If you've got eczema, you don't need us to tell you how terrible the long, cold, dry winter was on your skin. You dealt with it for months. And, while we can't wave a magic wand and make your painful flare-ups disappear forever, Beautylish created a list with expert Kate Somerville so you know which ingredients are definitely making them worse.
While Somerville outlines a whole slew of nasty offenders, the most surprising culprit is synthetic dyes. Instead of relying on natural coloring agents that come from plants and insects (yes, bugs), plenty of brands produce these colors artificially. So, your go-to blush that leaves your cheeks a bright, dusty pink? That might be making your skin flake. Same with your favorite lipstick. Obviously, we know that most anything synthetic won’t do our skin any favors (ladies with sensitive skin are well aware), but the main problem is these beauty villains hide in cosmetics we use daily.
How do you know if your product contains artificial dyes? Check the label for ingredients labeled with "FD&C" coupled with a color (think Yellow 5 and Red 40). That's how these guys are identified. Scarily, the FDA approves these additives in cosmetics, so you really have to keep an eye out for them. And, not only can they exacerbate your flaky skin, they can also cause hives and sometimes asthma.
Sufficiently freaked? There's more. Somerville outlines four more ingredients (including stuff lurking in your laundry detergent), along with brands that are friendlier to your sensitive-skin woes. Because Mother Nature sucks enough when it comes to your complexion — you don't need your cosmetics to be on your black list, too. Head over to Beautylish to see the full list. (Beautylish)