How to Read Skincare Labels Without Losing Your Mind

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 Fungal Acne Series | Post 5


Have you ever picked up a "gentle" moisturizer only to find your skin erupting in tiny bumps a week later? I used to feel helpless trying to decode ingredient lists. But when fungal acne hit, I had to learn faster because the wrong product could undo weeks of progress. 

Let me show you how I simplified the process:


1. Know your enemies: Fungal acne triggers

Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) is driven by a yeast that thrives on certain fatty acids, oils, and fermented ingredients (Rubenstein & Malerich, 2014). Start to avoid:

  • Esters such as isopropyl myristate, PEG-100 stearate.
  • Ferments such as galactomyces and saccharomyces.
  • Polysorbates such as polysorbate 20/80
  • Fatty acids and oils in the C11-C24 carbon chain range (Patel & Schwartz, 2019). Look for Latin or scientific names as well, such as Olea europaea for olive oil.
2. Understand ingredient order

Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest concentration, except for anything under 1%, which can be listed in any order (U.S. FDA, 2022). For example, if capric triglyceride is in the top three, skip it if you are flaring up. It's the second ingredient on this list, so you might want to avoid it if:



If it's lower on the list of ingredients, it may not be a deal-breaker, like this one:





3. Use ingredient analyzers

You don't have to memorize everything. These tools are your best friends:
  • Sezia.co: It tells you if a product is fungal-acne safe.
  • Folliculitisscout.com: It breaks down ingredient safety.
  • INCIdecoder.com: It helps you understand ingredient functions.
4. Look for these hero ingredients

These help fungal acne instead of feeding it:
Zinc PCA: It regulates sebum and reduces inflammation.
Selenium sulfide: Antifungal and anti-inflammatory.
Azeliac acid: Balances the skin and fights yeast.
Niacinamide: Barrier strengthening 
Urea: Hydrates without clogging (Reich et al., 2016)

5. Don't trust the marketing 

Words like: Non-comedogenic, for sensitive skin and oil-free do not guarantee it is fungal acne safe. Always scan the full ingredient list. 


Final thoughts

The secret to healing my skin wasn't more actives. It was knowing what not to use. Reading labels helped me regain control, and now I never buy skincare blindly.









References

Patel, N. U., & Schwartz, R. A. (2019). Malassezia-related skin diseases. Clinics in Dermatology, 37(5), 494–498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2019.04.001

Reich, A., Szepietowski, J. C., & Pacan, P. (2016). Urea in dermatology: A review. Acta Dermatovenerologica Croatica, 24(1), 23–29. https://hrcak.srce.hr/162574

Rubenstein, R. M., & Malerich, S. A. (2014). Malassezia folliculitis: A review. International Journal of Dermatology, 53(7), 865–871. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.12347

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2022). Cosmetics labeling guide. https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-labeling-regulations/cosmetics-labeling-guide

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