At CodeSkin, safety isn’t about trends or fear-mongering.
It’s about eliminating ingredients with known risks, questionable necessity, or safer alternatives available.
We restrict over 1,600 ingredients across the following categories, applying safety standards that go beyond EU cosmetic regulations.
Ingredients linked to cancer risk or long-term cellular damage. These ingredients have evidence or regulatory concern around carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, or bioaccumulation.
Why we avoid them:
Even low, repeated exposure can pose long-term health risks. No skincare benefit justifies this trade-off.
Ingredients that can interfere with hormonal signaling. These compounds may mimic or disrupt estrogen, thyroid, or reproductive hormones.
Why we avoid them:
Hormonal disruption doesn’t always show immediate effects, the risk builds quietly over time.
Ingredients linked to allergies, dermatitis, burning, or inflammation. Especially problematic for sensitive, acne-prone, or compromised skin.
Why we avoid them:
Irritation is not a skin-type issue, it’s often an ingredient issue.
Ingredients that strip natural oils and weaken the skin barrier. These compromise skin health over time, even if they feel effective short-term.
Why we avoid them:
Healthy skin isn’t about deep stripping, it’s about barrier preservation.
Cheap ingredients that add texture, slip, or bulk, not skin benefits. They sit on skin rather than improving it.
Why we avoid them:
We don’t pad formulas with ingredients that look good on paper but do nothing for skin biology.
Ingredients linked to irritation, inhalation risk, or environmental harm.
Why we avoid them:
Skin care shouldn’t come with respiratory, neurological, or environmental trade-offs.
Persistent silicones that don’t easily break down.
Why we avoid them:
Some cyclic silicones raise concerns around environmental persistence and long-term exposure.
Chemical UV filters with irritation or systemic absorption issues
Why we avoid them:
We prioritise UV protection without endocrine, sensitisation, or photoreactivity risks.
Preservatives associated with sensitisation or toxicity.
Why we avoid them:
Preservation is essential, but safer systems exist.
Ingredients with sustainability, toxicity, or ecological impact.
Why we avoid them:
Skin health and planetary health aren’t separate conversations.
Other brands ask, “Is this allowed?”
We ask, “Is this necessary, and is it the safest option available?”
Safe. Effective. Clean.
No compromises. No guesswork.