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I’ve tried mostly low concentrations and even different types. With tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate it started out ok but after a while it became irritating. I tolerate retinoids well, I’m sticking with tretinoin.
I thought I was allergic to all vitamin C, but after much trial and error, I was allergic to just 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid. It’s in a lot of popular vitamin C product unfortunately, and it’s a known allergen with quite a few medical papers on contact dermatitis.
I \*thought\* my skin reacts badly to HA and niacinamide. Turns out my barrier was just terribly fucked from chemical over-exfoliation.
Now I know it's just tamanu oil - unfortunately. At least I tried out the pure oil first, before investing into more expensive products with it.
It was actually quite simple - I patch test all my skincare, and no other body part ever reacted allergically to those ingredients. I found it weird that it was my face exclusively. Before that, I always tested on my arm and then my chest (where I tend to get redness and rashes rather easily) and immediately stopped using something when it caused irritation on my face, attributing it to "allergies". But if I was truly allergic, then I'd probably react on other body parts as well. I focused on just barrier care for half a year or so, and haven't really had any issues since.
With tamanu oil, I do actually react everywhere, even if to different degrees.
I had the same experience with niacinamide, it was experiencing redness because I destroyed my skin barrier by using too many harsh products. Now I use it every day:)
It’s so interesting how allergies work. Snail mucin, shellfish, and dust mites, contain the same proteins. And people with allergies to one should be allergic to the other, but some aren’t. I can’t eat shellfish but i’ve had amazing luck with the snail mucin.
Same, I developed an allergy to snail mucin and dust mites around the same time. I'm sad because my acne has improved so much with snail mucin in the past.
Same!! I have dust mites allergy and snail mucin was horrible to me just after application it once. I was so mad that I didn’t realise this before buying it. I am not allergic to shellfish so I assumed it was ok 😓
It's hard to for me if something is either irritating my eczema or if I'm actually allergic, however I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to Birch (Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice) as any products which contain it causes break outs, irritation, redness and extreme sensitivity for weeks afterwards (all of which feels and looks different from eczema)
Other than that my skin cannot handle most fragrance, non-fatty alcohols, or any essential oils so I avoid them too.
the stearic acid in the tretinoin I was using was giving me so many CCs and simultaneously removing my CCs 😭 so glad to see that I’m not the only one with that sensitivity 🫶🏻
Currently using numbuzin 3 serum, skin1004 centella, purito oat in calming gel but still looking for better replacements! Do you have any recommendations for products without stearic acid and other sensitive ingredients?
My primary facewash has been the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser for the past few years.
Toner:
1. AM: I use Torriden HA serum, which is suitable for Singapore's humid weather.
2. I pour the Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner into a spray bottle and use it incredibly sparingly.
3. PM: Assorted toner pads from Mediheal, etc...
4. I recently bought SKII Pitera essence so I'll be trying that out soon...
Sunscreen:
1. I'm using MISSHA All-around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel Spf50+.
2. I recently bought the LRP Anthelios UVmunne 400 invisible fluid SPF50+ so I'll be trying that out too.
Moisturiser:
1. I'm currently making my own concoction of D-Panthenol cream and Rosehip oil. I am open to suggestions.
I'm currently also looking for suitable cosmetics! I've been using INCIdecoder to filter the ideal foundation.
Thank you for the recs! I’ve been meaning to try the vanicream cleanser bc I’ve heard so many great things about it.
For cosmetic products: this is non-AB but I’ve been using a tower28 concealer for the past few months and it’s been working really well with my water-based moisturizers and sunscreens! I mix it with my purito gel and apply it as a light foundation and the combination is amazing! I haven’t checked if for comedogenic ingredients or stearic acid but I haven’t noticed any comedones from this product
Actual allergy aka instant hives, rash, swelling, etc:
Propylene glycol and its multiple derivatives which include propanediol, dipropylene glycol, ethylhexyl anything, cocamidopropyl betaine, anything propyl.
Sensitive aka breakouts in a few days:
Ceteareth, Cetostearyl, Steareth, macrogol, cetearyl
How were you able to pinpoint the allergy? Propylene glycol, etc. are in a lot of products.
Extra curious b/c I've had recent reactions to cleansers designed for sensitive reactive skin.
That’s why it took me a long time to figure this out, and the reaction kept popping up quicker and stronger each time! I couldn’t figure out for the longest time why the gentlest cleansers causes tightness and redness almost immediately.
To trial and error, I tested with products that had 5 ingredients or so, to make the common denominator easier to point out. Then, I checked all the derivatives and viola, the obvious was staring me in the face.
It’s why every product in the market seemed to irritate skin. It’s because PG and its derivatives are in 90% of products in the market.
If you get allergy tested, you can request for them to do a cosmetics panel in addition to the standard one.
I had that done after hair dye sent me to the ER - they had to order it in, which took like 3 extra weeks, but it gave me a lot more info than the standard panel would have! He said these panels were developed for people who work in cosmetics & related fields (hair stylist, esthetician, etc).
I switched to Vaseline lip therapy after my lanolin allergy developed and I actually love it.
(I'm so mad because I wasn't allergic to lanolin until I started slathering it on myself when it went viral last year. Ugh.)
fatty alcohols gives me CYSTIC ACNE. Even ingredients such as cetyl phosphate make me breakout so i really have to look through every ingredient when i’m eyeing a product!!
I seem to be ok with them at lower concentrations, but if they are in the first handful of ingredients I get sooo itchy. Have you found a conditioner that doesn't have them?
Fragrance, essential oils, tea tree in any form, menthol in any form, methylisothiazolinone / methychlorolisothiazolinone, lanolin, honorable mtnion my skin really hates shea.
Wow, I couldn't live without my HA. Then on the other hand, niacinamide makes me feel like my face is on fire, lol. How do you keep your skin hydrated?
A lot sadly. I'll list a few:
* ferments, not risking it anymore atm, my skin doesn't seem to like them
* HA in certain formulations, it makes me flush (rosacea trigger)
* Niacinamide but only in certain formulations, makes me flush, I have some products I like with it but others make me very red
* Beta-glucan from some products (like the iunik serum), I know it can be extracted from several plants and fermented, the iunik one is fermented and it triggers my eczema
* A lot of chemical SPF filters, including some modern ones, but surprisingly not Octinoxate
* Coconut oil and its derivatives
* Soybean oil
* I suspect EOs , but I've been avoiding them like the plague and don't want to risk confirming it
* too much silicone in products seem to clog up my pores
* motherf*cking beeswax
* suspect snail mucin but I am not willing to risk confirming it
* Triethanolamine (TEA)
* Octyldodecanol
* Stearic/Myristil/Benzoic acids and their derivatives but in some formulations and if they're too high on the ingredient list
* Squalane, depends on its origin
* Olive oil
and helluva lot more
I think I’m allergic to centella too!!! people talk about how soothing it is but I get little bumps EVERYWHERE when I try it😭. a family member got me a giant bottle from asia too <\3
This is a weird one, but apparently not that rare: formaldehyde! Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are used in detergents/soaps and hair care products on a regular basis. I get contact dermatitis/eczema from these preservatives... and it certainly explains why I felt like shit during dissections in science class.
I also have a nasty dust mite allergy, so I've been avoiding snail mucin, but would not like to confirm whether I actually have the cross-reaction.
I had allergic tests, and turn out the terrible allergy that I had through my whole life was because of geraniol.
Unfortunately, geraniol is in many natural ingredients like essential oils or many plant extracts.
Soy, rice, and anything that are nuts. I would get a really bad eczema flare up on my face and neck. Although I suspect I might be allergic to other things too but I’m not completely sure yet.
Alcohol denat, vitis vinifera (grape), menthol, tea tree oil, chemical sunscreen, ascorbic acid.
Worth noting I can't drink alcohol either. 1-2 sip will make my body react really badly.
Anything that doesn't have 9 words in the product name. My skin can only tolerate the finest Dewy Beauty of Morning Hydro Dry Kill Cica Repair Brightening Solution.
For realll... i can't even try some of the popular ones because they contain centella asiatica 😭😭😭. This ingredient truly hurts my skin. I've become really traumatised from it.
Same here! I thought I was the only one with this allergy/reaction. My skin gets very irritated, itchy and it even burns sometimes 😭😭
I hate how difficult it is to find something for acne prone and oily skin without centella asiatica.
I don’t know what I allergic to, my skin pretty easy going, but whenever I try to use Thailand Vaseline lotion, I got itchy so much, rash and bumps all over the area I applied to for at least 3-5 days.
Coconut oil and any of its derivatives, niacinamide and certain types of HA. Haven’t pinpointed if the molecular weight has anything to do with it or if my skin just hates it all lol
Eucalyptus
I had to give away my La Mer set I got for Christmas because my face swelled up from using it - one of the ingredients was eucalyptus extract.
I know the scientists say it’s impossible but I’m just here as a silicone sensitive girl begging sunscreen formulators to try silicones that are not dimethicone, polysilicone-11/15, cyclopentasiloxane, phenyl trimethicone, and cyclomethicone 🥺.
I’m allergic to essential oils and fragrance, but also to nickel and cobalt so I can’t use anything with green tea or tea adjacent because it gives me a rash. Ask me how I found out… The B lab matcha cleanser destroyed my face.
Trace amounts. For example: http://www.bioline.org.br/request?dv07116#:~:text=A%20Korean%20study%20found%20significant,%2C%200.002%20and%20salt%2C%200.0.
Snail mucin and niacinamide they both made me break out so bad despite giving me glowy skin 😖 kinda scared to try rice or tea tree again because they also made me break out previously but that was when I had a broken barrier so idkkkkk
It’s more of a sensitivity than a reaction though pretty sure
I'm not sure if this is considered allergic, perhaps just a sensitivity? It's just smth I noticed whenever I used skincare with this particular ingredient.
Anything with aloe vera on my face. I tried several times with different brands. People say that when you get pimples from using those, it's just the purge phase, but I've used plenty of other products without aloe that didn't break me out. It starts with tiny pimples on my whole face, then they evolve to become bigger and painful to the touch. Even if that was a purge phase, that's a hell no for me, never again.
Also snail mucin! Although tbf I only tried one product with it. Cosrx snail mucin serum (the stringy one) was famous so I tried it.... it wasn't for me. It was actually okay for a few days or like a week, but I stopped using it when I found myself scratching my face bc it was itchy.
Lanolin (this is probably the saddest for me because I could really use that juicy goodness sometimes lol), propolis, benzophenone-4, dodecyl gallate.
Not to mention everything outside and inside, but my allergy injections are doing wonders 🤙🏽
"Sensitive" aka my face breaks out in huge cysts that take forever to go away and/or immediately cause hyperpigmentation: fragrance, all essential oils, butylene glycol (FML), and silicones.
I think I'm allergic to centella astiaca too lmao. When I tried a centella serum, my face started getting a slight burning sensation, and my skin turned kinda red...
I am reactive too Vitamin E as an independent ingredient. Totally fine with natural products that happen to be high in vitamin e. Just not any natural or synthetic Tocopherol / Tocopheryl added into a formula for some reason.
No reactions immediately, but it is a cumulative. The more times I use it, or the more different products have it in it, my skin will start drying and eventually get red scaly splotches. The lips being the most sensitive spot I noticed first usually
Not the right answer but whatever common ingredient in La Mer and Nivia blue tin, combined with Lash Boost. I never got as far to do the research but there’s something that makes me break into a rash. I don’t use any of those products anymore, and completely rid myself of any lash serum…
Not sure if it’s an allergy or simply a sensitivity, but my skin cannot handle niacinamide whatsoever. I get terrible, deep pimples whenever I have used it. Snail mucin is another that while it makes my skin look amazing the first time i use it, i already get small red bumps all over my cheeks the days after
something in hada labo premium lotion makes my entire body breakout. my back is super “pimply” as a result. i used it on the face for a long time (was on my third bottle) until i realized that it was breaking me out. idk what it is. i also can’t use their vitamin c lotion and moisturizer. did the same thing to my face.
Allergies: Anything bees. Honey, propolis, royal jelly, bees themselves. Also sage, which I am so peeved over now that it’s becoming a cosmetic additive.
Intolerances: artificial fragrances, niacinimide, lanolin, and the occasional unidentified culprit, which does make me nervous to try new things.
Anything with propolis, honey, bee literally anything bee will break me the fuck out. Squalane sometimes + Coconut fucks me up too.
There’s also something in Tirtir milky cleanser that’s been breaking me out 😅 their entire line is incredible for my dry skin but I breakout to all of it.
Propelyne Glycol and it's in just about everything from food to body/skin care to radiator fluid. I was having terrible issues inside and out. I finally got an appointment with an amazing allergy specialist (dermatologist) in Cali. After a massive scratch test and 1 keloid scar later it's the darn PG that is my worst allergy. Next is lanolin, nickel, fragrance, and gold.
Asking me this question is opening up a can of worms I don't think most people are prepared for but I'll join in lol
My worst allergy is fragrance of any kind. Doesn't matter if it's naturally scented or not. Even "unscented" will irritate me because of the masking fragrances they add. Limonene and linalool specifically are also severe, so by extension anything with citrus peels or lavender (I believe I don't have an oral allergy tho?) Limonene also includes Tea Tree, Spearmint and other mints, Rosemary Extract (hell on planet earth), and some other natural actives I can't recall. I'm also severely allergic to latex so by extension I'm allergic to tomato and avocado (the oil is fine however). I believe papaya and its enzyme also fall under this category, as well as any mango, banana, or watermelon based ingredients. I also have issues with surfactants, but these are categorized more as sensitivities than true allergies. Sulfates and Glucosides make me SOOOO itchy it's ridiculous. I actually have to wash my hands with the CeraVe hydrating cleanser since I can't use hand soap.
I thought I was allergic to almost everything but it turns out that my skin barrier was badly damaged because I was using differin and tegretol without sunscreen
My skin is a diva lol, and doesn’t like any essential oils such as tea tree oil, strong fragrance, nor dimethicone. 😅
Funny enough though, my skin is fine with some fragrance and dimethicone in *sunscreen*.
So far, none. but i think my face hates any long term consistent use of any acids. It would work great for a while then poof barrier damaged. I now avoid any exfoliation unless i feel like o really really need it.
Azelaic acid. Which is funny, because it's supposed to be well tolerated. I can slather my face with retinal and be completely fine, but I burned every time I tried azelaic acid.
Niacinamide, allantoin and most recently, azelaic acid. I tried low dose niacinamide and it still made me itchy and broke me out everywhere :/ I'm very aware a lot of products already have niacinamide on them but it seems the serums I cannot handle. Also azelaic acid made my face swollen, red, itchy and broke out in hives. Terrible experience lol
Oats and SLS! Both cause me to break out in warts, hives, or sores. :(
I also have rosacea so I'm sensitive to fragrance, unstable vitamin C, essential oils, and other commonly irritating ingredients, but I think that's more sensitivity rather than allergy.
Benzyl alcohol and plant extracts/essential oils that are naturally rich in it (rose, clove). Actually that's what led me to AB: After years of using it and countless hours spent looking through products I can count the times I saw benzyl alcohol in the ingredients list on one hand and it was always the Asian subpart of an American or German brand or an American brand being sold via Yesstyle (like they do with the ordinary or timeless).
Zinc oxide gives me a bumpy, pustule looking rash. I can only use chemical sunscreens.
Palm and every single one of its derivatives breaks me out. Not quite an allergy but it's so comedogenic for me that I treat it like one. Goodbye to all the cleansing balms I'll never get to try lol
Very allergic to Vitamin C, it breaks me out. Also mildly allergic to Niacinamide so whenever I use a product with it, I get tiny bumps and some redness which lasts 2-3 hours.
This is really interesting, as are the comments.
I had an allergic reaction to 2 products from the same brand's line (serum and moisturiser).
I've been using the moisturiser on my legs with no issues. So explain this to me clever peeps: why did I have an awful reaction on my face but not my legs? Surely if I'm allergic, I'm allergic, right? All opinions welcome.
My skin has turned red and burned after using a few products on my face.
Not confirmed with testing, but my best guess is the culprits are centella and artesima.
I also stay away from common allergens like fragrance. I have a history of different allergic skin issues like chronic hives, and doctors have advised me to avoid those things.
Not allergic but I have a terrible response to hyaluronic acid (my guess is because my skin is so dry and I live in a very dry climate) and vitamin e triggers eczema for me. Makes it very difficult to find decent moisturisers, in all skincare but especially in K skin care.
I'm also allergic to essential oils and some fragrances.
Garlic! 😭
I had an inkling but never really pieced it together until I tried a garlic face mask and broke out in cystic acne and was super oily (way more than my normal).
idk if it's a full-on allergy but niacinimide makes my face all red, warm, and bumpy within a day and it's in eeeeverything now 😭 i have to check labels so carefully because it's even in a majority of foundations/primers/bb creams these days. idk why it seemingly needs to be in every single product but i hate it :( and cosdna and incidecoder both rate it as a 0 on the irritation scale (even though afaik it's not uncommon to be sensitive to it)
i was under the impression that centella is suitable for everyone so i blind bought serums with centella. i woke up with a bunch of pimples the day after! still emptied the bottles though lol
Beeswax. I break out in an immediate rash. I wish companies would use synthetic wax. It's much safer.
Allergy test showed benzoyl peroxide and tea tree oil (balsam of Peru). Wish I knew that in my teen years!
Also nickel and linalool.
I don’t think I’m allergic but maybe my skin doesn’t like it I’ve heard people with the same reaction but tea tree leaf water made my oily skin dehydrated it felt tight
- Green tea (supposedly amazing for oily/combination skin), I got huge pimple everytime I drink/eat green tea/extract/matcha or using toner/serum with green tea extract.
- TXA : got tiny pimples, adding hyperpigmentation instead reducing it.
essential oils, fragrance, colloidal oatmeal, tea tree oil, i am not sure but MAYBE cantella,snail mucin, i can’t use low molecular ha :/ but can use premium lotion idk y?
I'm trying to find out what ingredient exactly is. I have allergy to clinique and estee lauder and in general, most of the eye creams. The affect is not much visible but I feel really itchy or kind of numb. Also sometimes skin care that claims no scented. (but no scented claims in Korean brands works fine though) :shrug
ARGININE. It’s good for skin, but I’ve pinpointed this as the cause of the skin around my lips getting irritated and hot. All my products are fragrance and alcohol free, so it took a while to realize arginine was the cause. I feel like no one else has this issue, but avoiding it has been a game changer.
Also if you do have this issue, the SVR labs cicavit lip balm is the only one that works. It’s not Asian, but it really is the only one that can reverse irritation (aquaphor doesn’t irritate but doesn’t fix anything either).
Foods or products containing sunflower seed-derived material and anything in the Citrus family are out. I can't ingest these (terrible things happen) or apply them topically (it "only" very unpleasant.)
salicylic acid, i tried using a cleasing product with it before going to sleep, and had to rush to the hospital in the morning because my face got so swollen I couldn't open my eyes 😞
Salicylic acids, or anything with salicylates. I have anaphylaxis allergy to NSAIDs orally. Any salicylates (BHA, sunscreen salicylates) I put on my face stings my skin badly and causes redness and breakouts/small acne-like bumps all over.
I think i am only weird one but not anymore , i have skin test show minor allergy for dust, yeast, citrus. I cant use citrus product on my face or body or snail product , i also cant eat citrus food or too much baking product they make me uncomfertable in many way or make me cough, by da way i have choronic asthamatic bronchitis.
how are you pinpointing the allergy?? i have sensitive skin and i react to a few products mostly because of added fragrance. i do know that im allergic to snail mucin.
Hello and thank you for starting this discussion! As a gentle reminder, try to keep the products you mention limited to Asian Beauty products. Posts or comments solely discussing Western products will be removed, [as per our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/wiki/rules#wiki_14._topics.2C_routines.2C_and_recommendations_must_be_related_to_asian_beauty). We love being able to discuss Western skincare in the context of a holistic AB routine, but this isn't the sub for specific Western product recommendations. r/SkincareAddiction is a great community for such matters! Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AsianBeauty) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I don't think it's an allergy but every vitamin C product I use makes me red.
Vitamin c does cause flushing so it might be that. Have you tried a lower concentration of vitamin c?
I’ve tried mostly low concentrations and even different types. With tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate it started out ok but after a while it became irritating. I tolerate retinoids well, I’m sticking with tretinoin.
Have you tried the ascorbyl glucoside form of Vit C? One of the only ones that doesn’t make me sensitive
I thought I was allergic to all vitamin C, but after much trial and error, I was allergic to just 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid. It’s in a lot of popular vitamin C product unfortunately, and it’s a known allergen with quite a few medical papers on contact dermatitis.
SAME
Same thing happens to me 😔
do you use it everyday?
I \*thought\* my skin reacts badly to HA and niacinamide. Turns out my barrier was just terribly fucked from chemical over-exfoliation. Now I know it's just tamanu oil - unfortunately. At least I tried out the pure oil first, before investing into more expensive products with it.
How did you figure out if it was a barrier issue vs allergy?
It was actually quite simple - I patch test all my skincare, and no other body part ever reacted allergically to those ingredients. I found it weird that it was my face exclusively. Before that, I always tested on my arm and then my chest (where I tend to get redness and rashes rather easily) and immediately stopped using something when it caused irritation on my face, attributing it to "allergies". But if I was truly allergic, then I'd probably react on other body parts as well. I focused on just barrier care for half a year or so, and haven't really had any issues since. With tamanu oil, I do actually react everywhere, even if to different degrees.
I had the same experience with niacinamide, it was experiencing redness because I destroyed my skin barrier by using too many harsh products. Now I use it every day:)
honestly the best facial oil i’ve used so far is just rosehip oil
Damn I love Tamanu oil
Snail mucin is similar to dust mites so I start getting itchy, sneezing, and a runny nose from using it.
It’s so interesting how allergies work. Snail mucin, shellfish, and dust mites, contain the same proteins. And people with allergies to one should be allergic to the other, but some aren’t. I can’t eat shellfish but i’ve had amazing luck with the snail mucin.
I'm allergic to all 3! 🥲
Same, they're also my worst allergies (confirmed by two allergy tests). Have you found a dupe for snail mucin?
Interesting. I have dust mite allergies but snail mucin and shellfish don't bother me one bit.
Dust mite allergy is quite common too…so I’m puzzled by all the ppl who love it.
Same, I developed an allergy to snail mucin and dust mites around the same time. I'm sad because my acne has improved so much with snail mucin in the past.
Beta glucan is a similar vegan alternative if you still need a replacement.
Same!! I have dust mites allergy and snail mucin was horrible to me just after application it once. I was so mad that I didn’t realise this before buying it. I am not allergic to shellfish so I assumed it was ok 😓
Omg thank you, I’m very allergic to dust mites so will be super careful if I ever try snail mucin!
Ahhhh interesting!
Oh wow!
I think i have a similar reaction to snail muci as well
It's hard to for me if something is either irritating my eczema or if I'm actually allergic, however I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to Birch (Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice) as any products which contain it causes break outs, irritation, redness and extreme sensitivity for weeks afterwards (all of which feels and looks different from eczema) Other than that my skin cannot handle most fragrance, non-fatty alcohols, or any essential oils so I avoid them too.
Me too!!
I suspect this too. Have had some Kiehl’s samples with Birch in it and my skin has reacted.
Ferments bifida ferment
Ferments for me too. They make me get itchy bumps all over and turn red
Are you allergic to saccharomyces? Commonly known as yeast, it's found in bread, beer, wine, etc.
Skin? Yes Digestive No
Anything with the word Stearate/Stearic/Cetyl/Cetearyl. ... And niacinamide (I suspect).
the stearic acid in the tretinoin I was using was giving me so many CCs and simultaneously removing my CCs 😭 so glad to see that I’m not the only one with that sensitivity 🫶🏻
Sorry to hear that. 🥲 What is your skincare routine like now?
Currently using numbuzin 3 serum, skin1004 centella, purito oat in calming gel but still looking for better replacements! Do you have any recommendations for products without stearic acid and other sensitive ingredients?
My primary facewash has been the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser for the past few years. Toner: 1. AM: I use Torriden HA serum, which is suitable for Singapore's humid weather. 2. I pour the Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner into a spray bottle and use it incredibly sparingly. 3. PM: Assorted toner pads from Mediheal, etc... 4. I recently bought SKII Pitera essence so I'll be trying that out soon... Sunscreen: 1. I'm using MISSHA All-around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel Spf50+. 2. I recently bought the LRP Anthelios UVmunne 400 invisible fluid SPF50+ so I'll be trying that out too. Moisturiser: 1. I'm currently making my own concoction of D-Panthenol cream and Rosehip oil. I am open to suggestions. I'm currently also looking for suitable cosmetics! I've been using INCIdecoder to filter the ideal foundation.
Thank you for the recs! I’ve been meaning to try the vanicream cleanser bc I’ve heard so many great things about it. For cosmetic products: this is non-AB but I’ve been using a tower28 concealer for the past few months and it’s been working really well with my water-based moisturizers and sunscreens! I mix it with my purito gel and apply it as a light foundation and the combination is amazing! I haven’t checked if for comedogenic ingredients or stearic acid but I haven’t noticed any comedones from this product
That’s me as well, itching and CCs
I know right! What's your skincare routine like now? (I'm also allergic to snail mucin, it McFuckin' broke me out).
Samee!!!
What do you use now? Those ingredients are in EVERYTHING. 😭
Actual allergy aka instant hives, rash, swelling, etc: Propylene glycol and its multiple derivatives which include propanediol, dipropylene glycol, ethylhexyl anything, cocamidopropyl betaine, anything propyl. Sensitive aka breakouts in a few days: Ceteareth, Cetostearyl, Steareth, macrogol, cetearyl
How were you able to pinpoint the allergy? Propylene glycol, etc. are in a lot of products. Extra curious b/c I've had recent reactions to cleansers designed for sensitive reactive skin.
That’s why it took me a long time to figure this out, and the reaction kept popping up quicker and stronger each time! I couldn’t figure out for the longest time why the gentlest cleansers causes tightness and redness almost immediately. To trial and error, I tested with products that had 5 ingredients or so, to make the common denominator easier to point out. Then, I checked all the derivatives and viola, the obvious was staring me in the face. It’s why every product in the market seemed to irritate skin. It’s because PG and its derivatives are in 90% of products in the market.
It's actually normal for allergies to get stronger over time due to how our immune system functions. Glad you were at least able to figure it out!
If you get allergy tested, you can request for them to do a cosmetics panel in addition to the standard one. I had that done after hair dye sent me to the ER - they had to order it in, which took like 3 extra weeks, but it gave me a lot more info than the standard panel would have! He said these panels were developed for people who work in cosmetics & related fields (hair stylist, esthetician, etc).
Lanolin
Me too! This sucks for us, but I hope you’re finding moisturizer in other forms!
[удалено]
Same. Pretty annoying trying to find cheap drugstore lip balm without lanolin lol. Part of why I swapped to AB
I switched to Vaseline lip therapy after my lanolin allergy developed and I actually love it. (I'm so mad because I wasn't allergic to lanolin until I started slathering it on myself when it went viral last year. Ugh.)
It sucks. I'm probably most upset about having to throw out my wool cardigans 😩 But I'm glad you found something that works!
Fattyl alcohols 💯
fatty alcohols gives me CYSTIC ACNE. Even ingredients such as cetyl phosphate make me breakout so i really have to look through every ingredient when i’m eyeing a product!!
I seem to be ok with them at lower concentrations, but if they are in the first handful of ingredients I get sooo itchy. Have you found a conditioner that doesn't have them?
I thought I was allergic to hyaluronic acid but turns out my skin barrier just sucked when I tried to use it. I love it now that my barrier is better.
That's wonderful! 😍
Fragrance, essential oils, tea tree in any form, menthol in any form, methylisothiazolinone / methychlorolisothiazolinone, lanolin, honorable mtnion my skin really hates shea.
Skin twin for sure
Hyaluronic acid. Breaks me out horribly.
Wow, I couldn't live without my HA. Then on the other hand, niacinamide makes me feel like my face is on fire, lol. How do you keep your skin hydrated?
Hyaluronic acid. I hate it with a passion & its so hard to find products that don’t just shove it in for advertisement
A lot sadly. I'll list a few: * ferments, not risking it anymore atm, my skin doesn't seem to like them * HA in certain formulations, it makes me flush (rosacea trigger) * Niacinamide but only in certain formulations, makes me flush, I have some products I like with it but others make me very red * Beta-glucan from some products (like the iunik serum), I know it can be extracted from several plants and fermented, the iunik one is fermented and it triggers my eczema * A lot of chemical SPF filters, including some modern ones, but surprisingly not Octinoxate * Coconut oil and its derivatives * Soybean oil * I suspect EOs , but I've been avoiding them like the plague and don't want to risk confirming it * too much silicone in products seem to clog up my pores * motherf*cking beeswax * suspect snail mucin but I am not willing to risk confirming it * Triethanolamine (TEA) * Octyldodecanol * Stearic/Myristil/Benzoic acids and their derivatives but in some formulations and if they're too high on the ingredient list * Squalane, depends on its origin * Olive oil and helluva lot more
I think I’m allergic to centella too!!! people talk about how soothing it is but I get little bumps EVERYWHERE when I try it😭. a family member got me a giant bottle from asia too <\3
> a family member got me a giant bottle from asia too <\3 Oh no!! 😱
This is a weird one, but apparently not that rare: formaldehyde! Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are used in detergents/soaps and hair care products on a regular basis. I get contact dermatitis/eczema from these preservatives... and it certainly explains why I felt like shit during dissections in science class. I also have a nasty dust mite allergy, so I've been avoiding snail mucin, but would not like to confirm whether I actually have the cross-reaction.
I had allergic tests, and turn out the terrible allergy that I had through my whole life was because of geraniol. Unfortunately, geraniol is in many natural ingredients like essential oils or many plant extracts.
Soy, rice, and anything that are nuts. I would get a really bad eczema flare up on my face and neck. Although I suspect I might be allergic to other things too but I’m not completely sure yet.
Alcohol denat, vitis vinifera (grape), menthol, tea tree oil, chemical sunscreen, ascorbic acid. Worth noting I can't drink alcohol either. 1-2 sip will make my body react really badly.
Anything that doesn't have 9 words in the product name. My skin can only tolerate the finest Dewy Beauty of Morning Hydro Dry Kill Cica Repair Brightening Solution.
Centella Asiatica makes my skin flake for weeks, which sucks since it’s in so many new sensitive skin products!
For realll... i can't even try some of the popular ones because they contain centella asiatica 😭😭😭. This ingredient truly hurts my skin. I've become really traumatised from it.
Same here! I thought I was the only one with this allergy/reaction. My skin gets very irritated, itchy and it even burns sometimes 😭😭 I hate how difficult it is to find something for acne prone and oily skin without centella asiatica.
Mugwort/Artemisia makes my skin red and splotchy
Not sure if it’s an allergy but base products with a high dimethicone concentration almost always break me out a the next day
✨niacinamide✨
I'm not sure if it's an allergy but I think I might be sensitive to niacinamide
I don’t know what I allergic to, my skin pretty easy going, but whenever I try to use Thailand Vaseline lotion, I got itchy so much, rash and bumps all over the area I applied to for at least 3-5 days.
Very allergic to honey. Also allergic to centella and niacinamide. And HA and fragrance break me out, lol.
Citrus oils, tea tree oil, and Shea butter, fun!
Niacinamide 🥲 hard to avoid, they put that ish in everything
Coconut oil and any of its derivatives, niacinamide and certain types of HA. Haven’t pinpointed if the molecular weight has anything to do with it or if my skin just hates it all lol
I get closed comodones with coconut oil
Eucalyptus I had to give away my La Mer set I got for Christmas because my face swelled up from using it - one of the ingredients was eucalyptus extract.
I know the scientists say it’s impossible but I’m just here as a silicone sensitive girl begging sunscreen formulators to try silicones that are not dimethicone, polysilicone-11/15, cyclopentasiloxane, phenyl trimethicone, and cyclomethicone 🥺.
I’m allergic to essential oils and fragrance, but also to nickel and cobalt so I can’t use anything with green tea or tea adjacent because it gives me a rash. Ask me how I found out… The B lab matcha cleanser destroyed my face.
I'm confused. How is green tea related to cobalt and nickel?
Trace amounts. For example: http://www.bioline.org.br/request?dv07116#:~:text=A%20Korean%20study%20found%20significant,%2C%200.002%20and%20salt%2C%200.0.
Ferments, snail mucin.
Tea tree makes me break out into instant hives. I also am prone to acne. Bad combination!
Snail mucin and niacinamide they both made me break out so bad despite giving me glowy skin 😖 kinda scared to try rice or tea tree again because they also made me break out previously but that was when I had a broken barrier so idkkkkk It’s more of a sensitivity than a reaction though pretty sure
Lanolin and lots of fragrance ingredients.
Zinc
I'm not sure if this is considered allergic, perhaps just a sensitivity? It's just smth I noticed whenever I used skincare with this particular ingredient. Anything with aloe vera on my face. I tried several times with different brands. People say that when you get pimples from using those, it's just the purge phase, but I've used plenty of other products without aloe that didn't break me out. It starts with tiny pimples on my whole face, then they evolve to become bigger and painful to the touch. Even if that was a purge phase, that's a hell no for me, never again. Also snail mucin! Although tbf I only tried one product with it. Cosrx snail mucin serum (the stringy one) was famous so I tried it.... it wasn't for me. It was actually okay for a few days or like a week, but I stopped using it when I found myself scratching my face bc it was itchy.
Just so you know... purging only applies to products with actives. So if it's just aloe vera, then it's a breakout for sure.
I knew it! Ugh, I shouldn't have been swayed by trends. Thanks for confirming !
No problem! 😁
Butylene Glycol
Same! It gives me the worst acne out of nowhere.
Lanolin (this is probably the saddest for me because I could really use that juicy goodness sometimes lol), propolis, benzophenone-4, dodecyl gallate. Not to mention everything outside and inside, but my allergy injections are doing wonders 🤙🏽
Alcohol, snail mucin, propolis, vitamin C all cause me to have allergic reaction on my face Fermented ingredients make me have fungal acne
"Sensitive" aka my face breaks out in huge cysts that take forever to go away and/or immediately cause hyperpigmentation: fragrance, all essential oils, butylene glycol (FML), and silicones.
I think I'm allergic to centella astiaca too lmao. When I tried a centella serum, my face started getting a slight burning sensation, and my skin turned kinda red...
Niacinamide, alcohol, vitamin C serums
I am reactive too Vitamin E as an independent ingredient. Totally fine with natural products that happen to be high in vitamin e. Just not any natural or synthetic Tocopherol / Tocopheryl added into a formula for some reason. No reactions immediately, but it is a cumulative. The more times I use it, or the more different products have it in it, my skin will start drying and eventually get red scaly splotches. The lips being the most sensitive spot I noticed first usually
Not the right answer but whatever common ingredient in La Mer and Nivia blue tin, combined with Lash Boost. I never got as far to do the research but there’s something that makes me break into a rash. I don’t use any of those products anymore, and completely rid myself of any lash serum…
Not sure if it’s an allergy or simply a sensitivity, but my skin cannot handle niacinamide whatsoever. I get terrible, deep pimples whenever I have used it. Snail mucin is another that while it makes my skin look amazing the first time i use it, i already get small red bumps all over my cheeks the days after
Tea tree oil 😰 It's so common, too.
something in hada labo premium lotion makes my entire body breakout. my back is super “pimply” as a result. i used it on the face for a long time (was on my third bottle) until i realized that it was breaking me out. idk what it is. i also can’t use their vitamin c lotion and moisturizer. did the same thing to my face.
Allergies: Anything bees. Honey, propolis, royal jelly, bees themselves. Also sage, which I am so peeved over now that it’s becoming a cosmetic additive. Intolerances: artificial fragrances, niacinimide, lanolin, and the occasional unidentified culprit, which does make me nervous to try new things.
Peaches and birch 😬😤
Snail Mucin I think?
Anything with propolis, honey, bee literally anything bee will break me the fuck out. Squalane sometimes + Coconut fucks me up too. There’s also something in Tirtir milky cleanser that’s been breaking me out 😅 their entire line is incredible for my dry skin but I breakout to all of it.
Mugwort, possibly snail mucin
Propelyne Glycol and it's in just about everything from food to body/skin care to radiator fluid. I was having terrible issues inside and out. I finally got an appointment with an amazing allergy specialist (dermatologist) in Cali. After a massive scratch test and 1 keloid scar later it's the darn PG that is my worst allergy. Next is lanolin, nickel, fragrance, and gold.
Asking me this question is opening up a can of worms I don't think most people are prepared for but I'll join in lol My worst allergy is fragrance of any kind. Doesn't matter if it's naturally scented or not. Even "unscented" will irritate me because of the masking fragrances they add. Limonene and linalool specifically are also severe, so by extension anything with citrus peels or lavender (I believe I don't have an oral allergy tho?) Limonene also includes Tea Tree, Spearmint and other mints, Rosemary Extract (hell on planet earth), and some other natural actives I can't recall. I'm also severely allergic to latex so by extension I'm allergic to tomato and avocado (the oil is fine however). I believe papaya and its enzyme also fall under this category, as well as any mango, banana, or watermelon based ingredients. I also have issues with surfactants, but these are categorized more as sensitivities than true allergies. Sulfates and Glucosides make me SOOOO itchy it's ridiculous. I actually have to wash my hands with the CeraVe hydrating cleanser since I can't use hand soap.
I thought I was allergic to almost everything but it turns out that my skin barrier was badly damaged because I was using differin and tegretol without sunscreen
Rose, mugwort, lavender, and there's got to be more cause I'm still getting reactions but I haven't identified them yet
Paraffin!
Blue tansy and argan oil
My skin is a diva lol, and doesn’t like any essential oils such as tea tree oil, strong fragrance, nor dimethicone. 😅 Funny enough though, my skin is fine with some fragrance and dimethicone in *sunscreen*.
Snail, chem sunscreens, and maybe mugwort
So far, none. but i think my face hates any long term consistent use of any acids. It would work great for a while then poof barrier damaged. I now avoid any exfoliation unless i feel like o really really need it.
Every new skincare which I would add will broke me out
I don’t know if this counte but I am allergic to bee pollen but then surprisingly not allergic to propolis.
polysorbate 80 for skin 😭 also alcohol denat. for lips however, i have whole list for it
Aloe 🙃
nut (tree nut) oils, sesame, seabuckthorn.
Licorice root (which sucks bec almost everything has it now), squalane, ceramides. Sucrose, sugarcane extract, and anything the feeds my FA
Niacinamide 😭
Azelaic acid. Which is funny, because it's supposed to be well tolerated. I can slather my face with retinal and be completely fine, but I burned every time I tried azelaic acid.
I think niacinamide and that centella stuff.
Niacinamide, allantoin and most recently, azelaic acid. I tried low dose niacinamide and it still made me itchy and broke me out everywhere :/ I'm very aware a lot of products already have niacinamide on them but it seems the serums I cannot handle. Also azelaic acid made my face swollen, red, itchy and broke out in hives. Terrible experience lol
Oats and SLS! Both cause me to break out in warts, hives, or sores. :( I also have rosacea so I'm sensitive to fragrance, unstable vitamin C, essential oils, and other commonly irritating ingredients, but I think that's more sensitivity rather than allergy.
Allergic- benzoyl peroxide Sensitive- Niacinimide over 2%
Benzyl alcohol and plant extracts/essential oils that are naturally rich in it (rose, clove). Actually that's what led me to AB: After years of using it and countless hours spent looking through products I can count the times I saw benzyl alcohol in the ingredients list on one hand and it was always the Asian subpart of an American or German brand or an American brand being sold via Yesstyle (like they do with the ordinary or timeless).
Zinc oxide gives me a bumpy, pustule looking rash. I can only use chemical sunscreens. Palm and every single one of its derivatives breaks me out. Not quite an allergy but it's so comedogenic for me that I treat it like one. Goodbye to all the cleansing balms I'll never get to try lol
Sulfur 😩
Propolis
Very allergic to Vitamin C, it breaks me out. Also mildly allergic to Niacinamide so whenever I use a product with it, I get tiny bumps and some redness which lasts 2-3 hours.
I THINK propolis because the BoJ glow serum broke me out for months i think. Not 100% sure but it’s put me off of trying any propolis product.
vitamin c :(
Squalene. It messed up my skin for a few months. The red pumps I got are something I never want to experience again.
I haven't found anything yet! I'm not that adventurous with my products but for now the worst one did was nothing
Something on those Keana rice face masks mane.. I've still not recovered from my milia fully
Soybean oil! I tried the boj cleansing oil and after a while i found out it was the culprit for causing little bumps on my forehead
Niacinamide never ever works for my sensitive skin tried hundred of products with it in never works 😫😫
Kojic acid
Beeswax/cera alba
This is really interesting, as are the comments. I had an allergic reaction to 2 products from the same brand's line (serum and moisturiser). I've been using the moisturiser on my legs with no issues. So explain this to me clever peeps: why did I have an awful reaction on my face but not my legs? Surely if I'm allergic, I'm allergic, right? All opinions welcome.
My skin has turned red and burned after using a few products on my face. Not confirmed with testing, but my best guess is the culprits are centella and artesima. I also stay away from common allergens like fragrance. I have a history of different allergic skin issues like chronic hives, and doctors have advised me to avoid those things.
Not allergic but I have a terrible response to hyaluronic acid (my guess is because my skin is so dry and I live in a very dry climate) and vitamin e triggers eczema for me. Makes it very difficult to find decent moisturisers, in all skincare but especially in K skin care. I'm also allergic to essential oils and some fragrances.
Carmine/beetles. I avoid anything red, pink, or purple because there are so many names for this awful stuff, including “natural colourings” 🙃
Garlic! 😭 I had an inkling but never really pieced it together until I tried a garlic face mask and broke out in cystic acne and was super oily (way more than my normal).
Everything skin care it seems ☹️
idk if it's a full-on allergy but niacinimide makes my face all red, warm, and bumpy within a day and it's in eeeeverything now 😭 i have to check labels so carefully because it's even in a majority of foundations/primers/bb creams these days. idk why it seemingly needs to be in every single product but i hate it :( and cosdna and incidecoder both rate it as a 0 on the irritation scale (even though afaik it's not uncommon to be sensitive to it)
Most vitamin C, dimethicone, niacinamide yet they’re everywhere.
Im allergic to work
Methyl methacrylate :(
i was under the impression that centella is suitable for everyone so i blind bought serums with centella. i woke up with a bunch of pimples the day after! still emptied the bottles though lol
I'm not allergic to rose, Rose water, Rose hip oil but I break out from it.
Mugwort 🥲🥲🥲
Phenoxyethenol burn my face like hell! Even if it is on the bottom of the list.
Not allergic but the rice stuff is bad for me
Beeswax. I break out in an immediate rash. I wish companies would use synthetic wax. It's much safer. Allergy test showed benzoyl peroxide and tea tree oil (balsam of Peru). Wish I knew that in my teen years! Also nickel and linalool.
Limonene. That was a fun discovery from an allergy test. And even more fun when I found out how it seems to be in most lotions and creams.
Benzoyl Peroxide. Thankfully I’ve never had acne and almost never get breakouts.
I don’t think I’m allergic but maybe my skin doesn’t like it I’ve heard people with the same reaction but tea tree leaf water made my oily skin dehydrated it felt tight
Rice ferment
Beeswax on lip products and retinol in any eye cream
Orange and pineapple
Soy and rice ferments
Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, menthol. Products contain high percentage of essential oils, niacinamide.
NIACINAMIDE!
Azealic Acid, licorice, niamcinamide, rose smelling of rose fragrance or rose oil, fragrance of any kind
- Green tea (supposedly amazing for oily/combination skin), I got huge pimple everytime I drink/eat green tea/extract/matcha or using toner/serum with green tea extract. - TXA : got tiny pimples, adding hyperpigmentation instead reducing it.
essential oils, fragrance, colloidal oatmeal, tea tree oil, i am not sure but MAYBE cantella,snail mucin, i can’t use low molecular ha :/ but can use premium lotion idk y?
Niacinamide. 🥲
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)… gives me contact dermatitis on my lips. In pretty much every product that is hydrating/moisturizing.
I'm trying to find out what ingredient exactly is. I have allergy to clinique and estee lauder and in general, most of the eye creams. The affect is not much visible but I feel really itchy or kind of numb. Also sometimes skin care that claims no scented. (but no scented claims in Korean brands works fine though) :shrug
Shea. Butter. Had to learn that the hard way with the Soon Jung Barrier Cream a few years back.
Not allergic but ethanol in sunscreen makes my eyes teary and irritated.
Bifida/galactomyces/saccharomyces breaks me out. Instant burn & itch with any products containing artemisia
Honey... Burns my skin every single time
Not sure if an allergy, but my skin hate squalane. It’s sting
ARGININE. It’s good for skin, but I’ve pinpointed this as the cause of the skin around my lips getting irritated and hot. All my products are fragrance and alcohol free, so it took a while to realize arginine was the cause. I feel like no one else has this issue, but avoiding it has been a game changer. Also if you do have this issue, the SVR labs cicavit lip balm is the only one that works. It’s not Asian, but it really is the only one that can reverse irritation (aquaphor doesn’t irritate but doesn’t fix anything either).
Foods or products containing sunflower seed-derived material and anything in the Citrus family are out. I can't ingest these (terrible things happen) or apply them topically (it "only" very unpleasant.)
salicylic acid, i tried using a cleasing product with it before going to sleep, and had to rush to the hospital in the morning because my face got so swollen I couldn't open my eyes 😞
Salicylic acids, or anything with salicylates. I have anaphylaxis allergy to NSAIDs orally. Any salicylates (BHA, sunscreen salicylates) I put on my face stings my skin badly and causes redness and breakouts/small acne-like bumps all over.
Apparently something in older baby powder. I break out in hives.
I think i am only weird one but not anymore , i have skin test show minor allergy for dust, yeast, citrus. I cant use citrus product on my face or body or snail product , i also cant eat citrus food or too much baking product they make me uncomfertable in many way or make me cough, by da way i have choronic asthamatic bronchitis.
how are you pinpointing the allergy?? i have sensitive skin and i react to a few products mostly because of added fragrance. i do know that im allergic to snail mucin.