Cosmetic ingredients
Source-cited explainers for cosmetic ingredients (INCI names) — what each one is, who it might affect, and why. Every entry is re-checked against your own condition profile in the app, not just given one generic score.
Citral
Citral is a lemon-scented compound from lemongrass and citrus oils, used to add a fresh scent. It is an EU-labelled fragrance allergen and a known skin sensitiser, often formulated with quenchers to reduce reactions, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Citronellol
Citronellol is a rose-like fragrance compound found in geranium and rose oils. Like other declared fragrance allergens it must be named on EU cosmetic labels, and it can cause allergic contact dermatitis, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) is a mild, coconut-derived surfactant used to cleanse and boost foam in shampoos and body washes. It is generally gentle, but manufacturing impurities can make it a contact allergen — it was named Allergen of the Year in 2004 — so it is flagged for sensitive skin.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil (Cocos Nucifera Oil) is a rich plant oil used as an emollient in creams, cleansers, and hair products. It is nourishing but is often rated comedogenic, so it can clog pores in some people — it is flagged as a caution for acne-prone skin.
Coumarin
Coumarin is a sweet, hay- or vanilla-scented compound found in tonka bean and many plants, widely used in perfumes. It is one of the fragrance allergens the EU requires to be named on cosmetic labels, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Eugenol
Eugenol is a warm, clove-scented compound from clove and cinnamon oils, used as fragrance. It is one of the fragrance allergens the EU requires to be labelled and a recognised cause of contact allergy, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Fragrance
"Parfum" (or "Fragrance") on a label is an umbrella term for a scent blend a brand need not disclose ingredient-by-ingredient. Fragrance is the single most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy, so it is flagged for fragrance-allergic and for sensitive or eczema-prone skin.
Geraniol
Geraniol is a sweet, rose-scented compound found in rose and citronella oils and used widely as fragrance. It is one of the fragrance allergens the EU requires to be named on cosmetic labels and a recognised cause of allergic contact dermatitis, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl myristate is a lightweight emollient and texture agent that helps products spread and absorb quickly. It is one of the ingredients most consistently rated as comedogenic (pore-clogging) in the literature, so it is flagged as a caution for acne-prone skin.
Lanolin
Lanolin is a waxy emollient from sheep’s wool, used to soften and seal moisture into skin and lips. It is an effective moisturiser but can be comedogenic and is an occasional contact allergen, so it is flagged for acne-prone and sensitive skin.
Limonene
Limonene is a citrus-scented compound found in many essential oils and added as fragrance. It is one of the fragrance allergens the EU requires to be named on the label, and once oxidised by air it becomes a stronger skin sensitiser — so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Linalool
Linalool is a floral-scented compound found in lavender, bergamot, and many essential oils, added to products as fragrance. Like limonene it is an EU-labelled fragrance allergen that becomes more sensitising once oxidised by air, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) is a preservative, usually blended with methylisothiazolinone as "MCI/MI" (Kathon CG). It is a potent contact sensitiser restricted to rinse-off products in the EU, so it is flagged for sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
Methylisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone (MI) is a preservative used in rinse-off cosmetics and wet wipes. A sharp rise in contact allergy led the EU to ban it from leave-on products, and it remains a significant sensitiser — so it is flagged for sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
Oakmoss extract
Oakmoss (Evernia Prunastri) is a lichen extract prized in perfumery for its deep, earthy base note. It is one of the more potent fragrance allergens, and the EU restricts its sensitising constituents, so it is flagged for fragrance allergy and sensitive skin.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a strong cleansing and foaming surfactant in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpaste. It cleans effectively but is a well-documented skin irritant at higher concentrations, so it is flagged as a caution for sensitive or eczema-prone skin.