Natural Creams for Dry Skin: How to Read the Label
“Natural” on a cream label is a marketing word
A 2022 study in the journal Dermatitis went through 1,470 “clean” beauty products listed on the Target and Walgreens websites. Its authors point out that there is “no standard, scientific basis, or regulatory oversight” behind the “clean” label, and they found that 93.8% of those products contained at least one potential allergen (Tran et al., 2022). The title of the paper says it plainly: natural is not always better. A review of cosmetic allergy makes the same point from the other side, saying all components, “including natural ingredients, should be considered potential sensitizers” (González-Muñoz et al., 2014).
So the front of the jar tells you very little. The ingredient list on the back is the part worth reading.
What a moisturising cream is made of
A 2022 review of moisturisers in Medicina sorts the main ingredients into groups. Occlusive agents “form an airtight film on the skin surface to suppress moisture loss”. Humectants help the outer layer of skin hold water. Emollients give the skin a soft, smooth feel (Kang et al., 2022).
On a label, the names to look for are fairly easy to spot. The same review lists glycerin and other water-soluble polyalcohols as the most common humectants in cosmetics, with urea, lactate and hyaluronic acid also used. Among occlusives it names petrolatum and mineral oil as the best at sealing, and it places plant oils, shea butter, cocoa butter and waxes such as beeswax in the occlusive group too. Humectants are usually paired with an occlusive, the review explains, because a humectant applied alone can increase water loss through the skin. A cream that carries both kinds is the balanced choice it describes.
The texture matters as well. The NHS explains that lotions, creams and ointments differ in how much oil they contain: ointments hold the most and are “the most effective at keeping moisture in the skin”, lotions hold the least, and creams sit in between (NHS, contact dermatitis treatment).
Where an ingredient sits on the list
The Medicina review describes Korea’s full-ingredient labelling, in force since October 2008, under which “all cosmetic ingredients are marked in the order of concentration contained in the product”. Read that way, the list gives some idea of whether a cream is built mainly around a sealant or a humectant (Kang et al., 2022). It also means that on a list ordered like this, an ingredient printed near the end makes up less of the cream than everything printed above it, however large it appears on the front of the box.
Fragrance is the ingredient to check first
Fragrances are “the most common cause of allergy to cosmetics, followed by preservatives and hair dyes”, according to the 2014 review in Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas (González-Muñoz et al., 2014). In the “clean” product study above, fragrances and botanicals were the most common allergens, found in 1,218 of the 1,470 products (82.9%), although, as the authors note, shoppers choose “clean” and “natural” products because they see them as safer (Tran et al., 2022).
For dry, itchy skin, the NHS advice is to use an unperfumed moisturiser or emollient regularly, and not to use perfumed soaps, deodorants or moisturisers (NHS, itchy skin). On a contact dermatitis page it also suggests checking the ingredients on make-up or soap for irritants or allergens (NHS, contact dermatitis).
Try a new cream on a small patch first
Dermatologists have a formal version of this, called the repeated open application test (ROAT). In a 1986 study of 86 patients with contact dermatitis, the test substances were applied twice daily for 7 days to the inner forearm near the elbow crease, unless dermatitis appeared earlier (Hannuksela & Salo, 1986). A 2004 review of cosmetic allergy says repeat open application tests “can be used to confirm the relevance of reactions in cases of doubt” (Orton & Wilkinson, 2004).
That is a clinic method rather than a home rule. Still, putting a new cream on a small patch of the inner forearm for a few days before using it on the face keeps any reaction to a small area. The NHS lists the signs to watch for with emollients: burning or stinging that does not settle after a few days, which is usually a reaction to a certain ingredient, as well as inflamed hair follicles and facial rashes. If any of these appear, it advises talking to a GP, nurse or pharmacist (NHS, emollients).
When a cream is not enough
The NHS says emollients can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription, but if a skin condition is severe you should talk to a GP, nurse or health visitor, because a stronger treatment may be needed (NHS, emollients). For itchy skin it advises seeing a GP if it does not get better with self care, keeps coming back, or is severe (NHS, itchy skin).
Reading a label this way takes about as long as reading the marketing copy on the box, and it tells you far more. For dates and other whole foods rather than skincare, our dates fruit and healthy food categories are the place to look.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist about any skin condition.
References
- Tran JM, Comstock JR, Reeder MJ. Natural is not always better: the prevalence of allergenic ingredients in “clean” beauty products. Dermatitis. 2022;33(3):215-219. PubMed 35256558
- González-Muñoz P, Conde-Salazar L, Vañó-Galván S. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cosmetic products. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2014;105(9):822-832. PubMed 24656778
- Kang SY, Um JY, Chung BY, et al. Moisturizer in patients with inflammatory skin diseases. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022;58(7):888. PubMed 35888607
- Hannuksela M, Salo H. The repeated open application test (ROAT). Contact Dermatitis. 1986;14(4):221-227. PubMed 2941220
- Orton DI, Wilkinson JD. Cosmetic allergy: incidence, diagnosis, and management. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2004;5(5):327-337. PubMed 15554734
- NHS. Emollients. nhs.uk
- NHS. Itchy skin. nhs.uk
- NHS. Contact dermatitis, overview and treatment. nhs.uk