I have very allergy-prone or easily-irritated skin. "Hypoallergenic" means less likely to cause allergies. In some countries, the term is not strictly regulated, but there are some best practices that are proven to be effective, all of which are practiced by VMV. Visit these links to learn more about what "hypoallergenic" means to us!

The best way to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction - to make a product hypoallergenic - is to omit allergens (ingredients that are proven to cause reactions).

In 1988, VMV's founding dermatologist-dermatopathologist (a specialist in contact dermatitis and skin diseases) created the VH-Number Rating System as a standardized, objective measure of allergen omission.

The VH-Number Rating System shows how many allergens have been omitted from a product using independent, objective references: The North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) and European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA). These highly specialized groups examine the results of thousands of patch tests to determine which ingredients/allergens are causing the most reactions. If an ingredient makes it to one of these lists, we don't use it. It's that simple.

Memorizing the list of allergens is impractical so the VH-Rating is arguably the simplest, most immediate, visible and reliable measure of hypoallergenicity.

If you have had a patch test, the VH-Rating System tells you if there are allergens present, and if so, which ones. For example, if you are interested in a product and see that its rating is VH -75/76*, you know it contains one common allergen. Find the asterisk on the ingredients list and you'll find which ingredient is the allergen. If your patch test shows that you're sensitive to that ingredient, do not use the product. If your patch test does not show the highlighted ingredient, then you should still be able to use the product.

If you haven't yet had a patch test but have a history of skin sensitivity, choose products with the highest VH-Rating.

Simple formulations with as few ingredients as possible minimize the risk of cross reactions.

The quickest way to spot a high-risk product is to look at the ingredients list. The longer the ingredients list, the higher the likelihood that you may react to it.

It is a requirement at VMV that our formulations achieve their preventive and therapeutic goals with as few ingredients as possible. We're highly selective about our ingredients - each one has to achieve maximum results and no irritation.

Fragrance is consistently at the top of allergen lists, and usually in the top 5.

Even if you don't see "perfume" in an ingredient list, the product could still have fragrances or masking fragrances (scents that don't smell "perfume-y" but cover up the odors of other ingredients). They could be written in their chemical names like benzyl alcohol, balsam of peru, geraniol or cinnamic alcohol. In lieu of shopping with a chemist in tow, take a whiff. If the product smells nice it's probably got a perfume. If it smells bland it's probably got a masking fragrance. If it smells like a lab, like chemicals, it's probably fragrance-free.

Lots of preservatives are allergens. Quaternium-15, parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, etc.) are top allergens. Try to steer clear of them altogether. CAUTION: many products achieve "preservative-free" status by piling on fragrances that have preservative properties.

Dyes are easy to spot: first, it's close to impossible to get a very bright color from mineral pigments, second, dyes are written as a color followed by a number and usually the word "lake", e.g. Yellow 6 Lake, Red 22 Lake or Blue 1 Lake. At VMV, some of our lip color, eyeshadows and blushes contain dyes - if you are allergic to dyes, choose from our wide selection of dye-free shades. All our foundations and powders are 100% dye-free.

Other well-known red flags are propylene glycol, rubber (common in cosmetic sponges), propolis (from bees wax) and tea tree oil

Even the most organic fragrances are allergenic. Several tree barks, fruits and their peels, bee products and other natural extracts are highly allergenic.

If you've got sensitive skin, hypoallergenic products trump natural ones all the time. A common misconception is that "natural" and "organic" ingredients are not allergenic. In many cases, it is the opposite that's true. Bee stings, mangoes, shellfish, pollen, dander, peanuts are examples of different things that, even in their most natural and organic forms, can cause allergic reactions (some very severe) in people who are sensitive to them. And many natural ingredients are on the allergen list.

At VMV, we try to use natural, organic and sustainable ingredients whenever we can. But our first filter is always hypoallergenicity.