Why body cream makes your skin itchy

Body cream makes skin itchy

The other day, I received the following inquiry.

"I'm using this body cream, but it seems to be causing me a bit of an itchy feeling. What could be the reason?"

Here is a list of all the ingredients used in the body cream:

Water, glycerin, cetyl ethylhexanoate, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, 1,2-hexanediol, polyglyceryl-3 distearate, methyl glucose, glyceryl stearate (SE), ethylhexylglycerin, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, butylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, carbomer, tromethamine, damask rose callus culture extract, sodium hyaluronate, fragrance
*Main essential oil components: citronellol, citral, geraniol

It contains a number of ingredients that are likely to have an emollient effect, such as synthetic oils and macadamia seed oil. It is a safe formula for most people.

So why did the person who asked the question feel the itch?

The scent of the body cream

The body cream that this person used contains fragrance. And the following is written in the ingredients list:

*Main essential oil components: citronellol, citral, geraniol

These are scent-causing substances found in certain types of synthetic fragrances and essential oils.

All of these substances are highly allergenic , and there are labeling regulations in the EU. If a skin care product contains more than 0.001% of these substances, it is required to state this on the packaging.

This is designed to make it easier for people who have allergies to fragrance ingredients to distinguish them when purchasing cosmetics.

We tend to choose body creams because they have a nice scent. However, the source of that scent may be the cause of redness and itching of the skin. Let's take a closer look at the risks of each.

Other articles about essential oils: Essential oils in cosmetics may cause allergies

Citronellol

Citronellol is the substance that gives off a rose-like scent and is also found in essential oils such as geranium oil and rose oil.

The American EWG, which evaluates the safety of cosmetic ingredients , rates citronellol as 3 to 4 out of 10 (1 being the safest). High concentrations increase the risk of allergies.

It has also been pointed out that citronellol may contain residual formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a chemical that irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose , and is also known as a causative agent of "sick house syndrome."
Not only can it cause allergies, but it is also classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Naturally, the EWG's risk rating for formaldehyde is the worst, at 10 out of 10. It's a very high-risk substance. It's a bit shocking to know that such a toxic substance is contained in a substance that smells so good.

Other ingredients that pose a risk of residual formaldehyde: DMDM ​​hydantoin

Citral

Citral has a refreshing, citrus-like scent like lemon and is found in large amounts in lemongrass essential oil.

This product also has a rating of 3 to 4 on the EWG safety scale. It is not only an allergy risk but also a strong skin irritant, so it is probably best avoided by people with sensitive skin.

And like citronellol, citral may contain formaldehyde.

There are two types of citral: one extracted from natural essential oils and one synthetic.
The risk of formaldehyde residue is with synthetic citral, which is made by adding formaldehyde to a chemical called isobutylene , meaning that traces of formaldehyde used during manufacturing may remain in cosmetics.

Geraniol

Geraniol is a substance found in palmarosa oil and geranium oil. It has a sweet rose-like scent. It is rated 3 by the EWG and is considered to have a high risk of allergies.

If your skin feels itchy after applying body cream

As mentioned above, it is not uncommon for the ingredients and substances that create a pleasant scent to pose a risk of skin irritation or allergies. These ingredients may be the cause of redness, itching, and itching on the skin.

Body creams in particular are susceptible to this effect as they are applied over a wide area.

If you experience any discomfort on your skin after applying body cream, first check to see if it contains fragrances or essential oils.

Of course, it's not just body creams that contain these ingredients - they can also be found in facial skin care products, body washes, soaps , shampoos, and more.

For people with sensitive skin, atopic skin, babies and small children, etc. We recommend that you be especially careful when using cosmetics that contain fragrances or essential oils .

Baby Skin Care: How to Choose Safe Baby Skin Care Products

Fragrance ingredients are not listed in the ingredients list

Furthermore, even if you feel a strange reaction on your skin and check all the ingredients, the above-mentioned "citronellol," "citral," and "geraniol" may not be listed.

This is because there is no obligation to display these ingredients in Japan.

It's okay to just write it all together as "fragrance," so it's not clear what exactly is used in the "fragrance."

If essential oils are used as fragrances, the name of the essential oil will be listed, but the names of the substances contained in the essential oil are rarely listed.

However, as I mentioned at the beginning, in Europe, there is an obligation to list these fragrance ingredients.

• Cosmetics manufactured in Europe
• Cosmetics sold in Europe

It is often well written.

Conversely, cosmetics made in Japan and sold only in Japan are often not labeled with this label, making it difficult for consumers to tell the difference.

I hope that this information will soon become mandatory in Japan as it is in Europe.