We have always placed the utmost attention on selecting high-quality raw materials, and we can therefore define all The Unique Form cosmetic products as hypoallergenic, but what does this adjective actually mean?
Hypoallergenic Meaning
"Hypoallergenic" is a term used to indicate that a product has been designed or formulated to minimize the risk of causing allergic reactions.
This term is often associated with products such as pet foods, cosmetics, detergents, body or hair care products, or materials for clothing, to indicate that they are less likely to cause allergies or skin irritations.
For pet foods, for example, a hypoallergenic product may be formulated with ingredients that are less commonly associated with allergies for that particular category of pets.
For cosmetics or detergents, it may mean that ingredients known to cause skin reactions have been eliminated or minimized.
However, it is important to note that the term "hypoallergenic" does not mean that the product is completely free of potential allergens, but only those that are statistically more likely to cause issues.
Human skin sensitivity is extremely subjective and variable, so what may be hypoallergenic for some people may not be for others.
What Are Allergens?
Allergens are substances that can provoke an uncontrolled response from the immune system, commonly known as an allergy.
These substances can be present in the environment, food, insects, animals, and many other contexts.
When an allergic person is exposed to a specific allergen, their immune system may overreact, causing allergic symptoms.
Here are some examples of the most common allergens:
- Dust
- Pollen
- Some foods, such as dairy, eggs, peanuts, nuts, wheat, fish, soy, mustard, shellfish...
- Pets
- Insects
- Some medications
- Latex
- Nickel
- Certain plants
When an allergic person is exposed to an allergen they are sensitive to, they may develop symptoms such as itching, swelling, rashes, sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, or - in extreme cases - anaphylactic reactions, which can be life-threatening.
Allergies can vary significantly from person to person, and the severity of reactions can also differ.
Hypoallergenic Cosmetics for Safe Skincare and Beauty Routine
Even in hypoallergenic cosmetics, a formula has been used to reduce allergy risks, making them free from preservatives, colorants, nickel, and derivatives.
The care in choosing ingredients and the product testing by manufacturers is very important and can guide consumers toward more informed and conscious choices.
Substances penetrate the skin both at the cutaneous and transcutaneous levels, and therefore, being able to evaluate the substances and their penetration levels allows you to choose the components of a cosmetic product depending on the effect you want to achieve.
As mentioned, the term "hypoallergenic" is not an absolute value because, unfortunately, theoretically, every day one could become sensitive to new components that were considered "safe" yesterday.
Since we care about skin health, we list below a list of components often found in many cosmetic products that - statistically - could be more likely to cause problems.
- Fragrances
Besides classic perfumes, fragrances are also added to deodorants, creams, emulsions, tonics, and sunscreens.
Allergic dermatitis caused by fragrances usually manifests on the neck, underarms, face, and hands.
- Synthetic Substances
Most cosmetic companies use natural essential oils that don't create particular problems, but others use synthetic or semi-synthetic substances (derived from coal, petroleum, and benzene). A synthetic fragrance often used is called Lyral and is responsible for various allergic reactions.
WARNING!
It often happens that some creams labeled as "fragrance-free" may still contain "masking" fragrances, added in minimal amounts to mask any unpleasant odor from the product's greasy components.
- Preservatives
The most commonly used preservatives are the infamous parabens, especially in rinse-off products. Preservatives essentially play an important role in preventing bacterial growth in cosmetic products, but today it is possible to choose alternative, natural origin products to avoid allergic reactions.
- Lanolin Alcohols
They are mainly used for their emollient and emulsifying properties, in moisturizing products like protective creams, foundations, lip glosses, baby oils, and sunscreens.
What can cause problems, however, is not the lanolin itself but the alcohols produced from its hydrolysis.
These are the most common substances, often found in cosmetic products, to which attention should be paid first, as they are the main causes of allergies and skin reactions.
How to Test Hypoallergenic Products
If possible, always test the product before applying it to your face or body...
How?
Take a small amount of the product and apply it to the inner part of your arm, don't spread it, and cover it with a small bandage.
This area is used because the skin is very thin, so any allergic reaction would be immediately visible, but at the same time, very localized.
If you do NOT experience symptoms like redness, stinging, itching... in general, there should be no problem applying the product to the face or other areas of the body.
We want to emphasize that the goal of this article is NOT to create alarm but rather to encourage conscious choices not only in food but also when purchasing cosmetic products that will come into contact with your skin.
To do so, no special precautions are required; just read the labels and do a little test, before applying the product in abundance! ; )
Make a conscious purchase at theuniqueform.com!