Fragrance Free, Skin Relief Body Wash (2020 formulation)

These describe what an ingredient is, not whether it is a problem. The stance marks above are the ratings; these are not.

• common irritantCOCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE

  • COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE: A mild cleansing agent, but a recurring patch-test finding, usually traced to leftovers from how it is made. American Contact Dermatitis Society, Allergen of the Year 2004 (Fowler JF Jr, Dermatitis 2004;15(1):3-4).
  • METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE: A preservative restricted to rinse-off products in the EU because of contact-allergy reports. EU Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Annex V entry 39 (rinse-off only, 0,0015% of a 3:1 mixture with methylisothiazolinone). The reason is in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1003/2014, recital 3, quoted rather than summarised: "The SCCS concluded that the mixture of Methylchloroisothiazolinone (and) Methylisothiazolinone in a ratio of 3:1 does not pose a risk to the health of the consumer when used as a preservative up to a maximum authorised concentration of 0,0015 % in rinse-off cosmetic products, apart from its skin sensitising potential. The SCCS indicated that induction and elicitation would be less likely in a rinse-off product than when the same concentration is present in a leave-on product." SCCS/1238/09 concludes it "is well recognised as an important skin sensitiser at current conditions of use".
  • METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE: A preservative that patch-test clinics see reactions to often enough that the EU banned it from leave-on products. American Contact Dermatitis Society, Allergen of the Year 2013 (Castanedo-Tardana MP, Zug KA, Dermatitis 2013;24(1):2-6); SCCS Opinion on Methylisothiazolinone (P94), Submission II, SENSITISATION ONLY (SCCS/1521/13, revision of 27 March 2014); banned in leave-on cosmetics by Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1198, which recites the need to address "the increased incidence of allergies induced by methylisothiazolinone".

• humectantGLYCERIN

  • GLYCERIN: A humectant, and one of the two ingredients a comparison of moisturiser components found made a significant difference to skin hydration. FDA OTC skin protectant monograph, 21 CFR 347.10(h), lists glycerin as a skin protectant at 20 to 45%. On the humectant half: Jeong CB, Han JY, Cho JC, Suh KD, Nam GW, "Analysis of electrical property changes of skin by oil-in-water emulsion components", Int J Cosmet Sci 2013;35(4):402-410, DOI 10.1111/ics.12059, PMID 23621673, found that "glycerine and urea showed significant skin hydration effects compared with other humectants".

• soothingAVENA SATIVA KERNEL FLOUR

  • AVENA SATIVA KERNEL FLOUR: One of the ingredients the FDA recognises by name as an over-the-counter skin protectant for irritation and itching. FDA OTC skin protectant monograph, 21 CFR 347.10(f): "Colloidal oatmeal, 0.007 percent minimum; 0.003 percent minimum in combination with mineral oil in accordance with 347.20(a)(4)."; section 347.50(b)(4) gives it the indication "temporarily protects and helps relieve minor skin irritation and itching due to:" followed by at least one of rashes, eczema, poison ivy/oak/sumac, or insect bites. The indication is conditional on naming a cause; the same opening phrase also serves sodium bicarbonate at (b)(5), so the phrase alone does not identify oatmeal.