Whether internal or topical, Pierre said that medications can be another sneaky culprit behind your skin care woes. Certain medications, he explained, can cause irritation to your skin, making it important to talk to your doctor (or dermatologist) if this is of concern.

“Certain medications can stimulate oil production and acne, while others can cause rashes and red, dry, irritated skin,” he said. “This may require an adjustment to those medications, and certainly a change in the products you use.”

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Dr. Pierre recommends slapping on those body lotions as soon as you get out of the shower. “The best time to apply your moisturizer is right after the bath or shower,” he says. “Pat the skin dry, then immediately apply your chosen product to seal in as much moisture as possible.”

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Long story short: traditional deodorants contain a couple “no-no” ingredients that have consumers worried. This is because any topical ingredient we put on our skin is inevitably absorbed into the body.

Let’s dissect the three ingredients that have generated the most concern: parabens, phthalates, and aluminum.

“Parabens have estrogen-like qualities, but no study to date has linked them with breast cancer. They are, [however], known to cause allergic reactions and many people are sensitive to them. For that reason, you should probably avoid them,” says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. “As for phthalates, they have garnered a lot of attention because of their potential link to various diseases such as asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, autism spectrum disorders as well as male fertility issues. The studies have shown inconsistent findings here, as well.”

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