How many of you Beauty Brains faithful have experienced some kind of temporary skin rash, reddening, or itchiness? That condition is known as allergic contact dermatitis and a recent study by the Mayo Clinic lists the top 10 ingredients that can cause this condition. The list includes metals, antibiotics, fragrance ingredients, and various preservatives. If you experience this condition the best solution is to avoid these ingredients!

Here they are in no particular order.

Top 10 Skin Irritants

1. Nickel (nickel sulfate hexahydrate): Found in jewelry or on your clothes.

2. Gold (gold sodium thiosulfate): Yes, the same stuff used to make jewelry.

3. Cobalt chloride: A metal used for many applications like medical products, hair dye, and antiperspirants to name a few.

4. Neomycin sulfate: An antibiotic used in various first aid creams. Less commonly used in cosmetics.

5. Bacitracin: Another antibiotic.

6. Thimerosal: An ingredient used in antiseptics and vaccines

7. Balsam of Peru (myroxylon pereirae): A natural fragrance ingredient derived from tree resin used in perfumes and skin lotions. Who said “natural” was better?

8. Fragrance mix: Common fragrance allergens found in cosmetic products. Manufacturers in the US must list this on the ingredient statements.

9. Formaldehyde: A much maligned preservative. You might remember the smell of this stuff from high school biology class.

10. Quaternium 15: Another preservative used in some cosmetic products.

The study was done using a method called patch testing in which human volunteers allow researchers to stick patches of these chemicals on their bodies for hours and days on end. For this the volunteers usually get paid about $50 bucks (US). Some people will do anything for a buck. Of course, I’ve personally participated in these kinds of studies purely for the advancement of science.

We here at the Beauty Brains are willing to suffer for our craft.