Beauty

[Katcat1]

Your best bet would be fragrance free, hypo-allergic, etc. There are many lines that carry this now. When you have allergies you need to read all the ingredients carefully. Neutrogena is a decent line. You could also try acure organics & you can email them regarding ingredients & they will answer (I currently use this line).

[Zcat]

'Natural' is not always good -- poison ivy is natural, but you wouldn't smear it on your face.

While some added 'chemicals' help preserve products and prevent bacteria from growing in them.

One of my favorite sources is Makeupalley.com. I read the lowest ratings to determine the worst issues people have with a product. Sometimes the worst problem is that a foundation doesn't come in a super-pale shade. Well, that doesn't affect me. But if the product has a smell that bothers a lot of people, it will probably bother me too.

I do check with Beautipedia.com to see if products contain known irritants. I don't believe Paula is a all-knowing, but I do appreciate that she points out added fragrance.

[CherryHugs]

Thank you all so very much for all of these replies, suggestions and advice. I certainly do appreciate all of you taking the time to reply. I will take it to heart and check into things more and hopefully find the right thing for me!!!

[kabella]

On 7/21/2014 ChynnaBlue said:

On 7/21/2014 CherryHugs said:

So I have asthma and some allergies. I try always to use natural skin care and hair care. Yet I was reading yesterday that some of the ingredients in natural products are seriously not good if you do have allergies to pollen etc. which I have. What is a person to do? This cant be good yet regular products for hair and skin have many dangerous chemicals!

I've had allergies and asthma all my life. I always brush off the mall kiosk people who want to spray or smear things on me by saying that I'm allergic and they always say, "but it's natural" or "it's organic!" Everything I'm allergic to is natural and organic, from the tree pollen to the cat dander. The idea that natural is always healthy and chemicals are always bad is simply ridiculous. Mercury and Belladonna are natural and both can kill you. Water is a chemical - H2O - and you need it to survive. Too much sun can give you cancer, not enough can give you vitamin D deficiency. You have to be smart about things and not assume that natural = good and chemical = bad.

If you have allergies, read labels and avoid anything you're allergic to, but be informed about that, too. I am allergic to the pollen from walnut trees, but I'm not allergic to walnuts or walnut oil. If I were allergic to soy in foods, on the other hand, I'd avoid soy in beauty products, too because it's a different type of allergy. If you're uncertain, ask your allergist for more information about the things you're allergic to and what that means. Listen to your body, because it will also let you know what to avoid.

I avoid things that give me reactions and look for patterns and ingredients. I look for evidence from both science and experience. There is no conclusive evidence that parabens cause cancer, so I don't go out of my way to avoid them. I have experience evidence that tells me that some fragrances give me an asthma attack, so I avoid those. I don't like L'Oreal skincare products because of the fragrance, for example. I have to ask people who work in my area not to wear any of the Bath & Body Works Amber fragrances to work because they trigger a bad asthmatic reaction in me.

I don't have Asthma but eveything you mentioned for many reasons I totally agree with....Just makes good sense....

[CoG]

You may have read my disappointing, rather embarrassing discovery in some other place, I still don't have the system figured out. write in one thread it shows up somewhere else or not at all.....

I too am allergic to many things, most of them natural things. I was so disappointed when I heard that Purity Made Simple had changed and people were unhappy with it I went into a slump and wondered what I would replace it with. I've been using it for more years than I can remember, primarily because it doesn't burn my eyes out of my head like most cleansers. But knowing I had to find a replacement, I went to Paula's site and read her review of Purity. Then I read the list of ingredients. All the while I've been blaming my adverse reactions on this or that serum or cream, I've been using a cleanser that I am guaranteed to react badly to. If you can, please read the review or read the ingredient list and look up the unnecessary, irritants in Purity, the trees and weeds and flowers and slightly altered names for harsh chemicals.

We really do live and learn. I think the tried and true beauty rituals borrowed from different cultures are not only fascinating but very good starting points when trying to eliminate the horrid things we react to . I love the whole idea of TATCHA, Ojon, etc. I've used Baobab oil, Jojoba oil, shea butter, argan oil, cocoa butter for decades. I use the filtered, deodorized forms just like Josie did except there are those who claim she used chemical methods. I use the ones filtered through charcoal like our drinking water. The "refining " (it really isn't) is beneficial because it filters out the dirt and pollen and critter droppings and microbes from the hands of the women who gather , crack the nuts , blend the oils together in mass bowls of who knows what origin. I found all the ingredients in TATCHA oil cleanser because the price is ridiculous no matter how efficient the ritual and I will make my own version for the time being. I still purchase the powder because I haven't found a suitable replacement yet. I've found enzyme peels but not with the proper variety of red algae, or they're missing other key ingredients. Can't justify paying that much for the moisturizer too. The set is like $489.00 on her site. Someone on EBay was selling it for nearly $600.00. So I returned to the best of best list and chose items from that set of reviews.

Don't know if any of this helps you but I don't want you to be hurt by comments from people who have no idea how difficult it really is to sort your way through all the snake oil. I don't know if its really true but I was cautioned not to believe in a certain doctor's line, you know the one with the popular show that showcases products sometimes? because the government got him for false advertising and price gouging, taking kickbacks. heresay mind you, but makes one think.

It's hard but worth it. You'll work your way through all of the chaos and find some things you love.

[okiebug]

CoG, if you like the concept of Tatcha, Amazon has a line very similar at a much better price. Several on the forums actually like it better because it has less irritating ingredients. It's Camellia Oil cleansing oil and Rice and Papaya Enzyme Powder by Fleur De Lis Naturals. You might check those out.

[suzyQ3]

CherryHugs, your asthma probably dictates that you steer clear of strong fragrances; right? So right there, you have one requirement for skin care products.

As for allergies, do you know what you're allergic to? Have you been tested? Otherwise, it's possible that you won't have a problem with an ingredient. I personally try to avoid those that are potential irritants, but that's primarily because I have sensitive skin.

[CoG]

Okiebug, Thank You So Very Much! I found the Fleur de Lis. The description tells what's in it and why . These are the very kinds of ingredients iVe been using ! I am looking forward to trying it. --- it is a traditional Japanese formula too! Problem solved! The beneficial actions of the ingredients are incredible- just like the superfruit powders I buy,!