Ingredient checker
Paste the ingredient list from a skincare label. We flag ingredients that dry or reactive skin may want to avoid, and say why.
Your results
Paste an ingredient list first, then choose Check ingredients.
These ingredients in your list matched. Each group says why, and the matching names are highlighted.
Added fragrance
Added fragrance can irritate dry or reactive skin and is a common trigger of contact reactions in some people.
Named fragrance allergens
EU rules require these scent compounds to be named on the label above a small amount because some people react to them.
Benzyl alcohol can be a preservative or part of a fragrance, so the label alone cannot tell which.
Essential oils
Essential oils add scent and contain fragrance compounds that can irritate reactive skin, even though they are natural.
Nut-derived oils and butters
These oils and butters come from nuts or tree seeds, so if you have a nut allergy, ask a clinician before using them.
Shea is a tree nut botanically but rarely causes an allergy; ask a clinician if you have a nut allergy.
Lanolin and derivatives
Lanolin comes from sheep’s wool and is a known contact allergen for some people.
Drying alcohol
Alcohol can dry the skin and sting dry or reactive skin, especially when it is near the start of the list.
Common preservative allergens
These preservatives are a known cause of allergic skin reactions in some people.
Patch-test new products. If you have a known allergy, or a rash that lasts, ask a clinician.
No ingredient in your list matched this checker’s list. That does not guarantee a product will suit you.
What this checker does not do
It matches names against a fixed list. It cannot read your skin, rate a product or say what caused a reaction. A flagged ingredient is not necessarily harmful, and one that is not flagged may still bother you.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Fragrances in cosmetics
- EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, including Annex III
- American Academy of Dermatology: Dermatologists’ tips to relieve dry skin
The groups above are our own plain-language summary of these sources, not a medical list.