5 Ingredients to Avoid if You Have Eczema

When you have eczema, the wrong soap can strip your skin, trigger redness, and leave you feeling itchy before you’ve even toweled off. Many soaps on the market—yes, even ones labeled “gentle” or “natural”—still contain irritants that can make things worse.

At TERRA-TORY, we handcraft our soaps with shea butter, hempseed oil, avocado oil, rice bran oil, and either pure essential oils or no scent at all. That means our bars are free from the harsh ingredients that can inflame sensitive skin.

Here are five common soap additives to avoid if you want to keep your skin calm and comfortable:

1. Synthetic Fragrance

Artificial fragrance can disrupt your skin’s protective barrier and spark flare-ups. Even “lightly scented” soaps can be loaded with fragrance compounds that irritate eczema-prone skin.
Our approach: We use only pure, plant-based essential oils—or no scent at all—for a soothing cleanse without unnecessary irritants.

2. Harsh Sulfates

Foaming agents like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) give commercial soaps a bubbly lather but can strip away natural oils, leaving skin dry and tight.
Our approach: Our soaps are naturally bubbly thanks to our blend of plant oils—no harsh sulfates, just a creamy lather that nourishes.

3. Artificial Dyes

Brightly colored soaps may look pretty, but synthetic dyes can lead to itching and inflammation.
Our approach: We never use artificial colorants—any color you see comes from clays, botanicals, or the natural tones of our ingredients.

4. Preservatives

While preservatives extend shelf life for mass-produced soaps, they’re often unnecessary in cold-process bar soaps—and they can be irritating for sensitive skin.
Our approach: Our bars are made fresh in small batches with no synthetic preservatives—just wholesome oils and butters.

5. Drying Alcohols

Some soaps include alcohol to speed drying or create a certain texture, but they can dehydrate already-delicate skin.
Our approach: We keep our recipes alcohol-free, so the moisture-rich benefits of shea butter, hempseed oil, avocado oil, and rice bran oil stay intact.

The Bottom Line

For eczema-prone skin, every ingredient matters. By skipping synthetic fragrance, sulfates, dyes, preservatives, and drying alcohols, you’re giving your skin a chance to repair and thrive.

TERRA-TORY soaps are designed to cleanse without compromise—rich in skin-loving oils, deeply moisturizing, and always free from the top triggers that irritate sensitive skin. Because your daily shower should be a moment of care, not a cause for discomfort.