Dr. Sarah Baldwin
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Patient handout · Skin Care

Sensitive Skin Care Guide: The Product Elimination Diet

If you have sensitive skin, eczema, dermatitis, rosacea, or skin that reacts easily, the Product Elimination Diet is a straightforward, home-based method to manage skin issues linked to products. This three-step approach helps identify triggers and formulate a skincare routine that minimizes reactions.

Steps of the Product Elimination Diet

  1. Discontinue All Products: Stop using all your current skincare and haircare products for a period (typically two weeks) to allow your skin to reset. This step is crucial to remove all potential irritants from your routine.
  2. Use Only Safe Products: While your skin is recovering, switch to products from the below approved Low-Contact Allergy and Irritant List. These items are specifically chosen for their minimal ingredient lists and absence of common irritants like fragrances, botanicals, and certain preservatives such as formaldehyde. Avoiding these can reduce the likelihood of triggering skin allergies or irritation.
  3. Gradual Reintroduction: After your skin has calmed, slowly reintroduce your usual skincare products one at a time. Use one product per week and monitor your skin's response. If a reaction occurs, this controlled approach makes it easier to identify the culprit. Keeping a diary during this phase can help track which products cause flare-ups and which are safe to use.

Recommended Product List

Shampoos

Free & Clear Shampoo

Green Cricket Sky Shampoo (Canada) (contains CAPB)

CLn Gentle Shampoo

Exederm Eczema Shampoo

DHS Clear Shampoo (SLS, CAPB)

DHS Tar Shampoo Fragrance Free (for dandruff)

Ducray Sensinol Shampoo (North America and Europe, contains SLES)

Curelle Shampoo

Mother Dirt Shampoo

Cleure Shampoo

Nature Clean Pure Sensitive Shampoo

VMV Hypoallergenics Essence Skin-Saving Super Wash Hair and Body Milk Shampoo

Conditioners

Free & Clear Conditioner

Green Cricket Sky Conditioner

Nature Clean Pure-Sensitive Conditioner

DHS Conditioning Rinse with Panthenol

Exederm Eczema Conditioner

Curelle Conditioner

Cleure Condtioner

VMV Hypoallergenics Essence Skin-Saving Milk Conditioner: Volumizing Conditioner

Facial Cleansers

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Spectro Cleanser for Dry Skin

Avène Tolérance Extrême Cleansing Lotion

Facial Moisturizers

Dormer 211 Advanced Maximum Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid Complex

Dormer 211 Oil Free Moisturizer

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Fluide

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion

Cleure Oil Free Facial Lotion for Sensitive Skin

Sunscreens

EltaMD Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40

EltaMD UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Sunscreen

Cleure Sunscreen SPF 30 for Sensitive Skin

Badger Clear Zinc Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Water Resistant Sunscreen Stick, Unscented

Body Cleansers

Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar (not Dove’s Unscented Beauty Bar, which has fragrance.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleansing Bar

Cetaphil Restoraderm Nourishing Body Wash

Lipikar Syndet by La Roche-Posay (contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLS))

Aveeno Moisturizing Bar

Body Moisturizers

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and Lotion (the cream is heavier than the lotion)

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream and Lotion

Virgin Coconut Oil

Hand Cleanser

Remember, don’t use soap. You may have to bring along one of these products if you’re using the washroom at work or when you’re out.

Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar (not Dove’s Unscented Beauty Bar, which has fragrance.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleansing Bar

Aveeno Moisturizing Bar

Hand Creams

CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Mains Barrier Repairing Cream

Shaving Creams

Aveeno Skin Relief Shave Gel

Edge Ultra-Sensitive Shave Gel (fragrance free)

Deodorant

Vichy 24H Deodorant Sensitive Skin Aluminium-Free Stick

Vichy Homme Roll-On Deodorant for Sensitive Skin

Hair Spray

Free & Clear Firm Hold Styling & Finishing Hair Spray For Sensitive Skin

Clinique Non-Aerosol Hairspray

Cleure Hair Styling Gel

PPD Free Hair Dye

These hair dyes do not contain PPD/paraphenylenediamine. PPD-free hair dyes do exist, you just have to do your homework to find them (or see my list below if you want to cheat). It’s complicated chemistry but you need to use hair dyes  that contain a related substance known as para-toluenediamine sulphate (PTDS). Only 25 percent of people allergic to PPD will react to PTDS.

Laundry Fabric Softeners

Bounce Free & Gentle Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets

Woolous Wool Dryer Balls

Any dryer sheets that include the term “fragrance free”

To sidestep this category, don’t use fabric softener and instead opt for anti-static reusable balls

Laundry Detergents

Tide Free & Gentle

All Free + Clear Laundry Detergent

VMV Hypoallergenics Fawn & Launder Laundry Shampoo

(NOT the words hypoallergenic, sensitive skin or dermatology tested or natural)

Household

Green Cricket Dishwashing Liquid Fragrance Free

Makeup

Toothpaste

Cleure Toothpaste - Original Without Flavor

Jack n' Jill, Natural Toothpaste, Flavor Free, 1.76 oz (50g)

Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through product links on this page. Products are recommended because I suggest them to my own patients — the small commission never changes what I recommend.

This handout is general education, not personal medical advice. If your symptoms are worsening, painful, or not improving, book an appointment or see your family physician.

Questions about what you've read?

Appointments available at Hillside Medical Clinic in Victoria and Kensington Medical Clinic in Burnaby.

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