Contact Urticaria to Cosmetic and Toiletry Ingredients

The use of cosmetics and toiletries is a practice that extends worldwide and reaches virtually everyone. Even though most cosmetics and toiletries are safe for most consumers, a significant minority of people experience adverse reactions, including contact urticaria, an immediate-type hypersensitivity skin reaction from exposure to a triggering ingredient. This article reviews the pathophysiology and different clinical manifestations of contact urticaria and its association with cosmetics and toiletries.