Posted by Katarina Fajfar
on March 18, 2025
The epidermis is the largest and perhaps one of the most fundamental organs of our body. Not only does it protect us from harmful bacterial strains like Staphylococcus aureus, but it is also a faithful “gatekeeper” that lets in oxygen, moisture, and other nutrients.
People with eczema need to be especially careful about what they put on their skin to keep it healthy and safe, and they also need to know what to avoid to avoid triggering further inflammation. Today, I'm going to show you which ingredients to avoid when caring for skin with eczema or dermatitis.
1. FRAGRANCES
Fragrances are added to make products smell nice and sometimes to mask the smell of the ingredients, as most oils, butters and active ingredients do not have a pleasant smell. However, they are a relatively common allergen, or rather their components are mostly allergenic and many patients with sensitive skin may react to them. In general, people with sensitive skin or dermatitis should avoid them whenever possible. In our atopic line, OilShower and ShowerGel contain fragrance, but the fragrance without a single allergen was chosen with purpose and awareness.
2. ESSENTIAL OILS
Contrary to popular belief, natural fragrances are just as likely to cause allergies as synthetic ones, and may even be more so, which is not a problem for healthy skin. In principle, I could write this to you, but I will add something else - aromatherapists know the components of essential oils and many of them are absolutely wonderful for dermatitis, but they are not fragrances. The problem is that most products contain them for the sake of smell, and the ones that smell the best (lavender, citrus, etc.) are also potentially very allergenic and do not belong on sensitive skin.
3. UREA
Urea can be a fantastic ingredient for certain skin conditions. In particular, it can be a keratolytic, helping to remove the thick layer of scales in psoriasis, calluses, and corns, but in atopic dermatitis (AD), it can be irritating and can contribute to damage to the skin's acid mantle. While it may be expertly formulated for AD sufferers, it's probably best to avoid it.
4. LANOLIN
Lanolin has been used in the skin care and cosmetic industry for centuries as an effective emollient, often used in body creams and lotions to lock moisture into the skin and prevent water loss (occlusion). But lanolin also has its drawbacks – it irritates sensitive skin and causes allergic reactions! You will find lanolin in many products, both natural and drugstore, because it is easy to use and affordable, and it is easily incorporated into formulations.
Lanolin comes from sheep's wool, and just as I advise you not to wear wool products, I also advise you not to use skin care cosmetics that contain lanolin. You can cause the exact opposite effect - atopic dermatitis continues to "flare up". Lanolin is an excellent substitute for Vaseline, and suitable butters or oils suitable for atopic dermatitis.
5. RETINOIDS
Retinoids are a class of drugs related to vitamin A. They play an important role in both acne and anti-aging, but they come with a price: they are often irritating and can trigger eczema flare-ups. They should generally be avoided in patients with sensitive skin, or at least used very, very cautiously.
6. ETHANOL
Ethanol (alcohol) is a common ingredient in gels & cleansers. They are light, cooling, and evaporate within seconds. However, for patients with AD and sensitive skin, alcohols can sting, burn, and dry out the skin, so it is best to avoid them.
Most importantly, these are not the same as fatty alcohols such as cetyl or cetearyl alcohol, which are generally well tolerated by the skin and are often present in many tested eczema preparations.
7. OLIVE OIL
Olive oil has a relatively low ratio of linoleic acid to oleic acid. It appears that topical application of the oil can damage the skin barrier and worsen eczema symptoms.
As the study shows, there were some cases of contact dermatitis and allergic reactions to olives themselves, not just olive oil. I really don't recommend olive oil for baby skin care, as it can damage the healthy barrier, which can lead to dermatitis. I remember when we tested olive oil as an ingredient on atopic skin when I formulated AtopicBalm. At first, the skin condition was significantly better, but over time, the skin began to deteriorate drastically, which only caused a vicious cycle of over-lubricating and further drying out of the skin.
The same caution is required with coconut oil, almond oil, sesame oil, and peanut oil. Those with a known latex allergy should definitely avoid shea butter.
I hope today's blog post is useful for you in caring for your dermatitis.
Catherine