Allergy-friendly care is not about natural versus chemicals - with Anne Kristine Servais Iversen

Many skincare and haircare products are marketed with “natural ingredients.” Consumers often associate these claims with being healthier, cleaner, or more gentle. At the same time, many express confusion about what “natural” actually means.

So how do natural ingredients relate to allergy-friendliness?
We asked Anne Kristine Servais Iversen, MD, PhD, to share her insights on the subject.

Are natural ingredients more allergy-friendly?
Reviews of products with “natural ingredients” have shown that a large proportion contain substances that may irritate or trigger allergic reactions. It is therefore a misconception that “natural” automatically means healthier, milder, or gentler.
An additional challenge is that there is no precise definition of when a product may be called “natural.” And even when the ingredients come from plants or minerals, this does not necessarily mean they are allergy-friendly.

Can the body tell the difference between natural and synthetic?
No. The body cannot tell whether a substance is extracted from a plant or produced synthetically in a laboratory. If you are allergic to the substance, you will react regardless of its source.
One example is fragrance, which is among the most common allergens in both skin and haircare. Whether the fragrance comes from a natural source – such as citrus or lavender – or is produced synthetically, it may still cause allergic reactions.

What can consumers do to choose more allergy-friendly products?
Consumers, especially those with allergies or eczema, can make more informed choices by:

- Prioritising fragrance-free alternatives

- Reading the ingredient list carefully

- Choosing products with certifications such as Asthma Allergy Nordic, where the formulation is assessed against known allergens

A certification can never remove risk completely, but it provides a strong starting point.

Is there a difference between skin and haircare in this regard?
Many forget that haircare is just as important to include in these considerations as skincare. Even a shampoo or conditioner that is “only” rinsed out comes into close contact with the skin. It is massaged into the scalp, runs down over the delicate skin of the face, and spreads further across the body in the shower.

Therefore, the ingredients in haircare products can be highly significant, especially for those struggling with eczema or allergies.

So, what is the most important thing to remember?
It is not nature versus chemistry that determines whether a product is allergy-friendly, but whether it is created with care to avoid the substances known to cause reactions.
It is the thoughtful formulation that makes the difference.