Hypoallergenic Products

Why MOST Hypoallergenic Skin Care Products
Can Irritate Your Sensitive Skin

Here you will learn the disturbing truth of why most hypoallergenic products contain ingredients that can cause skin inflammation, how to discover what's in YOUR products, and how to choose safe cosmetics and skin care products for sensitive skin.

Those of us with sensitive skin are often told by our doctors to us hypoallergenic products, but there is one thing that we are not told ... that there are no industry standards for products that are labeled as hypoallergenic!

That's right, anyone can remove the fragrance from their product and call it "hypoallergenic"!

Secondly, a huge percentage of hypoallergenic skin care and personal care products on the market today are made with exactly the same ingredients as 'regular' products.

Generally they remove the fragrance and artificial colors, but they still contain parabens, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate and other ingredients that have been shown by researchers to be irritating and allergenic!

All of this is a real shocker if you are simply trying to find a face cream that works! What then is a sensitive person to do?

Finding Safer Hypoallergenic Products

• First, you will need to pay attention to which products cause a reaction in your sensitive skin. For some it may be the product that is labeled hypoallergenic shampoo but which contains a chemical foaming agent called sodium lauryl sulfate which can be irritating to sensitive skin.

• Then, look at the ingredients list of that product. Does it contain allergenic or irritating ingredients? Here's a list of some ingredients to avoid if you have sensitive skin.

• Generally it is the fragrances, preservatives, or botanicals that will cause a skin reaction, even if you are using product that is labeled as hypoallergenic.

  Yes, even pure, natural, organic herbs can cause a skin reaction if you tend to be allergic to that particular plant. Think hay fever! Even though the flowers and very pure and natural, you might be allergic to them.

  See our page on salicylates for more information about allergic reactions to the natural chemicals in plants.

• Make a note of the questionable or toxic ingredients in the product that caused a reaction, so that when you shop for new products, you can be sure to avoid those products.

  I've been looking for botanical free hypoallergenic products that are safe, without the chemical additives and preservatives that are so hazardous to health, for a number of years now.

  I'm amazed that there are so few options. So far I've only found one company that produces safe hypoallergenic personal care , skin care, and hair care products that are do everything that a hypoallergenic product should do.

  You need something that doesn't contain a lot of toxins, that ALSO doesn't contain a lot of plant allergens, AND that also REALLY works.

Guide to Choosing and Using Hypoallergenic Products

• Because so many ingredients found in skin care and personal care products can be irritating, we recommend you use products that are chemically safe and free of non-toxic ingredients. See our short list of ingredients to avoid on our safe cosmetics page.

• Choose a product line with a SHORT list of ingredients. The reason for this is that you will have fewer ingredients that your skin can potentially react to.

  Of course, this is VERY difficult to find in my experience. Many of these type of products work terribly, however I have finally found ONE brand that works really well.

• If your skin tends to break out very easily or to get very irritated when you try a new hypoallergenic skin care product or hypoallergenic shampoo, then it is best to go slowly!

  Before you go ahead and apply a new skin care product to your face, test it behind your ear or on the inside of your forearm for a few days.

  That way if you have a reaction, it won't show up on your face! If you develop redness or itching, it is a signal from your body that this hypoallergenic product isn't for you.

• When you are trying out a new product line, don't use everything at once! Test and then try one product at a time.

  On Monday, test the shampoo (on the inside of your forearm) for at least two days. Then go on to the next item.

  OR, if you are REALLY sensitive, try each new product for a week before adding another.

  That means you may need a little time to really get to know the products and whether they will work for you. This is fine, and is much better than trying everything at once, getting a reaction, and then not knowing which product you are reacting to!

  There are so many different kinds of products on the market for sensitive skin today. As our site develops, we will continue to share with you what we learn about these products and your reactions to them.

A Personal Note

I have sensitive skin, and I am also very sensitive to fragrance. It has been very difficult for me to find products that don't cause a reaction on my skin, and that also really work.

So many fragrance free and hypoallergenic products I tried just didn't work. The worse was trying to find a hypoallergenic shampoo. I have fine, thin, limp hair and most chemically safe, fragrance free shampoos make me look like a wet cat! :(

Recently I also developed a sensitivity to herbs. Even herbal teas can really whack my system out of balance now. After this began to happen I learned about the medicinal properties of herbs, and how they affect the body even when we apply them to our skin.

It is VERY difficult to find hypoallergenic products that do not have botanicals in them. So far in my research I've only found one line of hypoallergenic products that is BOTH chemically safe AND also free of allergens from botanical ingredients.

Learn How to Find the Safest Hypoallergenic Products

To learn more about how you can quickly evaluate your hypoallergenic products to see whether they contain irritating or toxic ingredients, please request our free ebook How to Clear ANY Skin Problem Naturally which will show you a quick way to check YOUR brand of products to see what all those ingredients REALLY do in your body!