A study from Denmark showed that daily use of some skin creams can make the skin more sensitive to irritants such as soaps and alcohol.

Danish researchers asked people to apply either a high or low-fat moisturizing cream on the upper arm, three times a day for five days, while the other upper arm served as a control. The day after moisturizer treatment was stopped, the researchers applied an irritant called sodium lauryl sulphate to the creamed arm. The high-fat creamed arm had far more redness and irritation, while the low-fat creamed arm had no irritation. This shows that some high-fat moisturizing creams can strip away the protective outer layer of skin called the epidermis and cause skin irritation or rashes. If your moisturizing cream appears to irritate your skin, you may benefit by substituting a low-fat cream that does not leave a greasy layer when you rub it on.

More on skin creams

Effect of moisturizers on skin susceptibility to irritants. Acta Dermato - Venereologica, 2001, Vol 81, Iss 2, pp 104-107. E Held, T Agner. Address : Held E, Univ Copenhagen, Dept Dermatol, Gentofte Hosp, Niels Andersensvej 65, DK-2900 Copenhagen, DENMARK

Checked 9/2/17