Your skin care products can include potentially irritating ingredients with some critics even questioning their safety. Natural skin care products are the best ones to use, but first, find out what you may find in commercially available products that might be cause for concern.Harsh chemicals. Although technically speaking, everything in our beauty cabinet contains chemicals, some are harsher than others.

An especially irritating chemical component is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), commonly added to products like shampoo and soap to increase lather and make foamy suds.  Unfortunately, it also affects skin by disrupting the structure of the skin to allow deeper penetration of other toxins.

Artificial colorants. Chances are that your lavender-scented body wash is lavender-colored, too — the result of unnecessary dyes and colorants that can aggravate skin.

Don’t expect natural products to be brightly colored; many don’t contain these colors and dyes, so they cause less irritation.

Chemical preservatives. Preservatives increase products’ shelf life and staying power. Parabens — commonly used preservatives that include methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben — stop bacteria from growing and prevent products from spoiling, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

However, parabens have been associated with health risks. Parabens have been linked to breast cancer, impaired fertility and skin irritation — from mild itching to scaling and blistering.

Synthetic fragrance. Despite their appealing scents and smells, the perfumes and fragrances in some skincare products can cause skin irritation — such as itchiness, dryness and rash. Instead, opt for unscented or fragrance-free products. Many people find this helps their sensitive or easily-irritated skin.

Chemical sunscreens. We all know that wearing sunscreen is a necessary step in every skincare regimen, but some products can irritate your skin more than others. For instance, physical sunblock formulas — reflect UV rays and include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide — typically cause less irritation than their chemical counterparts — absorb UV rays and prevent them from entering the epidermis. Though rarely used today, the chemical ingredient PABA, or para-aminobenzoic acid, is known for causing irritation and staining fabrics and clothes.