. You can then turn to treatments rich in lactic acid or PHA.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium lauryl sulphate (LSS) or sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), is apowerful detergentand asurfactant. It is found in household products for its excellentdegreasing powerbut also in hygiene products such as toothpastes, shampoos, shaving foams, soaps, etc... This foaming agent is today criticised for two main reasons:

1. Its irritating effect:

   Its detergent properties can be too strong for some sensitive and/or dry skin types, to the point of further drying them out. The SLS destroys the hydrolipidic film, which results in a feeling of tightness after cleansing. It also alters the proteins of the skin and ocular cell membranes, leading to irritations and redness. For this reason, shower gel and bath product manufacturers are using it less and less, preferring the ethoxylated version (SLES = sodium laureth sulfate), which is less abrasive, but its manufacturing process is highly polluting. It should be noted, however, that SLS is still permitted in organic products, while SLES is not.

2. Its polluting nature:
   SLS is also identified as a pollutant to the environment, animals, aquatic habitats, and even plants.REACH (European Regulation for ensuring the safe production and use of chemical substances) classifies this substance asecotoxic.

As a precautionary principle, Typology does not introduce sulfates into its cleansing products for the face and hair. Find here our blacklist of ingredients.