Still, you have a slightly less chance of developing an irritation when you use these products than
those with a full-strength fragrance and preservatives occupying the whole ingredients list.
Sometimes you may develop a reaction to a specific ingredient that haunts you even if you stop
using a suspected product and buy a similar one from another brand. You may even show symptoms
of skin allergy to a product you have used for years. This happens because of a well-known
synergism effect: two chemicals are working together to produce a stronger effect than they normally
would when used separately. In addition, the chemical balance of the human body constantly changes.
Our skin starts to produce more oil or loses water; our blood becomes more or less acidic; we
develop invisible skin conditions that make our skin react in a different way to a chemical that was
once safe and gentle.
“I am not allergic to synthetic chemicals because I am unhealthy,” said Aubrey Hampton, creator of
Aubrey Organics, in his book Natural Organic Skin and Hair Care. “I am allergic to synthetic
chemicals because I am healthy. Your body is natural, and if your immune system is doing a good job,
it will attempt to reject chemical allergens” (Organica Press, 1987).
what
science
says
Fragrances, formaldehyde, and other preservatives used in cosmetics are among the most common
allergens causing contact allergic dermatitis (Diepgen, Weis-shaar 2007). And new allergens are
uncovered daily. One such emerging cosmetic allergen is dicaprylyl maleate, an inexpensive synthetic
emollient that has been rarely reported as a cause of allergic contact dermatitis. Now scientists have
confirmed that this common cosmetic ingredient causes skin irritation in most of the participants of a
recent European study (Lotery et al. 2007).
Natural beauty products are not a panacea for allergy sufferers. Many people are allergic to
essential oils, especially those of peppermint, orange, and lemon. Tea tree oil, when it oxidizes in a
cosmetic product, is capable of causing an irritation, which is especially annoying since tea tree oil is
often used to treat acne. Lanolin, derived from sheep’s wool, is a known allergen. Trace amounts of
honey and propolis can cause a reaction in those allergic to pollen, and a newly found allergen,
hyaluronic acid, once thought to be completely safe, is known to consistently cause an inflammatory
reaction based on recent studies (Bisaccia et al. 2007; Alijotas-Reig, Garcia-Gimenez 2008).
Advocates of synthetic skin care rejoice at such news. “Citrus often shows up in skin-care
products, but most of us have gotten lemon or lime juice on a slight cut while cooking and know it
burns like crazy because it’s irritating to the skin,” Paula Begoun wrote in her book The Beauty Bible
(2002), which is filled to the brim with praise for mineral oil, isotretinoin, dishwasher liquids-cum-
facial-cleansers, and laser surgeries when everything else fails. Well, I cannot imagine that a sane
person would think of applying undiluted lemon juice to the skin or rubbing the open wound with
poison ivy. It is simply stupid! To please her supporters in the chemical industry, Begoun continues,
“Hanging on the notion that ‘natural’ equals good skin care or better makeup products will waste your
money and probably hurt your skin.... For many women, it’s hard to resist the pressure to believe
the lie about natural products being good for skin.... The notion that natural ingredients are better
than synthetic ingredients is even more distressing because it just isn’t true.”
Criticizing natural cosmetics because poison ivy stings is the same as criticizing the use of water