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What ingredient do you dread seeing in a shave product's ingredients list?

For me it's avocado oil. I'm sensitive to a few other things (anything rosemary scented is right out, and I suspect I'm becoming a little bit sensitive to lanolin, unfortunately for my love of MWF), but avocado oil is the allergen I always dread, because it shows up in so many artisan soaps and usually isn't mentioned in the marketing blurb like lanolin often is, so I get my hopes up for a soap only to learn it's a no-go when I check the ingredients. It's to the point that I no longer get excited about hearing about a new artisan soap, because odds are I can't get it because it's probably got avocado in it.

Anyone else have ingredients that you have to scour every new product's ingredients for?
 
Is it possible to develop a reaction to certain ingredients? I ask because I used to use and love Mike's Natural (containing lanolin, I believe), but recent attempts have caused my face to light-up a bit after use. It's the only soap I have with lanolin, and I have zero reactions from all my other soaps/creams.
 
Is it possible to develop a reaction to certain ingredients? I ask because I used to use and love Mike's Natural (containing lanolin, I believe), but recent attempts have caused my face to light-up a bit after use. It's the only soap I have with lanolin, and I have zero reactions from all my other soaps/creams.

Test a new product by dabbing a small amount on your inner forearm, and leave it on for a couple minutes. If it gets red you'll know it caused a reaction. You could also go further, and get an allergy test done with common ingredients used in soaps.
 
Is it possible to develop a reaction to certain ingredients? I ask because I used to use and love Mike's Natural (containing lanolin, I believe), but recent attempts have caused my face to light-up a bit after use. It's the only soap I have with lanolin, and I have zero reactions from all my other soaps/creams.
Yes, it is possible to develop a sensitivity to certain ingredients with increased exposure. Lanolin is one of those ingredients that causes trouble in some individuals who are more sensitive to it. It may only become a problem on skin that is broken or inflamed already. You may find you won't have problems with plant-derived ingredients that are also used as emollients such as shea butter or jojoba oil, but you have to try them and see.
 
It's bentonite clay for me. For some reason, it burns my skin. Oh and tetrasodium edta. I know it's a preservative but it does dry out my skin a lot.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Any foaming agent or surfactant or detergent, especially sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES).
Same here, this simply shows me the manufacturer can't make a proper lathering soap or cream. Long-term use will cause drying of my skin.
 
Same here, this simply shows me the manufacturer can't make a proper lathering soap or cream. Long-term use will cause drying of my skin.

Plus, SLS and similar just don't make the right kind of lather for a shave. The point of SLS is to make a big, airy, foamy lather, and that's just about the opposite of the thick, slick, cushiony lather a good shave soap aims for. I haven't seen many shave soaps or creams with SLS, but when I do I just wonder what the point of including it was.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Eucalyptus. Smells like Vicks Va-Po-Rub.
For me it's avocado oil. I'm sensitive to a few other things (anything rosemary scented is right out, and I suspect I'm becoming a little bit sensitive to lanolin, unfortunately for my love of MWF), but avocado oil is the allergen I always dread, because it shows up in so many artisan soaps and usually isn't mentioned in the marketing blurb like lanolin often is, so I get my hopes up for a soap only to learn it's a no-go when I check the ingredients. It's to the point that I no longer get excited about hearing about a new artisan soap, because odds are I can't get it because it's probably got avocado in it.

Anyone else have ingredients that you have to scour every new product's ingredients for?
Menthol or other such “cooling” Ingredients
 
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