Allergy Questions, Allergies and other reactions to oils

[tielan]

ACK. On Sunday night, I did my first big slather instead of the delicate application of imps, as I've previously been doing. The oil was Fire Pig - a lovely fiery scent, rich and bright.

 

Except that on Monday, my inner wrists were red and itchy. Scratching them brought out white hive-y looking lumps. I applied sorbolene, cooled them on damp paper towels and didn't apply any BPAL. They'd faded by Monday night.

 

Tuesday night, I tried a dab of 'Pepper' on the back of my wrists. This morning, the backs of my wrists are a flaming red. *sigh*

 

I'm beginning to think it's the curse of BPAL. The lovely bright scents that I love the most (and which last the longest) are the ones that wreck my skin. Actually, perfume oils as a general rule tend to dry my skin out unless I moisturise carefully. But that's manageable.

 

I was okay until I slathered. Then it all went pear-shaped...

[sighanne]

I love most BPAL especially since I began experimenting with making my own perfume cos of allergies. But initially I reacted very very allergic to most oils. So I've made a routine that helps me enjoy any scent:

 

-I never smell the oils directly from the bottle/imp: I take a toothpick/q-tip, brush it against the cap, wrap it in a tissue and then take a whiff

-I always use vinyl gloves when opening an imp so i don't get any oil on my fingers. Bottles are even better cos I don't need the gloves.

-I always dilute the oils before applying them directly to the skin, mostly at least x 5! (using jojoba oil)

-If I apply an oil for the first time I do it on an the back of my hand where I can wash it off easily (I use handmade soap with coffee grains, a wonderful natural deodorizer) and never directly but using the scented q-tip.

 

I think that having sensitivities means you cannot be too careful with highly concentrated oils like BPAL's. But it's really worth it, it made my BPAL scent journey a lot more fun!!!

 

Irina has laid out the best advice for those with skin sensitivities.

 

Replying to this thread because Red Rose (trading post unity set) in a decant got on my fingers (of course when I went to open the little imp vial) and I scratched the back of my neck and it got very itchy and red. I haven't had any other trouble and I have no intention of discontinuing wear (love it!), I just wanted to add that washing your hands when you accidentally get oil on your fingertips will help, or it did with me.

Edited March 19, 2009 by sighanne

[Inventrix]

Much to my disappointment, it turns out that I am somewhat allergic to Scarecrow. The first sniff made me want to sneeze, and then when I put it on I felt lightheaded and a little dizzy. I left it on in the hopes that the feeling would fade, and I really liked the scent, but it didn't go away. I am so sad.

 

And unfortunately, Scarecrow doesn't have much in the way of listed notes, so I don't even know what I might be allergic to!

[faerywolfe]

Hopefully this is the right place for this question.

 

My mother is very allergic to stargazer lillies - she has pretty major respiratory reactions whenever she gets near them. She's not an asthmatic, but it produces symptoms very like an asthma attack, and she has to carry a rescue inhaler in case she should be exposed. (She's a nurse, and they're fairly common in get-well bouquets.)

 

My question, I guess, is this - has anyone else had any problems with the lab's stargazer lily note? We both love BPAL and she's never had a problem with any other lily notes, but there are scents that we'd both love to try that feature stargazers but we aren't sure if it's worth the risk. I'm particularly desperate to try Victoria, but I'm hoping to get a bit of feedback first.

 

Thanks!

[GingerGunlock]

My fiancé had a very severe allergic reaction to slight contact with Nuclear Winter (2008) today. He kissed me on the neck soon after I'd applied (and this was the final "I don't know if I like this oil" application), and got some on his lips. He promptly got little hive-like bumps right there, was vomiting, and had a nosebleed. I discovered this right as I was getting to work, and when I settled down at my (not well ventilated) desk, I started to feel nauseas as well, though for me, that's as far as it got. I'm not really sure what did it, but thought I'd mention it for in-general sensitive folks.

[khiseer]

Almost all bpal now makes my hands to break out in allergic dermatitis I tested my newest chaos on my arm away from my right hand that is always affected worse and within 15mins i was itching and inflamed. Some notes are worse than others, i can't wear any snake oil. The really sweet ones seem to make me react more as well. There was a gorgeous sweet pear halloweenie a couple years ago that i loved but was particularly bad.. Pretty much my whole collection has to go, I can't help but think it must be a base used in the oils or something because i can't just be that broadly allergic. I have no other allergies except nickle.

 

Right now two fingers on my right hand a badly swollen, itchy and blistered. It will continue to spread for a few days after i use it then stop. It's very painful and sensitive and it's so sad

 

So far i havent had reactions from any of the other etailers i have tried, even those blends that are heavy with the usual allergins like cinnamon i have no probs with.... NA, Arcana, Possets, Villaness, Lush are all fine..

[smellygood]

I've recently noticed that when I put my oils anywhere on my neck, collarbone, or chest, my skin breaks out in little unsightly pimples. Gross! And disappointing. So, I'm thinking I'll just have to apply to my wrists, arms, crooks of my elbows, and hair from now on. No scent locket yet (I'm awaiting the return of the clockets), but I'm thinking that's a good option too. Also, I decided to get creative and make atomizers out of a few of my oils to see if that alleviates the breakouts. I'm thinking maybe if I don't apply the oil in such a concentrated form on my skin, it'll help. We'll see how it goes!

 

Ah, the lengths we all go to so we can wear our BPALS

[Lyrical]

I've recently noticed that when I put my oils anywhere on my neck, collarbone, or chest, my skin breaks out in little unsightly pimples. Gross! And disappointing. So, I'm thinking I'll just have to apply to my wrists, arms, crooks of my elbows, and hair from now on. No scent locket yet (I'm awaiting the return of the clockets), but I'm thinking that's a good option too. Also, I decided to get creative and make atomizers out of a few of my oils to see if that alleviates the breakouts. I'm thinking maybe if I don't apply the oil in such a concentrated form on my skin, it'll help. We'll see how it goes!

 

Ah, the lengths we all go to so we can wear our BPALS

When I first started BPALing, I applied oils to the inside of my wrists, and before long the skin there got really welt-y and irritated. So now I never apply oil there, but dab it on my neck, shoulders or cleavage instead. Certain oils bring me out in welts no matter where I put them, but varying the application point instead of always putting them in the same place seems to help, and I've never had those permanent red patches anywhere except the insides of my wrists and lower arms.

 

I tried diluting, but that doesn't seem to help. If my skin reacts to an oil, it reacts just as much to the diluted oil, just over a larger area because the diluted oil is more spread out! So I just avoid the ones that cause obvious irritation, put up with a degree of itching for certain scents that I adore (eg Samhain).

 

When testing new oils, I apply to the outside of my arms, where the skin appears to be less sensitive.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Lyrical

[kakiphony]

I'm having a new reaction. The insides of my wrists are covered in a lovely, itchy contact dermatitis rash. It appeared after using Tiki King (which I love and have used many times) last week. I need to clean my watch with alcohol because every time I get it started to clear up, I wear the watch and it comes back.

 

So now I have eliminated the wrists and the pulse points on the neck as places I can wear scent. Luckily, the cleavage and backs of knees have avoided reactions thus far. I hate the fact that I seem to be getting more sensitive as I get older. Grr.

[HighPriestessIce]

T.T there's something in the deep ones that really bothered my skin >< I was fine with Cthulhu but The deep ones completely made my skin have a spazzing. Worst of all I sleep on my arms usually and where ever tye oil touched spazzed. I look half dragon now ><

[Kikkervisje]

My two allergy problems as of yet have been with Bordello and Chimera.

 

Chimera turns my skin red, red, red; and I itch like nobody's business. Had to wash that one off as best I could. Assuming it's the cinnamon note, as that appears to be a pretty common response.

 

Bordello gives me an intense headache. I really have no idea what note may cause that reaction.

[Capiteuse]

I'm so disappointed because I had an allergic reaction to the Phantom Calliope. This scent go straight on my top five Now it make me want to scratch my wrist.

And I had an allergic reaction to Jailbait and All night Long too.

[unlaced]

I think I've only had one bad reaction to an oil and that was TAL's White Light. Stinging, itchy red spots where I applied. It's smells pretty cinnamon-y to me so I thought it might be cinnamon content at first but I've worn oils cinnamon content multiple times before with no problem. (Chimera, Bakeneko, Priala, etc.) So maybe it's something else...

Edited June 15, 2009 by unlaced

[Dark Alice]

Chimera, the wild men, and other cinnamon or cassia blends make my skin itch like nobody's business. I have yet to have an intense headache from an oil though.

[twilighteyes]

I started to break out and itch from applying oils on inner wrist, so I moved to outer. Unfortunately the itching followed there... so I switched to a scent locket for the majority of the time. After clearing up and taking a break, the itching hasn't really returned so I started cautiously wearing perfume on the outside wrists again.

 

But now I am starting to have major headaches/nausea and they seem partially scent related.

 

Edited June 17, 2009 by TwilightEyes

[Gwydion]

I think I'm starting to react to Snake Oil.

[unlaced]

I had a reaction to El Dia de Reyes this morning when I tried it (for the first time) I have to assume it's the cinnamon because, really... what else could it be? (I mean the scent description for El Dia de Reyes is: Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar) It's weird because I've been using the soap for a while now with no problem. I guess it'll be a scent locket and in-hair scent for me.

 

Maybe my skin reacts to one kind of cinnamon and not another? Is that possible? I can wear Chimera with no problem. I tested Bakeneko and Priala for full days each with no reaction. The only other oil I've ever had a reaction to was TAL's White Light, which smells cinnamon-y to me.

[ivyandpeony]

...

Maybe my skin reacts to one kind of cinnamon and not another? Is that possible? I can wear Chimera with no problem. I tested Bakeneko and Priala for full days each with no reaction. The only other oil I've ever had a reaction to was TAL's White Light, which smells cinnamon-y to me.

 

I think that's a possibility - there are some cinnamon scents that I know will burn me (they didn't name it Inferno for nothin' ) and some that don't at all, like Bakeneko and Chimera for me as well. It might be that different varieties of cinnamon could contain different levels of the substance or substances that cause skin sensitivity. I think that it could also (or instead?) have something to do with the concentration of cinnamon in the formula, which I think isn't always as ascertainable by the nose as I would have thought it would be. Bengal doesn't smell dramatically more cinnamon-y than Chimera to me but it is a definite burner.

 

When I first tried Bengal, I diluted some in a roller bottle and found I could wear it that way - one of the things that made me think about the concentration issue. But I ended up layering it so often with Sudha Segara (unscented lotion first, slather SS then a little Bengal on top) I finally Franken-ed it and mixed some of them so I'd have my favorite layering combo handy. I don't like to dilute or mix my perfumes together like that in general, but I figured diluting Bengal with Sudha Segara was no certainly no worse than diluting it with jojoba, especially if it enabled me to enjoy something I couldn't otherwise

 

[unlaced]

That's interesting... maybe I'll try diluting it and see if that helps. I have some unscented lotion that might help in the mean time while I get some roller bottles and carrier oil. Thanks!

[Siberia]

I had a strong reaction to Blood, including a metallic taste in my mouth, mild headache, and most strangely, it made my hands ache severely when I applied it to my wrists, even after I washed it off. I mostly liked the scent, but there was a faint "ashtray" note that I also get from the snake-oil derived oils, Boomslang and Green Tree Viper. The snakes don't cause an allergic reaction other than the unpleasant note, however.

 

Does anyone have an idea what the common note between Blood and snake oil might be? Or an idea what the allergic note in blood is? It might be dragon's blood, although I used to burn dragon's blood resin as incense and never had a problem with it then...

 

Thanks!

[lilirose]

Siberia- late response, but could it possibly be the clove in Blood?

[solsticeviolet]

Pretty much anything with frankincense nauseates me and makes my sinuses and throat feel like I've been inhaling smoke after a while! The oil itself smells great for the first hour or two, but after that? I get this almost sooty (as in a chimney) sensation in my sinuses and throat. It's a bit scratchy and I feel like I need to cough - not horrible, but pretty uncomfortable. That's the only note I've encountered so far that's given me real trouble!

 

I also have a sensitivity to spicy scents. I get overwhelmed and nauseated by them pretty easily. I try to stay as close as possible to most pure floral/herbal scents since I know it isn't likely to create a bad reaction. Fortunately, I've had no rashes - yet! *knocks on wood*

Edited August 4, 2009 by solsticeviolet

[lookingglass]

I get red sometimes if I put on spicy BPAL's (do I even have any that aren's spicy...?) right out of the shower. Cinnimon often does it no matter, which makes me really sad b/c I love a strong, blood red smelling cinnimon like Sin...OMG.

[RachelElizabeth]

Ok, so both Eclipse and Inferno have cinnamon and bitter almond (I'm not allergic to any nuts). I have slight burning on my neck from Eclipse, and major burns on my neck and cleavage from Inferno.

 

Just out of curiosity, has anyone has problems with that combination (cinnamon and bitter almond) but not with cinnamon by itself? I want to try a few more cinnamons and I'm just wondering how careful I need to be about where I apply them.

 

Thanks!

[thatlingirl]

Pepper of any sort appears to be really irritating my nasal passages.

 

I mean, I'd expect pepper to smell.. peppery, but it BURNS.

 

 

 

On a semi-related note, after reading all the things that bother people.. should I be worried about something I'm wearing potentially bothering my baby? I babywear, so she's pretty much attached to me in a carrier all day long. I hope I'd notice if something were irritating her.