Ingredient guides
Plain-English breakdowns of common skincare and product ingredients. What they do, who reacts to them, and the names they hide behind on labels.
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Benzyl Alcohol: A Dual-Role Preservative and Declared Fragrance Allergen
Benzyl alcohol preserves products, carries scent and is one of the 26 EU-declared fragrance allergens. Here's what it is, who reacts, and where to spot it.
Cinnamal: The Warm Spice Note That's a Declared Allergen
Cinnamal gives products a warm cinnamon scent and is one of the 26 EU-declared fragrance allergens. What it is, why it is named on labels, who reacts, and where it hides.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine: The 'Gentle' Cleanser That Can Still Irritate
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a mild, coconut-derived surfactant in gentle and baby cleansers, but it is still a recognised contact allergen. The balanced picture, who reacts, and where it hides, in plain UK English.
Coumarin: The Sweet, Hay-Like Fragrance Allergen on Your Label
Coumarin gives products a warm, sweet, new-mown-hay scent and is one of the named EU and UK fragrance allergens. Here is what it is, who reacts, and where to spot it.
Essential Oils in Skincare: Why Natural Does Not Mean Non-Allergenic
Essential oils are plant-derived and popular, but they are among the more common causes of skin allergy. A plain-English, UK-focused guide to what they are, who reacts, and how to spot them on a label.
Eugenol: The Clove-Scented Fragrance Allergen on Your Label
Eugenol gives products a warm, clove-like note and is one of the named EU fragrance allergens. What it is, the UK and EU rules, who reacts, and where to spot it, in plain UK English.
Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives: The Hidden Allergen Group
Several common preservatives slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde, a recognised contact allergen. What they are, the names they hide under, the UK and EU rules, and how to spot the whole group.
Geraniol: A Rose-Scented Declared Fragrance Allergen
Geraniol gives products a sweet, rosy note and is one of the 26 declared fragrance allergens in UK and EU law. A plain-English guide to what it is, who reacts, and where to spot it.
Lanolin: The Wool-Derived Moisturiser That Some Skin Reacts To
Lanolin is a natural emollient from sheep's wool, brilliant for very dry skin but a recognised allergen for some. What it is, who reacts, the names it hides under, and the nursing-parent angle, in plain UK English.
Limonene: The Citrus Scent That's a Declared Fragrance Allergen
Limonene gives products a fresh citrus note and is one of the named EU fragrance allergens. What it is, why it is spelled out on labels, who reacts, and the oxidation catch, in plain UK English.
Linalool: The Floral Fragrance Allergen Found Almost Everywhere
Linalool is a floral scent compound and one of the 26 declared fragrance allergens in UK and EU law. A plain-English guide to what it is, why it oxidises, and who tends to react.
Methylisothiazolinone (MI): The Preservative Behind Many Reactions
Methylisothiazolinone (MI) is a common preservative and one of the leading causes of contact allergy in the UK and EU. A plain-English guide to what it is, where it hides, and who tends to react.
Parabens: What They Are and the Honest Take on the Controversy
Parabens are widely used preservatives that became a flashpoint in clean beauty. A plain-English UK guide to what they do, who actually reacts, and a balanced view of the concerns.
Phenoxyethanol: The Common Preservative Behind Some Sensitive-Skin Reactions
Phenoxyethanol keeps water-based products from spoiling and is one of the most widely used cosmetic preservatives. Here's what it is, who reacts, and where to spot it.
Propylene Glycol: The Workhorse Humectant, and When It Bothers Skin
Propylene glycol helps skincare hold moisture and carry active ingredients. A plain-English UK guide to what it does, irritation versus true allergy, and who should keep an eye on it.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS): What It Does and Who Should Watch It
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is the foaming agent in many cleansers. A plain-English UK guide to what it does, how it differs from SLES, and why sensitive skin sometimes reacts.
What 'Fragrance' Actually Means on a Label
On an ingredient label, the word 'fragrance' can hide dozens of undisclosed chemicals. Here's what it really means, who reacts to it, and how to spot it.
Food additives and ingredients
The colours, preservatives and other additives on food labels that can trigger skin reactions, hives, itching and eczema flares, rather than digestion.
Allura Red (E129): The Red Azo Dye Linked to Hives and Itching
Allura Red (E129) is a synthetic red azo dye in sweets, drinks and snacks, and one of the colours linked to hives and flushing in sensitive people. What it is, who reacts, and how to spot it.
FoodAnnatto (E160b): The Natural Colour That Can Still Trigger Skin
Annatto (E160b) is a plant-derived yellow-orange food colour in cheese, butter and snacks, and a recognised, if uncommon, trigger of hives in sensitive people. What it is, where it hides on UK labels, and calm steps if you suspect it affects your skin.
FoodBHA and BHT (E320, E321): Antioxidant Preservatives and the Skin
BHA (E320) and BHT (E321) are antioxidant preservatives that keep fatty foods from going rancid, and they turn up in cosmetics too. A plain-English UK guide to what they are, who reacts, and how to spot them on a label.
FoodBrilliant Blue (E133): The Synthetic Blue Dye and the Skin
Brilliant Blue (E133) is a synthetic blue colour in drinks, sweets and even mouthwash. Reactions are less common than with azo dyes, but they happen. What it is, where it hides on UK labels, and calm steps if you suspect a reaction.
FoodCalcium Propionate (E282): The Bread Preservative and Sensitive Skin
Calcium propionate keeps bread mould-free and is one of the additives some people link to hives and eczema flares. What it is, who reacts, and where it hides.
FoodCarmine and Cochineal (E120): A Natural Red That Still Reacts
Carmine (E120) is a natural red colour made from insects, and natural does not mean inert. A UK plain-English guide to what it is, who reacts, where it hides, and how to spot it on a label.
FoodCarmoisine (E122): The Red Azo Dye in the Southampton Six
Carmoisine (E122), also called azorubine, is a synthetic red azo dye linked to hives and itching in sensitive people. What it is, who reacts, and how to spot it.
FoodChronic Hives and Food: Which Triggers Are Worth Checking
When hives keep coming back, food is a common suspect. A calm, UK-anchored guide to the additives and natural foods most often linked to chronic urticaria, and a sensible way to find your own triggers.
FoodErythrosine (E127): The Tightly Restricted Cherry-Red Dye
Erythrosine (E127) is a synthetic red dye now limited to cocktail and candied cherries in the UK and EU. What it is, who reacts on the skin, and where it still hides.
FoodMonosodium Glutamate (MSG): What the Skin Evidence Actually Says
MSG (E621) is a flavour enhancer often blamed for reactions. For skin symptoms the honest evidence is weak and mixed. What it is, what the science shows, and how to test it for yourself.
FoodPatent Blue V (E131): The Synthetic Blue Dye and the Skin
Patent Blue V (E131) is a synthetic blue colour in sweets, drinks and some medicines. Food reactions are uncommon, but they happen in sensitive people. What it is, who reacts, and where it hides.
FoodPonceau 4R (E124): The Red Azo Dye and the Skin
Ponceau 4R (E124) is a synthetic red azo dye in sweets, drinks and desserts that can trigger hives in people sensitive to azo colours. What it is, the UK children's warning it must carry, where it hides on labels, and calm steps if you suspect a reaction.
FoodPotassium Sorbate (E202): A Common Preservative and the Skin
Potassium sorbate keeps countless foods and cosmetics fresh, and is an occasional cause of contact reactions and hives. What it is, who reacts, and where it hides.
FoodQuinoline Yellow (E104): A Southampton Colour and the Skin
Quinoline Yellow (E104) is a bright yellow food colour, one of the 'Southampton Six', that some people with chronic hives find worsens their skin. What it is, who reacts, and where it hides.
FoodSodium Benzoate and the Benzoates (E210 to E213): Preservatives and Chronic Hives
Benzoate preservatives like sodium benzoate (E211) keep soft drinks, sauces and pickles fresh, and are repeatedly linked to worsening chronic hives in sensitive people. What they are, where they hide on UK labels, and calm steps if you suspect a reaction.
FoodSodium Nitrite and the Nitrites (E249 to E252): Cured Meats and Flushing
Nitrite and nitrate preservatives in bacon, ham and salami are linked to flushing and headache, and often pile onto the histamine load that drives hives. What they are, where they hide on UK labels, and calm steps if you suspect a reaction.
FoodSulphites (E220 to E228): Wine, Dried Fruit and the Skin
Preservatives in wine, dried fruit and processed foods that can trigger flushing, hives and itching.
FoodSunset Yellow (E110): The Orange Dye Linked to Hives
Sunset Yellow (E110) is a synthetic orange azo dye in drinks and sweets, and one of the colours linked to hives and itching in sensitive people. What it is, who reacts, and how to spot it.
FoodTartrazine and Other Azo Dyes: The Food Colours Linked to Hives
Azo dyes like tartrazine (E102) are bright synthetic food colours that can trigger hives and itching in sensitive people. A UK plain-English guide to what they are, who reacts, the label rules, and how to spot them.