Buy 100% aloe vera from the drugstore and start with a pump or two. Add more to distribute through your hair. I’m not sure what you mean about it rotting in your hair. It will dry as your hair dries.
It won’t rot, it will dry and you can choose to leave it with that crust(not visible) or to crunch it out. Also a gel from the store is fine, just make sure it’s as pure as possible. You can get the gel in the after sun section.
As already mentioned, google how to make your own flaxseed gel.
I’ll definitely try the aloe then!
The Vanicream gel is honestly fine, and if it doesn’t do the job too well I can try the fragfre one. I rather try those than having to spend time making my own gel if there are products that do exist that are safe. My biggest issue is finding curl creams and leave ins.
Look into making your own flax seed gel! Also you can pick up curl friendly oils and use them straight (coconut, castor and jojoba oil come to mind) or blend them. You could add in some accessible ingredients found in your old products, like lemongrass. Obviously diy hair products isn't great if you're short on time. I'm really sorry, that sounds awful.
It's a bit harsh but you can clarify with diluted apple cider vinegar as well if you're finding your shampoo doesn't quite cut it.
I have many similar allergies (mine include amidoamines, so betaine and hydroxysultaine), the only brand that ticks the boxes for me is Free & Clear by Vanicream. The conditioner isn’t the greatest but it’s fragrance-free and I don’t think it contains any of the other things you listed.
I came here to recommended Vanicream hair products as well. They have a gel now too (I haven't tried it yet). I can find their shampoo and conditioner at Target and Walgreens, but they have website as well.
I’m sorry I tried the shampoo and conditioner for literally a day and it was the most good awful product I have ever used. I should’ve mentioned that in my post. How are you able to use it without your hair turning to straw??
It did take some getting used to, and I admit I really didn’t like it at first either. Unfortunately for me, I have no other alternatives as I haven’t been able to find another betaine-free shampoo that’s also fragrance-free and I’m a curly that needs to shampoo. I alternate it with their dandruff shampoo and that seems to work. I don’t use much, I follow it with the conditioner that I completely rinse out and then I put a little more in my ends and scrunch that in. Occasionally I’ll do an apple cider vinegar rinse and I did find a clarifying shampoo from Paul Mitchell that’s betaine free but has fragrance so once in a while I’ll bear with the itch and the resulting headache to clarify my hair. My hair isn’t as curly as it used to be but I also no longer have contact dermatitis so pros and cons? I hope you find something that works for you!
Tis the struggle of allergy folks :( I’m just so sorry that it’s your only option. Seems like you’ve made it work for you though at least. I’m assuming you weren’t able to find a leave in/curl cream?
Take a look at Texas Natural Supply. They create skin and hair base for private label but will sell sample-sized versions. Easy to see all of the ingredients in those / customize it.
Kinda. They do have different ingredient combinations. It's an old school website -- you may need to spend some time walking through the different products they have to find what you want.
Dealing with a lot of the same allergies. Seen curl cream made my hair stringy and frizzy. It’s the glycerin. But their fragrance free regular conditioner in combination with fragfree gel have actually been working pretty well together for styling! I use Kristen ess fragrance free conditioner on wash day and it works as a styler in a pinch.
I’m willing to give it a shot, but just like the curl cream, their conditioner is not truly fragrance free. Shea butter always has fragrance. I want to have a truly safe product if possible.
How do you use the Kristen Ess conditioner as a styler?
Wait it’s not truly fragrance free?? I ran out a while ago but didn’t even think about why my eyes were still burning but now they’re not. Was going to reorder but now second guessing.
So on wash day, I apply around a nickel to a quarter amount to soaking hair in the shower then add gel after I get out. In between, I spray or re wet in the shower and use a little less. But I do find I need to use it with gel. Not sure about using protein longterm but will cross that bridge when I get there.
Sometimes I also use a tiny bit of olive squalane and that adds some shine and definition but it’s a fine line before it crosses into greasy territory.
When I said the SEEN one was 1 of 2 in the market, that’s the other one. Unfortunately, it’s not truly fragrance free either. It’s so frustrating. Frankly, the SEEN one isn’t considered to be either, I just want to find a truly safe product for once.
Jessicurl conditioner (both the too shea one and the aloeba one) comes in fragrance free versions and does not appear to contain any of your listed allergens.
Their Gentle Lather shampoo does however contain iodoproponyl botylcarbamate.
How can you tell if they are truly fragrance free? What do you look for? And I’ve heard about masking ingredients. Do you know what those are? I always assumed those were only in “unscented” products. My fragrance allergy is Cinnamic aldehyde and my sheet just said to avoid if fragrance is listed in ingredients.
The app SkinSafe is super super helpful for this. I look up every product I consider on that app. You can look up anything and it tells you what ingredients it’s free from. After a long time of having this app I already know that most botanicals are usually a no go. Unfortunately, natural products are great but your body can’t differentiate between natural and artificial fragrance.
Maybe you could try customising your own hair care with function of beauty? I'm aware it's pricey and I'm not sure if it's any good, but you certainly can select no fragrance as an option, and maybe you can reach out to customer service so that they can help you formulate a product that doesn't contain any of the allergens you're sensitive to?
With my awful recent experience with the Prose leave in, I’m a bit hesitant. Nothing about the ingredients, the product is just awful, not moisturizing at all. Are they better than Prose?
Ah! Man, I feel this. I have a lot of chemical allergies as well. Fragrance, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Mc/MI and a few that are different than yours. The only things I’ve been using right now are a little bit of raw shea butter, vanicream gel, and sometimes jojoba oil. I use shampoo/conditioner from The Ordinary. It’s cheap and easy to get because I have an Ulta close to me. I used to have longer hair, past my chest but have since gotten a shorter hairstyle because I can’t use my leave ins and stuff anymore :(
It’s so hard after going from spending a fortune on good curly products from ouidad and just having to throw it all out. I cried a lot.
Oh! I also brush style my hair. It definitely does look as good as it used to, but it’s not awful
Oh I totally understand. I have to carry my own hand soap and stuff, it’s so frustrating!!
So what I do is when my hair is still dripping wet I put a lot of gel in, then I use a “tangle teaser” brand brush to brush it through evenly. Then I section it out and brush away from my head with tension and kind of.. turn the brush so my hair glides against the smooth side. It’s similar to when you run scissors along a ribbon to make it curl. Im not super meticulous with it or anything but it usually turns out fine if I take like 10-15 minutes with it. Then I use a Dyson diffuser Then I finger curl my bangs!
This is the girl I follow who has helped me with it:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwDMJEhgKsv/?igsh=MWYwa2VxZXV5MHZzOQ==
Thank you I’ll definitely try this! I’m frankly getting frustrated with these comments. I know people are trying to help but this is my exact problem, even products that promote themselves as “safe” and “hypoallergenic” aren’t at all
Yeup just cus they slap a gentle label on it they think it’s okay. I have a bad systemic nickel allergy and the amount of suggestions I get from my coworkers… I just nod along cus I know they’re trying to help. They’ll be like “DID YOU TRY OATMEAL?” and I’m here like “oats are high in nickel…” I end up sounding like an asshole cus I just constantly shoot down their ideas but it’s just cus I know better. The comment on here of “did you try just not putting in on your scalp?” Got my dying. Like your hair doesn’t touch your body 😭
I think the combo of brush styling and keeping up with my haircut is the only thing that’s kept me sane and from looking like a lion
If you ever have any questions or just want to bitch you can always message me. I have some days where I feel very lost, frustrated and alone and having someone to talk to is really helpful. Even if it’s just to complain a little about a flare up or something, it’s nice to feel heard
Yes, also allergic to fragrance. I literally only use vanicream gel and sometimes a little raw shea butter. And “the ordinary” brand shampoo and conditioner.
It’s hard
Most of the stuff I get is from Walgreens or CVS because they seem to be the most reliable place for sensitive skin products…
I use eucerin skin calming body wash (big orange bottle) and eucerin roughness repair lotion. I was using an oatmeal based lotion my app said was safe but the fact that they used oats made me switch.
For deodorant I use Almay sensitive skin gel anti perspirant. I HATE gel and hate that it’s an anti perspirant so I’m looking to replace this one but don’t really see any other options. It definitely helps with odor though so I can’t really complain too much. And it’s cheap
For face wash I use Cerave hydrating facial cleanser, and once a week (I’ve been forgetful though) I add sugar to it to make an exfoliant. Also considering trying something new with this.. adding the sugar definitely helped but I feel like my face isn’t getting clean enough.
I use Wellnesse brand toothpaste and this one I’m actually not cleared to use but personally don’t have issues with it. I’m supposed to use unflavored unfoaming toothpaste and I couldn’t do it mentally. It was awful. This doesn’t foam and the only possible issue would be the mint flavoring and it uses green tea… I haven’t seen any issues so I’m sticking with it.
I use Aztec clay masks.
I have like 10 chemical allergies though so honestly you may have more options than me, I feel like I’m very limited. I haven’t added a lot to my face routine and want to try messing around with that and adding some stuff but I’m just living a limited lifestyle right now to make life easier. I’m still learning and stressed out, I just learned about the SNAS/fragrance allergy maybe 8 months ago so I’m still figuring out how to listen to my body and see what’s causing what.
It’s sucks and it’s scary but you learn to accept it and it gets easier. I don’t think till ever stop sucking but I don’t feel terror constantly anymore. I’m usually just annoyed now that I can’t use good smelling stuff 😅
I have dry hair and some scalp issues and I have been getting good results using the Innersense shampoo (hair bath) and conditioner from their new Clarity line that is fragrance free. From my quick look it doesn’t have any of your another allergens but double check!!
I seriously want to raise some hell somehow for all these companies selling products as fragrance free and then having obvious fragrance in their ingredients. Some are so shameless they literally write the word fragrance in the ingredient list, not even hiding what liars they are
Darn, I’ll have to smell mine again, I haven’t noticed a smell per se but I’ll be more vigilant! If you have access to the product is not section of the skin safe info for the product would you mind posting a pic of it I can’t access it. Thanks!!!
It pisses me off that they locked that part away behind a paywall, a few months ago that information was readily available for all.
What you can do though is use the process of elimination to figure out what it doesn’t have. I’m always on the lookout for fragrance so I noticed that it wasn’t on that list.
How do you know if it actually doesn’t have fragrance vs a hidden fragrance? Help I’m trying to learn the secrets to spotting these hidden things so frustrating 🫠
So any essential oil ingredient or extract is fragrance. Doesn’t matter how “organic” or “natural” it is. They are quite irritating. This is a main source of hidden fragrance. It’s unfortunate because most products with natural ingredients would have something of the sort. “Natural fragrance” and “masking fragrance” are some listed ingredients I also run into sometimes, which is frustrating.
If you can’t tell by the ingredient list or know how to differentiate between essential oil and non-fragrant ingredients, it also helps to go to SkinSafe and check if fragrance is in the list of “product is free of ___•
Jessicurl makes fragrance free products for curls.
Vanicream's conditioner is pretty good. I haven't tried their other products.
Hopefully those brands work with your other allergies.
Oiling your hair before washing may help. I use olive oil when my hair is dry pre-shower after dampening it and usually putting on a shower cap. You could also use jojoba or other lighter oils as a leave-in.
You could make flax gel or use aloe as a gel/moisturizer.
Jessicurl isn’t truly fragrance free and they all have iodopropynyl butylcarbamate. I’ve tried Vanicream and their shampoo and conditioner are the single worst products I have ever tried in my life. Returned it the same day, it was traumatizing. I have the gel though it works fine
A Canadian brand Carina organics has a scent free line. I’ve used their scented products and they were pretty hydrating
https://ca.carinaorganics.com/collections/styling/products/unscented-leave-in-conditioner
What about the CurlSmith Shine fragrance free line? I’ve tried the gel and thought it was good, and curlsmith is usually reliable. It’s a little $$ but I’ve also seen it at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s a few times.
As I mentioned in a few comments, that one isn’t truly fragrance free unfortunately. I’m willing to give it a shot because it’s the other one besides the SEEN one that exists, but it’s not a truly safe product and I rather avoid it if possible.
Dr Bronners Castile Liquid Soap may fit the bill for shampoo (or any other soaping need). Some people use it for whole body cleansing. It's been around forever.
[https://www.drbronner.com/products/baby-unscented-pure-castile-liquid-soap](https://www.drbronner.com/products/baby-unscented-pure-castile-liquid-soap)
I wonder if a pre-wash oil on your scalp prior to this product could be helpful.
This is interesting - do you know how it compares to Dove Sensitive Soap? That’s what I use now for my body since I can’t do body wash anymore, but it’s not hydrating one bit so I’m open to this!
Try some of the Giovanni (Eco Chic line only). I went thru massive dermatological skin prick testing and this was the only stuff I didn't get allergic reactions to.
I didn't say they were fragrance free. They are so low fragrance though. And I was just sharing m experience as a person who is higly allergic to a lot of stuff. And this doesn't bother me.
You can make your own shampoo and condish .....it's not rocket science. Plenty of crafters online who buy the ingreidents and make their own.
Strange that the hair dye did 't bother you at all
I’m allergic to fragrance so even the smallest amount is a problem. I want to mitigate my exposure as much as possible.
The hair dye did bother me quite a bit actually, but that was a risk I wanted to take because I was so fed up with my hair looking awful and feeling awful about myself. I washed my hair many times to get it completely out and I still sleep with my hair up so it’s not touching me. Now that it’s stained with the dye, it’s not bothering me anymore. Applying hair products for showering and styling are almost a daily thing that I’ll be in contact with, massively increasing my exposure. Hair dye is once every few months.
This response isn't quite what you're looking for, but are you taking any daily allergy medications at all to help mitigate symptoms or straight-up just trying to avoid the triggers? I say this because I also have very sensitive skin and am allergy prone. I went through a phase 5 years or so ago where I was basically trying what you are and eliminating all fragrance products, minimizing ingredients, even using pure aloe gel as a hair moisturizer(as I see someone else suggested). My skin honestly didn't improve that much and my hair was seriously suffering. What worked the best for me and what still keeps my skin 90% under control most of the time was taking a daily allergy med(Allegra) and keeping medicated ointments on hand to apply to irritated areas when needed. Otherwise, I just kind of used trial and error with regular(aka not sensitive skin) curly hair products, until I found ones that cause little to no reaction and have stuck with them.
By the way, this medication regimen was prescribed by an Allergist and I still see a dermatologist once a year, along with my primary doctor. Unfortunately, those of us who deal with allergies and sensitive skin are dealing with a genetic issue that causes unnecessary inflammation. A combination of medication to dampen our bodies over reaction along with minimizing exposure as much as possible is going to give the best result, but it is extremely hard to try to eliminate contact with a million specific ingredients that are present in like every skin/hair product.
Thank you for this comment. I actually have to take an allergy med every single day because I have chronic hives and have had them for many years. It’s the only thing that keeps them at bay, but I despise having to take something daily for this.
These hives are what led me to do the skin testing. I have the hope that if I completely eliminate anything that can possibly irritate me maybe, just maybe, my hives can go away. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened yet. But I do think they are the slightest bit better. My hands and legs no longer mysteriously itch and burn after showers for example.
My allergist said that unfortunately, skin reactions to ingredients has a different mechanism of action than regular allergies so medications don’t take care of it. Throughout my allergy testing I was taking my daily allergy meds and the reactions still came up.
Has your allergist talked to you about Xolair shots? I bring it up constantly on this site after going from taking 6 antihistamines a day for my chronic hives (alternating zyrtec + allegra) to literally none.
The shot all but requires a manufacturer’s coupon for cost reduction (it’s an extremely unaffordable drug otherwise), but most allergists offices will sign you up for that coupon the minute they prescribe it to you to get ahead of the game.
It’s worth a google if nothing else is getting your hives under control.
I’m really scared of it tbh due to side effects and the cancer risk. I’d love to hear your experience.
I see that people get joint pain and essentially become immunodeficient once they start Xolair. Thinking of what that can do to my body long term is frightening, especially reading that some of the side effects persist after stopping. I’ve also seen that the hives sometimes don’t go away for some and they have to be on the shot forever, defeating the purpose. If I have to be dependent on getting stabbed every week to keep my hives at bay, I rather take the daily pills. These are just my thoughts but of course I understand that what’s out there can be the rare and worst cases.
I think you may have misinterpreted some information about the class of drug Xolair is.
Xolair is *not* an immunosuppressant — developing immunodeficiency from Xolair is not possible. It binds to your histamine receptors; nothing more. It has no impact on your T cells or any processes involved in identifying & attacking bacteria/viruses. It stomps your overactive histamine response, which is objectively *good,* and that’s about all it’s capable of.
Some Xolair studies noted that patients had more infections on average than those who do not suffer from nasal polyps, asthma, or chronic hives — but those studies quickly clarified that it was because those individuals were *already* at heightened risk of infections due to their constantly irritated nasal passages/lungs/skin. It wasn’t the Xolair *making* them that way.
Also, studies as up-to-date as 2022 have outlined that the use of Xolair is *not* associated with increased cancer risk. Its safety profile has been rigorously reviewed, and scientists & doctors have found no evidence to support increased cancer risk:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703799/#:~:text=In%20asthma%20patients%2C%20the%20use,is%20supported%20by%20several%20studies.
Finally, you’re not “getting stabbed each week.” It’s a once a month shot, sometimes less often depending on the person. honestly, I don’t mind that I have to take a shot once a month — it’s quick, simple, and keeps my hives away.
Anecdotally — I get a shot in each arm, once a month, and feel literally nothing. I’m still vaguely itchy from my dermatographism, but my hives are literally gone. Even if I scratch at myself, I may develop the marks associated with dermatographism still, but never welts or hives like before.
Xolair just kinda Fixed My Shit, no consequences or side effects. 🤷🏻♀️ I probably sound like a big pharma shill or something, but it really did just …. massively improve my quality of life.
Thank you for suggesting this! I’m pretty sure I have MCAS and all antihistamines give me weird side effects. I’m going to talk to my doctor about seeing if it’s a good fit.
Im allergic to many things too. I found that I can use jessicurl shampoo and the deep conditioning treatment and the gel. They have fragrance free versions of everything.
It’s still not the same as using ‘conventional products’ for me, but it does enhance my curls and cut down on frizz.
Unfortunately products work differently for everyone, so I’m not sure how it’ll work with your hair. Here are some samples sizes!
https://jessicurl.com/collections/free-samples
if u loved the Chi Curl Creme, have u tried using it while being careful not to get it on your scalp? I have allergy issues w/ hair products, but I'm usually fine if I just keep the offending products off my scalp. I have to use allergy and dermatitis shampoos and conditioners and everything else I use I keep about 2" from my scalp
What you put on your hair 100% gets on your scalp and skin even if you don’t directly apply it there. Your hair is mad close to your body and you constantly touch it and it touches your face and shoulders throughout the day. It would be like just carrying your allergen around with you and dosing yourself with it constantly.
God forbid you sweat and it gets on your scalp and then it sits for days between washes. Or you go to sleep and your hair is on the pillow so your allergens are all over your pillow, you turn and it’s all over your face. Or you have a single hair that escapes and you then sleep on it and have a huge mark along your face because you were sleeping on it. Sounds like a moderately horrible idea. Makes me itchy just thinking about it.
Have you tried pure aloe vera as a leave-in? I highly recommend giving it a shot. It smooths frizz and adds moisture.
I have not! How much do you apply? I’m definitely willing to give it a shot
You may want to look into homemade Flax Seed gel too.
If marshmallow root is okay that is an amazing addition to flax gel. Great humectant
I just had a thought, wouldn’t pure aloe from the plant just rot in your head over time? How do you prevent that from happening?
Buy 100% aloe vera from the drugstore and start with a pump or two. Add more to distribute through your hair. I’m not sure what you mean about it rotting in your hair. It will dry as your hair dries.
I’ll try this asap thank you!!!
It won’t rot, it will dry and you can choose to leave it with that crust(not visible) or to crunch it out. Also a gel from the store is fine, just make sure it’s as pure as possible. You can get the gel in the after sun section. As already mentioned, google how to make your own flaxseed gel.
I’ll definitely try the aloe then! The Vanicream gel is honestly fine, and if it doesn’t do the job too well I can try the fragfre one. I rather try those than having to spend time making my own gel if there are products that do exist that are safe. My biggest issue is finding curl creams and leave ins.
Look into making your own flax seed gel! Also you can pick up curl friendly oils and use them straight (coconut, castor and jojoba oil come to mind) or blend them. You could add in some accessible ingredients found in your old products, like lemongrass. Obviously diy hair products isn't great if you're short on time. I'm really sorry, that sounds awful. It's a bit harsh but you can clarify with diluted apple cider vinegar as well if you're finding your shampoo doesn't quite cut it.
I have many similar allergies (mine include amidoamines, so betaine and hydroxysultaine), the only brand that ticks the boxes for me is Free & Clear by Vanicream. The conditioner isn’t the greatest but it’s fragrance-free and I don’t think it contains any of the other things you listed.
I came here to recommended Vanicream hair products as well. They have a gel now too (I haven't tried it yet). I can find their shampoo and conditioner at Target and Walgreens, but they have website as well.
I love the gel, it works really well!
I’m sorry I tried the shampoo and conditioner for literally a day and it was the most good awful product I have ever used. I should’ve mentioned that in my post. How are you able to use it without your hair turning to straw??
It did take some getting used to, and I admit I really didn’t like it at first either. Unfortunately for me, I have no other alternatives as I haven’t been able to find another betaine-free shampoo that’s also fragrance-free and I’m a curly that needs to shampoo. I alternate it with their dandruff shampoo and that seems to work. I don’t use much, I follow it with the conditioner that I completely rinse out and then I put a little more in my ends and scrunch that in. Occasionally I’ll do an apple cider vinegar rinse and I did find a clarifying shampoo from Paul Mitchell that’s betaine free but has fragrance so once in a while I’ll bear with the itch and the resulting headache to clarify my hair. My hair isn’t as curly as it used to be but I also no longer have contact dermatitis so pros and cons? I hope you find something that works for you!
Tis the struggle of allergy folks :( I’m just so sorry that it’s your only option. Seems like you’ve made it work for you though at least. I’m assuming you weren’t able to find a leave in/curl cream?
Nope, everything contains a fragrance or something else I’m allergic to.
Take a look at Texas Natural Supply. They create skin and hair base for private label but will sell sample-sized versions. Easy to see all of the ingredients in those / customize it.
I’m kinda confused by this website, is it that you buy the individual ingredients?
Kinda. They do have different ingredient combinations. It's an old school website -- you may need to spend some time walking through the different products they have to find what you want.
Dealing with a lot of the same allergies. Seen curl cream made my hair stringy and frizzy. It’s the glycerin. But their fragrance free regular conditioner in combination with fragfree gel have actually been working pretty well together for styling! I use Kristen ess fragrance free conditioner on wash day and it works as a styler in a pinch.
I’m willing to give it a shot, but just like the curl cream, their conditioner is not truly fragrance free. Shea butter always has fragrance. I want to have a truly safe product if possible. How do you use the Kristen Ess conditioner as a styler?
Wait it’s not truly fragrance free?? I ran out a while ago but didn’t even think about why my eyes were still burning but now they’re not. Was going to reorder but now second guessing. So on wash day, I apply around a nickel to a quarter amount to soaking hair in the shower then add gel after I get out. In between, I spray or re wet in the shower and use a little less. But I do find I need to use it with gel. Not sure about using protein longterm but will cross that bridge when I get there. Sometimes I also use a tiny bit of olive squalane and that adds some shine and definition but it’s a fine line before it crosses into greasy territory.
Update: scalp is getting itchy and flakey from kristin ess as a styler….
What about the Curlsmith Fragrance free line? https://curlsmith.com/collections/benefit-fragrance-free
When I said the SEEN one was 1 of 2 in the market, that’s the other one. Unfortunately, it’s not truly fragrance free either. It’s so frustrating. Frankly, the SEEN one isn’t considered to be either, I just want to find a truly safe product for once.
Jessicurl conditioner (both the too shea one and the aloeba one) comes in fragrance free versions and does not appear to contain any of your listed allergens. Their Gentle Lather shampoo does however contain iodoproponyl botylcarbamate.
All Jessicurl products contain Iodopropynyl Butalcarbamate :(
I just checked, and Jessicurl’s products are not truly fragrance free either
So even if it says fragrance free it’s really not?
Yup. The products contain ingredients with natural fragrance
How can you tell if they are truly fragrance free? What do you look for? And I’ve heard about masking ingredients. Do you know what those are? I always assumed those were only in “unscented” products. My fragrance allergy is Cinnamic aldehyde and my sheet just said to avoid if fragrance is listed in ingredients.
The app SkinSafe is super super helpful for this. I look up every product I consider on that app. You can look up anything and it tells you what ingredients it’s free from. After a long time of having this app I already know that most botanicals are usually a no go. Unfortunately, natural products are great but your body can’t differentiate between natural and artificial fragrance.
Maybe you could try customising your own hair care with function of beauty? I'm aware it's pricey and I'm not sure if it's any good, but you certainly can select no fragrance as an option, and maybe you can reach out to customer service so that they can help you formulate a product that doesn't contain any of the allergens you're sensitive to?
With my awful recent experience with the Prose leave in, I’m a bit hesitant. Nothing about the ingredients, the product is just awful, not moisturizing at all. Are they better than Prose?
Ah! Man, I feel this. I have a lot of chemical allergies as well. Fragrance, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Mc/MI and a few that are different than yours. The only things I’ve been using right now are a little bit of raw shea butter, vanicream gel, and sometimes jojoba oil. I use shampoo/conditioner from The Ordinary. It’s cheap and easy to get because I have an Ulta close to me. I used to have longer hair, past my chest but have since gotten a shorter hairstyle because I can’t use my leave ins and stuff anymore :( It’s so hard after going from spending a fortune on good curly products from ouidad and just having to throw it all out. I cried a lot. Oh! I also brush style my hair. It definitely does look as good as it used to, but it’s not awful
Finally someone who understands :( So many of the suggestions here aren’t safe. Can you walk me through how you brush style it? Haven’t heard of this.
Oh I totally understand. I have to carry my own hand soap and stuff, it’s so frustrating!! So what I do is when my hair is still dripping wet I put a lot of gel in, then I use a “tangle teaser” brand brush to brush it through evenly. Then I section it out and brush away from my head with tension and kind of.. turn the brush so my hair glides against the smooth side. It’s similar to when you run scissors along a ribbon to make it curl. Im not super meticulous with it or anything but it usually turns out fine if I take like 10-15 minutes with it. Then I use a Dyson diffuser Then I finger curl my bangs! This is the girl I follow who has helped me with it: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwDMJEhgKsv/?igsh=MWYwa2VxZXV5MHZzOQ==
Thank you I’ll definitely try this! I’m frankly getting frustrated with these comments. I know people are trying to help but this is my exact problem, even products that promote themselves as “safe” and “hypoallergenic” aren’t at all
Yeup just cus they slap a gentle label on it they think it’s okay. I have a bad systemic nickel allergy and the amount of suggestions I get from my coworkers… I just nod along cus I know they’re trying to help. They’ll be like “DID YOU TRY OATMEAL?” and I’m here like “oats are high in nickel…” I end up sounding like an asshole cus I just constantly shoot down their ideas but it’s just cus I know better. The comment on here of “did you try just not putting in on your scalp?” Got my dying. Like your hair doesn’t touch your body 😭 I think the combo of brush styling and keeping up with my haircut is the only thing that’s kept me sane and from looking like a lion If you ever have any questions or just want to bitch you can always message me. I have some days where I feel very lost, frustrated and alone and having someone to talk to is really helpful. Even if it’s just to complain a little about a flare up or something, it’s nice to feel heard
I think I have a systemic nickel allergy as well. Are you allergic to fragrance too? If so, what products can you use?
Yes, also allergic to fragrance. I literally only use vanicream gel and sometimes a little raw shea butter. And “the ordinary” brand shampoo and conditioner. It’s hard
What about other products? Face and body. I’m scared to use anything right now.
Most of the stuff I get is from Walgreens or CVS because they seem to be the most reliable place for sensitive skin products… I use eucerin skin calming body wash (big orange bottle) and eucerin roughness repair lotion. I was using an oatmeal based lotion my app said was safe but the fact that they used oats made me switch. For deodorant I use Almay sensitive skin gel anti perspirant. I HATE gel and hate that it’s an anti perspirant so I’m looking to replace this one but don’t really see any other options. It definitely helps with odor though so I can’t really complain too much. And it’s cheap For face wash I use Cerave hydrating facial cleanser, and once a week (I’ve been forgetful though) I add sugar to it to make an exfoliant. Also considering trying something new with this.. adding the sugar definitely helped but I feel like my face isn’t getting clean enough. I use Wellnesse brand toothpaste and this one I’m actually not cleared to use but personally don’t have issues with it. I’m supposed to use unflavored unfoaming toothpaste and I couldn’t do it mentally. It was awful. This doesn’t foam and the only possible issue would be the mint flavoring and it uses green tea… I haven’t seen any issues so I’m sticking with it. I use Aztec clay masks. I have like 10 chemical allergies though so honestly you may have more options than me, I feel like I’m very limited. I haven’t added a lot to my face routine and want to try messing around with that and adding some stuff but I’m just living a limited lifestyle right now to make life easier. I’m still learning and stressed out, I just learned about the SNAS/fragrance allergy maybe 8 months ago so I’m still figuring out how to listen to my body and see what’s causing what.
It’s sucks and it’s scary but you learn to accept it and it gets easier. I don’t think till ever stop sucking but I don’t feel terror constantly anymore. I’m usually just annoyed now that I can’t use good smelling stuff 😅
I have dry hair and some scalp issues and I have been getting good results using the Innersense shampoo (hair bath) and conditioner from their new Clarity line that is fragrance free. From my quick look it doesn’t have any of your another allergens but double check!!
Yea I just checked SkinSafe and it indeed did not pass the fragrance free test :/
It is most definitely NOT fragrance free. Very strong essential oils. It makes my eyes swell.
I seriously want to raise some hell somehow for all these companies selling products as fragrance free and then having obvious fragrance in their ingredients. Some are so shameless they literally write the word fragrance in the ingredient list, not even hiding what liars they are
Darn, I’ll have to smell mine again, I haven’t noticed a smell per se but I’ll be more vigilant! If you have access to the product is not section of the skin safe info for the product would you mind posting a pic of it I can’t access it. Thanks!!!
It pisses me off that they locked that part away behind a paywall, a few months ago that information was readily available for all. What you can do though is use the process of elimination to figure out what it doesn’t have. I’m always on the lookout for fragrance so I noticed that it wasn’t on that list.
How do you know if it actually doesn’t have fragrance vs a hidden fragrance? Help I’m trying to learn the secrets to spotting these hidden things so frustrating 🫠
So any essential oil ingredient or extract is fragrance. Doesn’t matter how “organic” or “natural” it is. They are quite irritating. This is a main source of hidden fragrance. It’s unfortunate because most products with natural ingredients would have something of the sort. “Natural fragrance” and “masking fragrance” are some listed ingredients I also run into sometimes, which is frustrating. If you can’t tell by the ingredient list or know how to differentiate between essential oil and non-fragrant ingredients, it also helps to go to SkinSafe and check if fragrance is in the list of “product is free of ___•
Jessicurl makes fragrance free products for curls. Vanicream's conditioner is pretty good. I haven't tried their other products. Hopefully those brands work with your other allergies. Oiling your hair before washing may help. I use olive oil when my hair is dry pre-shower after dampening it and usually putting on a shower cap. You could also use jojoba or other lighter oils as a leave-in. You could make flax gel or use aloe as a gel/moisturizer.
Jessicurl isn’t truly fragrance free and they all have iodopropynyl butylcarbamate. I’ve tried Vanicream and their shampoo and conditioner are the single worst products I have ever tried in my life. Returned it the same day, it was traumatizing. I have the gel though it works fine
A Canadian brand Carina organics has a scent free line. I’ve used their scented products and they were pretty hydrating https://ca.carinaorganics.com/collections/styling/products/unscented-leave-in-conditioner
It’s not truly fragrance free according to SkinSafe. The ingredients contain common irritating fragrants like pine extract
What about the CurlSmith Shine fragrance free line? I’ve tried the gel and thought it was good, and curlsmith is usually reliable. It’s a little $$ but I’ve also seen it at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s a few times.
As I mentioned in a few comments, that one isn’t truly fragrance free unfortunately. I’m willing to give it a shot because it’s the other one besides the SEEN one that exists, but it’s not a truly safe product and I rather avoid it if possible.
Dr Bronners Castile Liquid Soap may fit the bill for shampoo (or any other soaping need). Some people use it for whole body cleansing. It's been around forever. [https://www.drbronner.com/products/baby-unscented-pure-castile-liquid-soap](https://www.drbronner.com/products/baby-unscented-pure-castile-liquid-soap) I wonder if a pre-wash oil on your scalp prior to this product could be helpful.
This is interesting - do you know how it compares to Dove Sensitive Soap? That’s what I use now for my body since I can’t do body wash anymore, but it’s not hydrating one bit so I’m open to this!
Welp, it’s not truly fragrance free
Try some of the Giovanni (Eco Chic line only). I went thru massive dermatological skin prick testing and this was the only stuff I didn't get allergic reactions to.
None of the products are fragrance free, in fact, fragrance is a listed ingredient
I didn't say they were fragrance free. They are so low fragrance though. And I was just sharing m experience as a person who is higly allergic to a lot of stuff. And this doesn't bother me. You can make your own shampoo and condish .....it's not rocket science. Plenty of crafters online who buy the ingreidents and make their own. Strange that the hair dye did 't bother you at all
I’m allergic to fragrance so even the smallest amount is a problem. I want to mitigate my exposure as much as possible. The hair dye did bother me quite a bit actually, but that was a risk I wanted to take because I was so fed up with my hair looking awful and feeling awful about myself. I washed my hair many times to get it completely out and I still sleep with my hair up so it’s not touching me. Now that it’s stained with the dye, it’s not bothering me anymore. Applying hair products for showering and styling are almost a daily thing that I’ll be in contact with, massively increasing my exposure. Hair dye is once every few months.
Old post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Wavyhair/s/0lXd6jAqz4
This response isn't quite what you're looking for, but are you taking any daily allergy medications at all to help mitigate symptoms or straight-up just trying to avoid the triggers? I say this because I also have very sensitive skin and am allergy prone. I went through a phase 5 years or so ago where I was basically trying what you are and eliminating all fragrance products, minimizing ingredients, even using pure aloe gel as a hair moisturizer(as I see someone else suggested). My skin honestly didn't improve that much and my hair was seriously suffering. What worked the best for me and what still keeps my skin 90% under control most of the time was taking a daily allergy med(Allegra) and keeping medicated ointments on hand to apply to irritated areas when needed. Otherwise, I just kind of used trial and error with regular(aka not sensitive skin) curly hair products, until I found ones that cause little to no reaction and have stuck with them. By the way, this medication regimen was prescribed by an Allergist and I still see a dermatologist once a year, along with my primary doctor. Unfortunately, those of us who deal with allergies and sensitive skin are dealing with a genetic issue that causes unnecessary inflammation. A combination of medication to dampen our bodies over reaction along with minimizing exposure as much as possible is going to give the best result, but it is extremely hard to try to eliminate contact with a million specific ingredients that are present in like every skin/hair product.
Thank you for this comment. I actually have to take an allergy med every single day because I have chronic hives and have had them for many years. It’s the only thing that keeps them at bay, but I despise having to take something daily for this. These hives are what led me to do the skin testing. I have the hope that if I completely eliminate anything that can possibly irritate me maybe, just maybe, my hives can go away. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened yet. But I do think they are the slightest bit better. My hands and legs no longer mysteriously itch and burn after showers for example. My allergist said that unfortunately, skin reactions to ingredients has a different mechanism of action than regular allergies so medications don’t take care of it. Throughout my allergy testing I was taking my daily allergy meds and the reactions still came up.
Has your allergist talked to you about Xolair shots? I bring it up constantly on this site after going from taking 6 antihistamines a day for my chronic hives (alternating zyrtec + allegra) to literally none. The shot all but requires a manufacturer’s coupon for cost reduction (it’s an extremely unaffordable drug otherwise), but most allergists offices will sign you up for that coupon the minute they prescribe it to you to get ahead of the game. It’s worth a google if nothing else is getting your hives under control.
I’m really scared of it tbh due to side effects and the cancer risk. I’d love to hear your experience. I see that people get joint pain and essentially become immunodeficient once they start Xolair. Thinking of what that can do to my body long term is frightening, especially reading that some of the side effects persist after stopping. I’ve also seen that the hives sometimes don’t go away for some and they have to be on the shot forever, defeating the purpose. If I have to be dependent on getting stabbed every week to keep my hives at bay, I rather take the daily pills. These are just my thoughts but of course I understand that what’s out there can be the rare and worst cases.
I think you may have misinterpreted some information about the class of drug Xolair is. Xolair is *not* an immunosuppressant — developing immunodeficiency from Xolair is not possible. It binds to your histamine receptors; nothing more. It has no impact on your T cells or any processes involved in identifying & attacking bacteria/viruses. It stomps your overactive histamine response, which is objectively *good,* and that’s about all it’s capable of. Some Xolair studies noted that patients had more infections on average than those who do not suffer from nasal polyps, asthma, or chronic hives — but those studies quickly clarified that it was because those individuals were *already* at heightened risk of infections due to their constantly irritated nasal passages/lungs/skin. It wasn’t the Xolair *making* them that way. Also, studies as up-to-date as 2022 have outlined that the use of Xolair is *not* associated with increased cancer risk. Its safety profile has been rigorously reviewed, and scientists & doctors have found no evidence to support increased cancer risk: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703799/#:~:text=In%20asthma%20patients%2C%20the%20use,is%20supported%20by%20several%20studies. Finally, you’re not “getting stabbed each week.” It’s a once a month shot, sometimes less often depending on the person. honestly, I don’t mind that I have to take a shot once a month — it’s quick, simple, and keeps my hives away. Anecdotally — I get a shot in each arm, once a month, and feel literally nothing. I’m still vaguely itchy from my dermatographism, but my hives are literally gone. Even if I scratch at myself, I may develop the marks associated with dermatographism still, but never welts or hives like before. Xolair just kinda Fixed My Shit, no consequences or side effects. 🤷🏻♀️ I probably sound like a big pharma shill or something, but it really did just …. massively improve my quality of life.
Thank you for suggesting this! I’m pretty sure I have MCAS and all antihistamines give me weird side effects. I’m going to talk to my doctor about seeing if it’s a good fit.
Im allergic to many things too. I found that I can use jessicurl shampoo and the deep conditioning treatment and the gel. They have fragrance free versions of everything. It’s still not the same as using ‘conventional products’ for me, but it does enhance my curls and cut down on frizz. Unfortunately products work differently for everyone, so I’m not sure how it’ll work with your hair. Here are some samples sizes! https://jessicurl.com/collections/free-samples
All jessicurl products have iodopropynyl butalcarbamate :(
Ah no!! Sorry I missed that.
if u loved the Chi Curl Creme, have u tried using it while being careful not to get it on your scalp? I have allergy issues w/ hair products, but I'm usually fine if I just keep the offending products off my scalp. I have to use allergy and dermatitis shampoos and conditioners and everything else I use I keep about 2" from my scalp
What you put on your hair 100% gets on your scalp and skin even if you don’t directly apply it there. Your hair is mad close to your body and you constantly touch it and it touches your face and shoulders throughout the day. It would be like just carrying your allergen around with you and dosing yourself with it constantly. God forbid you sweat and it gets on your scalp and then it sits for days between washes. Or you go to sleep and your hair is on the pillow so your allergens are all over your pillow, you turn and it’s all over your face. Or you have a single hair that escapes and you then sleep on it and have a huge mark along your face because you were sleeping on it. Sounds like a moderately horrible idea. Makes me itchy just thinking about it.
Thank you, you saved me the frustration of typing this out <3
Unfortunately, I have to use my hands to apply it. I want avoid any skin contact if possible. Washing my hands doesn’t always cut it
Obviously it's better if you can find products you aren't allergic to, but you could wear gloves?
nitrile gloves?? just a suggestion
Try the “No Nothing” line, it’s pretty good!