Ingredients

Ethanol. Makes products feel light and dry fast, but high up the list in leave-on products it can dry out and irritate skin.

Also written Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol

Denatured (drinking-unfit) ethanol. Makes products feel light and dry fast, but high up the list in leave-on products it can dry out and irritate skin.

Also written Denatured Alcohol, SD Alcohol, SD Alcohol 40

A sulfate cleanser as strong as SLS. Can dry and irritate.

Bergamot essential oil, the scent of Earl Grey. Ordinary bergamot oil can cause burns and dark patches on skin in sunlight; many brands use a bergapten-free (FCF) grade.

Also written Bergamot Oil

Lemon essential oil, rich in limonene. Cold-pressed lemon oil can make skin react to sunlight, so take care in the sun with leave-on products that contain it.

Also written Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Oil, Lemon Oil, Lemon Peel Oil

A foam booster made from coconut fatty acids and diethanolamine. It can carry traces of DEA, and it's listed as possibly carcinogenic (IARC group 2B). Common in shampoos.

Also written Cocamide Diethanolamine, Coconut Oil Diethanolamine Condensate

An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that exfoliates the surface for smoother, brighter skin. Can sting and increases sun sensitivity — wear sunscreen.

Peppermint oil gives a cooling tingle — which is mild irritation. Not ideal for sensitive skin.

Also written Peppermint Oil

The cooling compound in mint. That fresh tingle is mild irritation — pleasant for most, not ideal for sensitive or broken skin.

A vitamin A derivative with strong evidence for smoothing lines and improving texture. Often irritating at first; use at night with sunscreen by day, and avoid during pregnancy.

A strong, foamy cleanser. Effective but stripping — a common cause of irritation and dryness, especially in leave-on or face products. Used as an irritant in skin testing.

Also written SLS