Öko-Test: allergies and skin damages caused by shower gel and Lotion for sensitive skin?

Even in well-known sensitive care products substances that are harmful

A number of products from the cosmetic industry to advertise with imprints such as “sensitive”, and “mild skin” or “extra sensitive skin”. What is behind this formulations? There are actually a composition which irritates the skin less, or such claims are promotional only blatant lies? A German Team of experts has felt in a recent Test the cosmetics giant on the Tooth.

The demand for products for sensitive skin is great. However, there are no official rules on what is considered “sensitive” or what not. In the end, only the glance at the ingredients reveals whether a skin care product is actually friendly. Ökotest has taken in a recent investigation, the ingredients of twelve shower gels and twelve lotions for closer scrutiny. The full Test “cosmetics for sensitive skin: How healthy products are sensitive?” can be found on the website of Ökotest.

Natural cosmetics has the nose in front

How Ökotest reported that, cut off all of the tested care products, which could have a certification as a natural cosmetic, with the grade “very good”. For these products, no harmful ingredients were found. However, the recommendation for sensitive skin can unfortunately not be accepted at all of the products safely.

Care products with these content can cause allergies

The Information network of Dermatological clinics (IVDK) identifies which ingredients irritate in skin-care products the skin, or even allergies auslössen. In particular, the fragrances are responsible for ensuring that the skin is rebelling. According to IVDK, the ingredients Isoeugenol, oak moss and Cinnamal. Also, some preservatives can trigger an adverse health effect.

What are the harmful care ingredients on the skin?

“A contact Allergy due to cosmetics, recognizable about, as a eczema of the skin, develop approximately one to two of 1,000 people per year,” reported IVDK expert, Professor Axel Schnuch to Ökotest. Much more often, it has come to lighter unwanted reactions such as itchy skin rash, skin redness and irritation, which, in General, of alone disappear. In particular, in the case of care products, which remain longer on the skin, such as lotions, should be increased to the ingredients taken, recommended by the skin expert.

Many care products keep what they promise

Many sensitive shower gels and lotions rated Ökotest with the grades “very good” and good”, as they do without the fragrances that can trigger allergies and harmful preservatives without. So natural cosmetics-skin lotion “Lavera Basis Sensitiv moisturizing Lotion” that is sold, among other things, at Rossmann, dm, and in some pharmacies, to the test winners with the grade “very good”.

Some black sheep among the well-known brands

A well-known brand is not always a guarantee for good quality. Four care Ökotest evaluated with the grade “unsatisfactory” and one was “poor”. Including well-known brands, such as, for example, the Lotion of the company L’oréal “Mixa Soothing body lotion with oat milk”. Here Ökotest could find several harmful ingredients, including elevated levels of carcinogenic formaldehyde, petroleum Compounds and artificial fragrances.

You should pay attention to when buying

“Preservatives that can trigger allergies in sensitive cosmetic nothing,” says Professor Schnuch. In the case of some of the tested agents, the preservatives Iodopropinylbutylcarbamat was included, the evidence can cause allergies. Of artificial musk fragrances distance should be taken. These can accumulate in the fatty tissue, warns the expert. In addition, the fragrance material Lilial was critically. In animals, this ingredient seemed to try to be detrimental on the reproductive system. (vb)