Bioaqua Fanshilin Moisture Cream

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.

The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).

A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.

Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.

Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.

As a film former, it creates a light and flexible layer on the skin's surface. This helps lock in moisture without feeling heavy.

It's typically used at concentrations up to 1.9% in leave-on products. CIR has concluded that these ingredients are safe in cosmetics at current use levels.

Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't readily penetrate into skin and mostly just sits on the surface. A large UK-based patch test study of over 1,300 patients found that sensitization to related acrylate copolymers is rare.

Emulsifiers prevent oils and waters from separating.

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

However, it is a known contact sensitizer with about a 1-2% contact allergy rate.

Other formaldehyde releasers include Diazolidinyl Urea or DMDM Hydantoin.

It is typically used at very low levels in cosmetics, with most formulations using 0.0125% or less (well below its approved maximum).

In the EU, IPBC concentration limits are set at 0.02% in rinse-off products and 0.01% in leave-on products.

Though IPBC is a relatively uncommon contact allergen, patch testing studies show positive reaction rates ranging from 0.3%-0.9% of patients tested. This is still quite low compared to preservatives like methylisothiazolinone which sits at around 4-5%.

Researchers note that existing iodine sensitives or rubber allergies may be the cause of this as IPBC shares a structure with both thiuram (used in rubber) and iodine.

Be sure to patch test if you are unsure and speak with a medical professional about using this ingredient.

Here is the official definition from the The International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook:

“Aroma is a term for ingredient labeling used to identify that a product contains a material or combination of materials normally added to a cosmetic to produce or to mask a particular flavor.”

INCI shows the only purpose of aroma to be "flavouring".

However, due to regulation differences, some companies may use aroma in place of parfum.

In Canada, this ingredient only has to be listed in concentrations above 1%.

Since then, numerous studies have shown this ingredient to cause contact dermatitis, or skin irritation.

The use of this ingredient varies around the world:

Due to this fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.

It is an exfoliant. Exfoliators help remove dead cells from the surface of your skin. If you are using an exfoliating ingredient, it is best to use sunscreen after.