Preservatives are almost indispensable in the world of cosmetics; without them, skincare and makeup products go bad quickly and can cause skin problems rather than alleviating them. Difficulty arises when a consumer develops an allergic reaction or skin sensitization whenever she uses products that contain practically ubiquitous ingredients such as preservatives.
Switching to preservative-free cosmetics is an option, but the necessitous frequent replacement of such products consumes both time and money. An innovative packaging system may help those with sensitive skin enjoy clear, soft skin and a healthier bank account to boot.
What is an Allergic Skin Reaction to Cosmetics?
An allergic skin reaction occurs when the body’s immune system decides to reject a foreign substance that has been placed anywhere on its surface. White blood cells called lymphocytes promptly release chemicals to fight off the foreign “invader.” The antibodies that result from this process unfortunately cause the skin to break out in a maddeningly itchy rash; swelling, blistering, and severe inflammation of the tissues may also occur.
Distressingly, such a reaction can happen even after many years of using a particular skin care or makeup product with no problems whatsoever. Individuals who have personal or family histories of allergies, including asthma and hay fever, are more likely to have sudden or frequent allergic reactions to cosmetic products.
Switching brands or discontinuing use of a new product is often helpful, especially for minor redness or irritation; but serious or persistent reactions merit dermatological care: A doctor can perform a series of patch tests to determine exactly which ingredient is the guilty party!
Skin Reactions and Allergies to Preservatives
Cosmetics are quite a common source of both allergic contact dermatitis or less serious simple skin irritation; fragrance and preservatives are often to blame in these cases. Fragrance is fairly easy to avoid nowadays, but preservatives are present in practically all products. Admittedly, preservatives in cosmetics are used in minuscule quantities; but some consumers are so sensitive to them that a very small amount ends up causing some very big skin problems, especially with repeated applications.
A group of chemicals called parabens are viciously vilified by the natural and organic cosmetic community; yet the latest studies show that they are metabolized very quickly, and do not seem to have any permanent negative side effects. Nonetheless, people can definitely become allergic to them, either immediately or over a long period of time; possibly because these chemicals are so commonly used in both foods and cosmetics. Using a variety of products that contain several different types of parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, etc.) may eventually lead to a paraben mix allergy.
Other preservatives such as benzoic acid, imidazolidinyl urea or eugenol may cause skin irritation. Some effective and safe microbial agents are only recommended for inclusion in rinse-off products. For example, both methylisothiazonlinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone may be seriously irritating or sensitizing if permitted to remain in contact with the skin.
Despite their drawbacks for some sensitive skin types, trying to avoid preservatives completely is difficult, and often leads to desperate overspending and waste of preservative-free or single-dose products that have a tendency to expire long before they are entirely used up.
Skin Care Packaging Solution for Sensitive Skin
Finally, a skin care company may have come up with an answer to the preservative-sensitive consumer’s dilemma. A company named Eau Thermale Avène has patented a container cap called D.E.F.I., which stands for “Device for Exclusive Formula Integrity.” This complicated cap actually has five separate components; cleansing lotion or moisturizing cream is passed through a fine membrane that closes back up once the desired amount of product is dispensed. The novel design keeps both airborne microbes and microorganisms lurking on the user’s fingers from contaminating the skin care products.
This unique system allows the products to remain fresh and contaminant-free until their containers are completely empty. The Eau Thermale cleansing lotion and cream are color- and fragrance-free as well as sans preservatives; the products contain a minimal amount of ingredients, making them excellent choices for delicate complexions that run the gamut from mildly irritated to allergic and hypersensitive. Expert dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann has pointed out that the Eau Thermale Avène Tolérance Extrême packaging is “ideal for sensitive skin.”
For consumers with the type of skin that seems to react to just about everything, the Eau Thermale Avène Tolérance Extrême Cleansing Lotion and Cream provide an excellent way to cleanse and moisturize without the worry of making their skin worse in an attempt to improve it.
Sources
- “Allergy to Parabens,” dermnetnz.org.
- Bark, Dr. Joseph P., Your Skin…An Owner’s Guide, Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.
- Begoun, Paula, “Parabens: Are They Really a Problem?” cosmeticscop.com.
- Novick, Dr. Nelson Lee, Saving Face, Los Angeles, CA: The Body Press, 1986.
- “Skin Care with Unique Delivery Systems,” New Beauty, Vol. 6, Issue 4, Fall-Winter 2010, p. 122.
- “Therapeutic Updates,” Practical Dermatology, May 2010.
- Trench, Brooke Le Poer, “The Big Breakthroughs,” Allure, Oct. 2010.
Dr. Baumann’s quote taken from Trench, at p. 166.
Amy Sillup - I have a B.S. in Chemistry from Delaware Valley College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. I have worked as a ...
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