Skin Allergies: skin friendly detergents, toiletries etc

Kay_Peel

After a lifetime of having raw, scaley 'detergent hands', where even washing my hair and showering was painful, I came across Goats Milk Soap. I found the product on Ebay, where it was being sold by a woman who had been forced to make her own cleansers and moisturisers for her children who all suffered from eczema and psoriasis.

It was SLS, paraben and petrochemical free with no mineral oils. I bought a sample and found that my hands improved the more I washed them! Very strange, but I suppose the plant based oils had something to do with it.

I've bought other makes of Goats milk soap and some have been complete rubbish. They will have been made from powdered milk or they will have some alcohol or preservative in them, I find.

You have to find a maker who uses fresh milk and who has a tried and tested recipe specifically aimed at allergy sufferers. There are a couple of sellers on Ebay who breed their own goats and have been making this soap alternative for years - and selling the bars for a couple of quid. A bargain!

pjk_3

nikki2804 wrote: »

My gran just advised that pears soap is great for anyone with sensitive skin. Hard to find though.

And it's been even harder to find the old recipe recently as they decided to change the formula. The new stuff was so bad (and nothing like the original) that there was a campaign against it and the manufacturer has promised to return to something closer to the original soon.

judyjetson

Avene skin care is very good for sensitive skin, and apart from Clarins sensitive range, is the only thing that doesn't sting or make things worse when I have a flare up.

Peter_Pan

My GP years ago recommended Fairy soap but not sure if you can still get it. My daughter has sensitive skin and trying to find products all in one place (toiletries and household products eg laundry) was a nightmare, going here for one item and there for another, thats why i have joined Wikaniko as an independent distributor because i can get all the products i need in one place and as they are eco friendly as well and i get them at a good price too. I have sinus problems and understand that aloe vera drink is good for that as well and luckily Wikaniko have a great range of aloe vera products as well so that is on my list to try soon.

bythebonnybluesea

I have sensitive skin prone to eczema and have had good success with using soap nuts for laundry (also economical I find) and I like the oil cleansing method too, I use castor oil and sunflower or sweet almond oil.

marrowgirl

here is my tuppence worth.
I have sensitive skin/allergies & these are products I use:

clothes washing : strangely I can use Bold powder but none of the other usual brands. I do an extra rinse for undies. Vinegar for a conditioner (it really works & doesn't smell)
Skin: I clean with OCM and make my own moisturiser. (see homemade thread).
Hair: When my skin is playing up I have a shampoo from the Body Shop *goes off to check* - Rainforest Radiance. Its SLS & silicone free but I don't have much problem with my scalp. I use coconut oil for a pre wash conditioner once a week & my hair has never looked better. I also use it for a body moisturiser.
Shower: Most liquid soaps give me a rash. I am able to use Lush solid soaps though.
Deodorant ; the only one that doesn't give me boils :eek: is Mitchum unscented (the man's one) roll on . (cheaper from Wilco)

When my skin is bad I basically use non perfumed and as natural /basic/home made products as possible. (but since I love the smell of Lush stuff I use them when my skin is ok).

nikki2804

Just to add to this:

I was diagnosed with intolerant skin. Broke out when it came into contact with anything (barr the OCM). Someone recommended 'La Roche-Posay' toleriane formula skin care. Its specially formulated for intolerant skin. Its pricey but Boots normally have it on 3 for 2.

Perfect for the days when the OCM is just too much hassle.

HTH

elfen

Yes, I would wipe not wash, since constant washing can cause the natural bacteria to disperse and be more likely to cause infections, especially if it gets itchy or she's scratching. Also means being more prone to thrush.

Adrasteia01

I have somewhat sensitive skin, but it's better on some days than others. I've found that using more natural products (especially organic ones, or at least those without SLS or Parabens) best suit my skin.

These are the products I would use. Most aren't cheap, but this would be the main stuff I would splurge on.

Washing Detergent: Lild sensitive non-bio or Tesco non-bio, but only use half a washing tablet per load. You really don't need to use a whole one or more, unless clothes are heavily stained. Remember to clean the filter on the washing machine often. I read that fabric conditioner can lead to acne as it often contains animal fat, however I use a little. I also always add around ten drops of tea tree oil to the fabric conditioner in every load, as it has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and makes my laundry smell nice (I used to have a tea tree growing outside my house in Australia).

Cleanser: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (this product doubles as a shower gel, and while it contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Parabens in limited quantities, it's made for sensitive skin and is fairly gentle);
Aveda Sensitive (this has been discontinued, but is a great product); Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser (it's expensive and hard to get, but you need less than a drop to wash your face, it's so concentrated). There's probably months of use in a tiny bottle. If you email Jurlique online about their items, they send out loads of free samples (at least they did for me). I use rosewater mist as a toner (from the health food store. The Jurlique one is insanely overpriced).

Shampoo/Conditioner: Ojon Ultra Hydrating or Colour Conserve from Aveda. These are expensive, but they don't make my scalp itch, they don't contain silicone (like Pantene which coats your hair, but can also cause liver toxicity), they're good quality, smell great and make your hair shine, and one bottle lasts me for ages as I'm the only one using it.

Shower Gel: Elave/Bliss/Avalon Organics/Australian Organics. Avoid SLS and Parabens. I alternate between these depending on my skin, and for problem skin (acne, boils and stuff like that) use Cetaphil antibacterial cleansing bar (which has Triclosan. Some people say the active ingredient is bad, but it works wonders. I use it daily to keep my skin clear).

Hand soap: If you buy these, and try and opt for organic soaps. A block of soap will generally go a lot further than hand-wash as well. As for them going mushy, I find if I alternate between two blocks (put one in the dish, then when it starts to go wet, put it on a rack to dry and put out another, then when it goes damp, switch them back again).

Body Moisturiser: Body shop body butter/Bliss body butter/Rosehip Oil.

That's what I do, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily the best way. I find that the body butters from the Body Shop are really good and don't set my skin off. I read they made one for babies, but the shops in Ireland don't sell it. Anyhow, the Olive one is a safe bet. Also, rosehip oil is great for dry skin and I use this on my face and body sometimes. It's too strong for all over your body but great for dry patches.

Another thing I've found that can really make a difference to long-term dry skin is vitamins. My skin was just sapped of moisture all the time, and I found taking Perfectil for a while made it really moist. I don't take them now and my skin's on the dry side.

A lot of shampoos and shower gels out there might seem different, with different scents, brand names etc but most of them contain sodium laureth sulfate as one of the primary ingredients. Do some research online and see what you're putting on your body.. it's actually a bit scary when you read up on it, as many of the ingredients used are known to have negative effects. Artificial perfumes are also surprisingly worrying.

Anyhow, I'm not sure if they're sold in a lot of places in the UK, but Cetaphil products are generally very good and they sell a cleansing bar (soap substitute) for sensitive skin that isn't anti-bac. Something like that might be a good choice to wash with.

truegrit

does anyone know if Surcare products have alcohol in them - primarily 'Surcare superconcentrated liquid wash'??

I have recently discovered i am allergic to alcohol primarily after reacting to Ecover probably due to the benzyl alcohol in it.