I've spent years studying skincare formulations, and there are 3 ingredients that show up in almost every drugstore product that are actively damaging your skin barrier.

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

It makes your cleanser foam, but it strips your skin's natural oils and causes micro-inflammation. That "squeaky clean" feeling? That's your barrier crying.

2. Synthetic Fragrance

Listed as "parfum" on labels — it's a catch-all for hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. Major trigger for sensitivity, redness, and breakouts.

3. Denatured Alcohol (Alcohol Denat.)

Feels mattifying at first, but it dehydrates your skin over time, making oil production WORSE. Your skin overcompensates.

What to use instead:

Look for gentle surfactants (coco-glucoside), naturally derived scents (or fragrance-free), and hydrating humectants (glycerin, hyaluronic acid).

That's exactly what we formulate at Skin Theory — clean ingredients that actually work, no compromises. If you're tired of products that make promises but trash your skin, check us out.