Sensitivity

Ids

Ids

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1,290
After my recent issues with soap I decided to test if the irritation on my neck which worsens as the day goes on was due to poor shaving, the soap or alcohol, here are my findings,

I used DR Harris all last week a tallow based soap, my neck was a mess and all weekend painful, tallow based soaps just don't agree with me.

Last night I decided to test the MB non tallow soaps (aged spice), I applied it to my face and left it for 10 minutes, the longer I left it the more it started to burn!

Today I shaved with the MB unscented and used a balm rather than alcohol based aftershave, the result is my first irritation and red free day, to further test this I'm going to stick with this set up for the rest of the week, next week introduce aftershave, then the following week scented MB with no alcohol to confirm if I am sensitive to soaps and aftershave.

Not too fussed about the soap but it'll be a shame if it is the aftershave, there's going to be a healthy list on the BST soon!
 
Ids said:
Not too fussed about the soap but it'll be a shame if it is the aftershave, there's going to be a healthy list on the BST soon!
Click to expand...

Yes it will be a shame, but at least you have been able to have one irritation free shave.

Fingers crossed that you are able to repeat the experiment's results :)
 
Fragrances, whether "natural" (usually a blend of essential oils) or synthetic, frequently contain one or more of the 26 potential allergens which the powers that be have determined must be shown on the label if present over a stated percentage.

There again you may have an allergy to one or more of the oils/butters used in the soap - for instance there's an oil (Neem) which is generally claimed to be a universal panacea for skin complaints which actually brings my skin out in a nasty rash! Shea butter/oil is another possibility - those who have a latex allergy may also be allergic to Shea and a number of people are allergic to Lanolin/Woolfat.
 
I have had problems with woolfat in the past.

I'm using the Mama Bears as a test as the unscented I know so far doesn't cause problems, so when I use one of the scented ones next week I know it's this plus fragrance.
 
I used soap for the first time a few months ago, it was pear's soap and I had quite an extreme reaction including welts on my face.

Otherwise I've always used shower gels in particular radix, looking on the back they don't seem to use tallow which I beleave makes them a detergent rather than a soap.
 
As Briallen said it could very well be one (or more) elements but you are going about it the right way. Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is to be able to make it happen again.

Assuming all other variables are eliminated, same blade, razor and prep then it does sound like a reaction to an ingredient of some kind but it takes time to do the elimination.

What after shave(s) are you using?
 
My most common AS are:
Brut, OS original, OS Whitewater, Ogallala, TOBS eton college then body shop razor relief.

My gut feeling is it's something in the soap I'm sensitive too.
 
Don't seem to be any too wild A/S in there so lets hope it is from just a particular soap or two. It is hard because sometimes when your face is engaged even stuff that you are not allergic to can make it feel worse. You are doing the right thing by using that safe combo for a while till it all calms down then introduce one thing at a time.

Good luck.
 
I wasn't too happy about the tallow thing either.

It appers at this early stage to be the fragrance that is causing the issue as the only difference with MB unscented and scented is the addition of EO or natural/synthetic oils, and that it worsens as the day goes on.
 
Ids said:
I used soap for the first time a few months ago, it was pear's soap and I had quite an extreme reaction including welts on my face.
Click to expand...

I've just discovered an article about Pears and the ingredients were changed in October 2009 but after a facebook campaign
the Divisional Managing Director for Cert Brands - the UK firm charged with marketing Pears - admitted that the company had done and about-turn after a flood of complaints and said the old soap would be on supermarket shelves by March.

He said: "You will be pleased to hear that although some changes were made in October 2009, Unilever India have listened to their customers and are revising the product again and it will be much closer to the original by March this year."

Ingredients list for the two:
The original listed ingredients are: Sodium Palmitate, Natural Rosin, Glycerine, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Rosemary Extract, Thyme Extract, Pears Fragrance Essence.

The listed ingredients of the new soap are: Sorbitol, Aqua, Sodium Palmate/stearate, Sodium Palmkernelate, Sodium Rosinate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, PEG-4, Alcohol, Glycerin, Perfume, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Meta Bisulfite, Etidronic acid, Tetra Sodium EDTA, BHT, Cl 12490, Cl 47005, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamal, Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool.

Wonder which you were using.
 
Briallen said:
Fragrances, whether "natural" (usually a blend of essential oils) or synthetic, frequently contain one or more of the 26 potential allergens which the powers that be have determined must be shown on the label if present over a stated percentage.

There again you may have an allergy to one or more of the oils/butters used in the soap - for instance there's an oil (Neem) which is generally claimed to be a universal panacea for skin complaints which actually brings my skin out in a nasty rash! Shea butter/oil is another possibility - those who have a latex allergy may also be allergic to Shea and a number of people are allergic to Lanolin/Woolfat.
Click to expand...

There are more fragrance allergens than just the 26 designated ones. It is just that these are fairly common in cosmetic products, so that an agreement could be reached between regulators and industry that these 26 would have to be declared.

There is no such thing as oil allergy; i.e. triglycerides are non-allergenic; so is tallow (and tallowates). Allergenic oils are invariably allergenic due to the presence of some other minor ingredient or other, and yes, neem oil is well-known for the presence of a large amount of (truly) nasties...

My guess is, the OP is allergic to one or more fragrance components, or sensitive to alcohol (or both). Which means that an unscented soap is in order (whether a melt and pour soap like MB or a tallow based 'true' soap should in fact not matter).

Henk
 
Cheers all, anyone know of a tallow based unscented hard soap to further test this?

Henk, you state that you can't be allergic to oils, so am I right in thinking EO would be ok? Like the mama bears that use only essential oils?
 
For what it's worth Ids I've now had nearly 4 decades of being referred on to Skin Clinics & consultant dermatologists with skin outbreaks & probs. In my own case anything with alcohol anywhere near my face results in irritation & skin outbreaks, yet I could splash EDT or aftershave on my body with no probs. So, even if your facial area is sensitised to alcohol it wont of necessity mean that you are forever banned from using a body cologne. In my own case almost any glycerine soap or shaving soap has a beneficial effect on skin condition, as does the use of the Trumper's glycerine based skin food.

Unfortunately since what works for one often is of no benefit to another I'm not sure if this helps or hinders. Either way you're setting out the best way by gradually introducing potential triggers one at a time. Hope things get a lot better soon.

JohnnyO. :geek:
 
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