by Brenda Clevenger of Midlife Mona Lisa
Snow White didn’t wear Revlon, Maybelline, Lancome, or L’Oreal. She was a purist who made her own preservative-free cosmetics. Still, the Queen poisoned Snow White with lipstick with ten times the lead in it, even though Snow White tried to avoid such tragedies by reading labels and ingredients.
I was getting ready for a date to a partner yoga class that I had been looking forward to. Wanting to look extra nice, I decided to put some luminescent body butter on my neck and throat. I had only used this product in small quantities once in the past, placing just a dab on my cheekbones as a highlighter.
Within five minutes of applying the lotion on my neck, I couldn’t breathe and could barely see because of the swelling. With no time to spare, I had to drive myself to the nearest emergency room and based on the picture, I don’t know how I saw to get there.
Upon staggering in, I had only 2% lung capacity, a swollen face, throat, eyes, lids, rock bottom blood pressure and bright red skin–all the signs of a life threatening allergic reaction.
One month later, I had a similar allergic reaction to another lotion. Then I put two and two together and determined I’m deathly allergic to a toxic preservative that was in both the Pacific lotion and Sacred Earth massage cream. This preservative, Phenoxyethanol, is cheap and used widely in skincare and personal hygiene products, although it has been banned in Europe and in children’s products.
My makeup wakeup call has led me to not buying anything, or believing any product’s “all natural” marketing, until I know everything that’s in it and checking out the toxic risks. I find the following help me in doing that:
- Environmental Working Group’s 2012 Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
- Kim Barnouin’s book, Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty & Style – A No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap Out of Your Life
Today I buy most of my products through distributors or at Whole Foods or Green Acres because most are free of sulfates, fragrance, parabens, preservatives, and phthlates.
With four attacks under my belt this year alone, I understand the ongoing risks of products polluted with toxins that accumulate in our systems through the years. It is that which has pushed me from being mildly allergic into an epi-pen-carrying person with anaphylaxis.
It’s great look fantastic, but not at the expense of our health. If you notice your skin itching after you shower or put on freshly laundered clothing, check the labels on your soaps. Chances are they contain some chemicals that are irritating your skin. And the good news is you can actually save money by omitting many expensive brands and going organic or using carrier (Jojoba) and essential oils to moisturize your skin and face instead of $30 to $100 jars of cream sold by the cosmetic giants.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Brenda, am glad you had time to get help and found out the cause of the problem so as to be able to avoid it in the future. How you were able to zero in on Phenoxyethanol specifically? I ask because I had a similar experience last fall (I have known I was allergic to shell fish for years) but wasn’t able to find the cause this time. The allergist who preformed allergy skin testing said up front “We may never find the actual allergen.” So I too carry an epipen and a variety of antihistamine pills with me everywhere. As soon as I start to itch–anywhere, I take the antihistamines. I had thought it was only food, but will now look for other possibilities. Thanks for the names of the resources you use to check ingredients! And I wonder, what, if anything, the did company/ies who make the products that caused your problems say/do when you let them know about your experience with their products?
That is so scary! You are so courageous to post this. I am always sharing with my readers the importance of using products that don’t contain harmful ingredients.
Would it be possible for me to share your story and photo on http://www.RevealGreatSkin.com?
I think hearing your story would make a huge impact!
Please let me know if that would be okay, I really think your scary incident could help others.
Thank you for sharing your photo and experience. It’s important to know about the dangers of products that we believe are good for us and okay to use.
That is really scary. Thank you for the warning.
And please, so this old nurse a favor, if it happens again call 911.
Thank you for your comment and concern as a nurse. I absolutely will.
So scary–I’m glad you figured out what the problem was.
I’ve had reactions to the plant ingredients in some “pure” products, but at least they are easier to figure out.
Yes, good point Anne. Everything synthetic or plant based (essential oils) should be taken seriously. Just because it says natural doesn’t mean it’s not a strong as medicine in our system. I took an herb, Kava Kava, to relax way back when and broke out in hives all over. Found out it was a pepper based plant I was also allergic too. Call me the girl in the plastic bubble
I am so glad you are ok. This must have been so scary. Have you always had allergies to product ingredients or was this a sudden onset?
I’ve always been allergic to environmental things like grass, pollen, ragweed, bee stings but never to food or products to my knowledge. I think our bodies accumulate these chemicals over time or at least that’s my hypothesis for way this came out of no where for me — especially since I was cutting corner and using some pretty low-grade cheap shampoos, conditioners and lotions over the past two years. Now I’d rather spend $10 on shower gel that has 5 ingredients and no chemicals than go to the dollar store and get something with 22 ingredients, colorants and preservatives that harm me.
How scary. Glad you recovered and are OK now.
Thanks for asking Helene. Knock on wood I haven’t had any occurrences or attacks for 4 months, but I whip out my readers and read labels always and carry a magnifying glass to read mice type or go to EWG.org to research what’s really in those bottles. My new hair dresser tried to sell me some products he said here healthy and natural. I had him read the bottle for me and low and behold it had phenoxyethyanol and other things from the dirty dozen list. He was shocked to.
Yikes. I’ve never seen anything like that….so glad you’re alright.
Frightening I know. One of my key clients can’t believe I keep showing that picture, but I think it’s important for people to see what something so simple can do so we are all more conscious of what we put on and in our bodies.
It amazes me how many hazardous products we unwittingly apply or ingest, assuming they’re safe. So glad you figured it out, and that you’re okay now!
How frightening! I too make it a point of checking my products for parabens, pthalates, etc., but even so, I still have reactions every once in a while. People also have to realize that products made with “all-natural” ingredients like plants can also be highly irritating to some. Thank you for reporting this!
OMG. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, holy shit. I am going to check everything I have right now. Thank God you are okay. How incredibly frightening.
My sentiments exactly Jessica. Never being a mom myself, I always felt lucky I didn’t have to be so cautious about what I bought and what was in my home like good moms do when they read up and prepare their home for the arrival of a baby. But, baby, we all breathe the same air and should take just as good of care of ourselves as our kids.
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