The face shop

What is allantoin, and why is it used in skincare products?

Let's take a closer look at this ingredient, which is included in many types of products, ranging from eczema balms to sheet masks.

Do you ever notice the same ingredients appearing in lots of skincare products? Stuff you never noticed before? This happened recently with phenoxyethanol, a preservative that is often used as an alternative to parabens. Now it’s happening again with allantoin—I’m suddenly noticing it in lots of products that I write about on this blog. Allantoin is a white powder that has no odor, and provides conditioning properties to the skin, according to the National Eczema Foundation.

The best sheet masks for sensitive skin, according to The Face Shop

I asked The Face Shop why so many of its sheet masks include denatured alcohol. I also asked for fragrance-free recommendations. Here's what they had to say.

A few days ago, I contacted The Face Shop to ask why so many of the company’s sheet masks contain denatured alcohol. This morning, I received an email with the answers to my questions. Although the customer service rep recommended a product that wasn’t actually fragrance-free (even though she implied it was), she did introduce me to an interesting product line from The Face Shop: the Dr.Belmeur collection.

The Face Shop Green Tea Mask review

This face mask looks natural, but it carries a strong fragrance + alcohol that might make it unsuitable for sensitive skin.

The Face Shop is a Korean beauty brand that launched in 2003. The company has gained popularity worldwide—there are even a few outposts located in NYC. Side note: The name always reminds me of The Body Shop, which was one of my favorite stores to visit at the mall as a kid. Anyway, a few months ago, I ordered a multi-pack of The Face Shop sheet masks, and I’m still working my way through them. This whole line of REAL NATURE sheet masks has quite a natural, attractive look. So imagine my…