Allergy Questions, Allergies and other reactions to oils

[juniperus]

Here's my pickle --

 

I'm not allergic to anything but cats, and have never had any difficulty with commercial fragrances or BPAL until today, when I tested Haunted for the first time.

 

Within a minute of application, my voice started to roughen and deepen, and continued to do so until it sounded like I had a bad case of bronchitis. In addition, my throat got itchy and I started coughing. It got a little better, so I went outside to go for a walk, but was so short of breath I had to come back home after about three blocks. Even now, after washing Haunted off three times, I get sneezy and my throat and voice get worse if I sniff my wrists.

 

I'm obviously going to avoid Haunted from now on, but would like help identifying the note that caused me problems, so I can stay away from it both in BPAL and in general. I don't think it could be the amber, 'cause I wear so many amber fragrances of all shapes, sizes and derivations. So that leaves the black musk accord. Any ideas what's in that sucker? All I could smell was amber, citrus and something piney.

 

Thank ye kindly!

 

p.s. I just remembered one thing that has caused a similar reaction in the past -- Simple Green. It's a natural cleaning product.

That sounds like an asthma attack.

 

I have allergy-induced asthma (adult-onset allergies, no less) and I react to haunted the same way when I'm already being set off by something (so while I love it, I can only wear it if I've been having a particularly smooth patch with my asthma, so I avoid it during my peak allergy times in other words, because when I'm triggered, it dominoes).

 

Allergies can develop any time of life - and, therefore, allergy-induced asthma can come visit. Mine went full-blown after years of periodic episodes like the one you describe, and now it's unhappy asthma in its own right..but for a long time it was rare wheezing, allergy, shortness of breath times seemingly out of nowhere (now I can look back and see the pattern, but I didn't identify a pattern at the time).

[marietta]

That sounds like an asthma attack.

 

I have allergy-induced asthma (adult-onset allergies, no less) and I react to haunted the same way when I'm already being set off by something (so while I love it, I can only wear it if I've been having a particularly smooth patch with my asthma, so I avoid it during my peak allergy times in other words, because when I'm triggered, it dominoes).

 

Allergies can develop any time of life - and, therefore, allergy-induced asthma can come visit. Mine went full-blown after years of periodic episodes like the one you describe, and now it's unhappy asthma in its own right..but for a long time it was rare wheezing, allergy, shortness of breath times seemingly out of nowhere (now I can look back and see the pattern, but I didn't identify a pattern at the time).

 

Hmmm. Okay, I should probably have myself checked out again.

 

But I'm pretty convinced at least this episode was directly connected to the fragrance. I was feeling totally fine before I put it on . . . Juniperus, is it just Haunted, or do you ever have this problem with other fragrances? Do you have any guess what the allergen might be?

[ivyandpeony]

The civet and the musks that the Lab uses are all plant-based accords. I don't know what is in them (and I honestly don't know that the Lab could/would tell you everything that comprises those without giving up very valuable intellectual property - their best advice would probably have to be to avoid blends containing similar components if you have a reaction to any particular blend).

 

Marietta, it might be worth your time to add allergy testing to your to-do list in addition to an asthma check up, in particular since allergies can trigger asthma. I am allergic to every plant that grows in my area, or so it seems (all hardwood trees, domestic and wild grasses, ragweed, I have a list of the zillion somewhere). But I can say, I don't seem to have ever had a respiratory allergic reaction to any BPAL I have tried, just the occasional itchy cinnamon, cassia or cardamom welt on my wrists.

[BlueStarGirl]

I haven't noticed this one brought up, so I thought I'd share.

 

My skin is by no means sensitive but I noticed several months ago that Eclipse made my skin itch and turn red (not that this is stopping me, I love Eclipse). I was aware that other people were wary of cinnamon, so I assumed that was the problem and didn't think much more of it until today when I had a similar reaction to I Died for Beauty.

 

Apparently FRANKINCENSE is a problem for me. Possibly this will solve the mystery for others as well.

[Teggy]

I've never had reactions either until tonight. I was actually using TAL, not BPAL, Hand of Hermes which smells like it has a little cinnamon. I put some on my throat and forehead. On my throat nothing happened, but the spot on my forehead has been burning for about an hour now. Yikes! I guess the skin on my face is a bit more sensitive than other spots. I haven't had reactions on my forehead with other oils, but I guess I'll have to be a bit more concious of the spicey stuff.

[Jenesis]

Teggy, yes, skin on the head/face tends to be more sensitive because it is more exposed to the elements

 

Adding my own 2 cents, I have reactions to heavy florals like rose, jasmine, honeysuckle and the like - they all give me an awful violent headache! I've never figured out why, but as 99% of all floral blends smell like soap on me anyway (sorry Beth ) I don't have to suffer much.

[SeaLady]

Hm!

Shub gave me a prickly red-skin area where I applied it on the top of my wrist. It went away after a while, but it was odd. Maybe the ginger? I don't think it ever did that before.

[White Falcon]

hey all,

 

I just tried Silk Road and I have flaming red patches where I put it! What should I do?

 

Edited to add: It went away after a few hours.

Edited February 9, 2007 by White Falcon

[ivyandpeony]

I've never had reactions either until tonight. I was actually using TAL, not BPAL, Hand of Hermes which smells like it has a little cinnamon. I put some on my throat and forehead. On my throat nothing happened, but the spot on my forehead has been burning for about an hour now. Yikes! I guess the skin on my face is a bit more sensitive than other spots. I haven't had reactions on my forehead with other oils, but I guess I'll have to be a bit more concious of the spicey stuff.

 

Owie, Teggy! Keep in mind that TAL oils aren't intended for use anywhere on the body unless specifically stated in the description so you are definitely proceeding at your own risk if you use other ones for anointing or scent. In general, whether it's BPAL or TAL, I would be extra careful about putting anything on my throat and forehead unless it was specifically intended to anoint chakras - my skin is hella sensitive in those places. And of course, anyone could have a random sensitivity to some ingredient that's skin safe for 99.94% of the population, so we have that to deal with too.

 

When I have gotten a little burning from Inferno, Jailbait or something else I love that is spicy, my MO is to wash anywhere it touched with soap and cool water, then either apply some unscented lotion if it's mild, hydrocortisone cream if it's still bothering me.

 

Another general thing I thought I should mention - I have noticed more posts lately where people are mentioning severe allergies to certain ingredients, the type that trigger much more dangerous reactions than a mild rash or burning sensation.If you have such an allergy, please do not rely on anecdotal advice from other forum members to protect yourself. The only way you can ascertain whether a blend actually contains an allergen is to ask the Lab directly, by e-mailing them at answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com.

 

They aren't going to be able to send you a list of all the ingredients for every perfume they've ever sold, of course... You should be able to eliminate some blends by using the search engine on the Lab's website and submit a list to them of some oils you are interested in but suspect could contain the evil allergen. And keep in mind that like so many food products, the Lab's products are all made in the same environment and with the same equipment, so there's a chance that a trace allergen can be found in any product... just sayin'.

[dzurlady]

I went through all the way through this thread and made this list of everything that someone mentioned being allergic to (as in 'my skin is red, ichy and covered in little bumps, woe'). This doesn't include burning/red marks which go away (although the prevention tips at the end helped many of those people too), or headaches, sneezing, etc.

 

I thought this was an interesting comment:

People often tend to assume that any reaction to something indicates that they're allergic to it, but in fact an allergy is a fairly specific type of reaction produced by a release of histamine in the body, and in the case of skin-contact allergic reactions, itchiness and hives are the usual symptoms. The sort of redness and burn that can be caused by cinnamon, pepper, ginger, and other hot-and-spicy scents is because they're actually mildly caustic, and sensitive skin can easily be irritated by them even if you have no allergies whatsoever. Especially if you've done anything to make the skin more sensitive, like exfoliating, shaving or taking a hot shower.

 

On to the allergies!

 

The three bigs ones seem to be:

Cassia

Cardamon

Cinnamon (note: cinnamon oil comes from two sources, the leaf and the bark. The oil from the leaf is milder, and you may be able to tolerate it but not the oil from the bark. Many people said they were fine with Chimera, but not with others - someone had a list of bark/leaf scents, but I can't find it again. )

 

Others, some of which only one person mentioned allergies for, include:

Almond

Amber

Anise

Bergamot

Carnation

Cloves

Cocoa

Coconut

Fig

Honey

Jasmine

Lavender

Lemongrass

Liquorice root

Mint

Patcholli

Pennyroyal

Pepper (I can't remember if this was a allergic reaction or just a period of redness and burning)

Saffron

Strawberries

Tobacco leaf

 

Tips for avoiding allergic reactions:

You can email the lab at answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com and ask them if a scent you're interested in contains your allergen(s). This is especially great if your allergies are life threatning.

 

For mild reactions:

Avoid putting oil on just after showering or while hot, as your pores are more open then.

Stick to non-sensitive skin (also good for when you're not sure if you'll react or not, as it may reduce the severity of the reaction). Places to avoid include the neck, chest, insides of elbows, inside of wrists, and pulse points. Basically, avoid thin skin.

Dilute the oil in lotion or in jojoba, grapeseed or another carrier oil. It has been suggested that almond is best avoided, as it sinks into the skin well.

 

You may not be able to wear oils on your skin, but people have suggested wearing them on your clothes (be careful, as some oils stain!), in your hair, or in a scent locket. And there's always room burners!

 

If you get an allergic reaction:

Wash the oil off (cold water is less irritating, as are non-soap products if you have them) and stick ice/frozen peas/your cold pack of choice on the site of the reaction for immediate help with the itching. Then go the pharmacy for an antihistamine and some hydrocortizone cream. (Be careful not to exceed the reccomended doses for these, though! They can be harmful if you take too much.)

If you've been wearing a watch or bracelet, you might need to wash that too.

 

All this info comes from stuff that was said earlier in the thread - it's not something I know a great deal about, and I welcome any additional information or corrections!

[Iceblink]

A couple of oils with citrus bothered me: Cheshire Cat and Glitter. Both gave me instant itchy spots. (I wear Mania with no problems, and that has grapefruit, so maybe the grapefruit in Cheshire Cat is different somehow.)

And Stardust...I don't know what's in that that's causing the reaction, but I get little red bumps whenever I apply it on my wrists. Which really annoys me because I LOVE Stardust!

[nikkoblue]

For mild reactions:

Avoid putting oil on just after showering or while hot, as your pores are more open then.

Stick to non-sensitive skin (also good for when you're not sure if you'll react or not, as it may reduce the severity of the reaction). Places to avoid include the neck, chest, insides of elbows, inside of wrists, and pulse points. Basically, avoid thin skin.

Dilute the oil in lotion or in jojoba, grapeseed or another carrier oil. It has been suggested that almond is best avoided, as it sinks into the skin well.

 

Great suggestions; being a veteran of various skin allergies, i just wanted to add that if you're prone to eczema or allergic reactions, after a shower or bath and before you go to sleep, try slathering those prone areas with Cetaphil lotion or a similar product and apply your fragrance about an hour later. Also, switch the areas that you apply daily, like on one day do wrists, neck, pulse points, second day do only chest and inside of elbows. That way you're giving your skin a break (keep applying the moisturizer)

[jessiekins1]

i felt a burning after i tried lick it again. must've been the peppermint. and this morning, i tried sin and i got bright red patches where i had applied it. i had to wash it off sadly. it smelled so good too. hahaa, i'm allergic to sin! LMAO

[tamago23]

This is kind of an odd question, but maybe someone will have something to offer.

 

I'm quite sensitive to perfumes; I can't even walk through the perfume area in a department store without feeling ill. I've tried on a couple BPAL scents and they didn't have the same effect on me, so I was thrilled about finally getting to wear scent.

 

Yesterday evening I spent several hours in a room with a friend decanting eighteen various Carnivale Diabolique bottles of BPAL. It gave me a passing headache off and on and made me a little dizzy, but wasn't too bad. I came home, put a little Count Dracula on my husband, and spent about thirty minutes with my nose plastered to his neck, LOL! I started feeling a little vertigo while we were, ah, engaged, but thought it was just due to the current activity and lingering dizziness.

 

This morning when I got up, I had vicious vertigo, and it's been lingering all day. I don't have any other symptoms of illness. I rarely get vertigo, and on the few occasions I've had it, it's always been an accompaniment to the flu. I'm definitely not coming down with the flu, because I would be feeling other symptoms by now. This is pretty unpleasant; the kind of vertigo where if you stay perfectly still then the world eventually settles down, but as soon as you move your head everything is spinning again, even with your eyes open.

 

Is it possible that the BPAL decanting session and then very close proximity to my husband yesterday evening caused this vertigo? Has anyone else run into issues with BPAL or other fragrances causing dizziness and/or vertigo within six hours or so of exposure?

[noumenon]

Allergies generally manifest as sinus headaches or ear nose and throat irritation. Vertigo and prolonged dizziness are something you should discuss with your doctor. Either of those things could be signs of something far more serious than a perfume allergy.

[lapillus]

I haven't had them cause vertigo but many kinds of patchouli, including the one in Count Dracula make me nauseated and give me a nasty headache and it wouldn't' be a far step from there to vertigo.

[AmyAngel]

On occasions that I've experienced vertigo (thankfully pretty rare), it was either the harbinger or accompaniment to a bad headache, or the prelude to coming down with a cold or something. I strongly suspect that dehydration has had something to do with it for me, too, especially in cases of headache. Lack of sleep can cause it for me also.

 

I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to discuss this with your doctor, or at very least write down what happened so if it happens again you can compare and see if there are any similarities.

[bulletslc]

Had an allergic reaction to Snake Oil yesterday, but I think it was because I'd just scrubbed off another oil with hot water and soap. The reaction was limited to my inner elbows and was basicallly just mild stinging with red spots. Due to the way my inner elbows distort scents I think I'm going to stop applying there anyway. I've decided to use wrist pulse points, back of hand, neck, cleavage and sometimes hair (if I really, really want the scent to linger).

 

 

 

Hm!

Shub gave me a prickly red-skin area where I applied it on the top of my wrist. It went away after a while, but it was odd. Maybe the ginger? I don't think it ever did that before.

 

Shub just made me a bit tingly too...but no discoloration and it also went away shortly. I'm pretty sure its probably the ginger.

[tamago23]

Thanks for the responses to my vertigo/dizziness question. The vertigo did end up passing after a day, and I seem to have come down with some sort of illness (seems to be a minor cold) a couple days later. I do think the vertigo is related to the perfume exposure though, since when I tried applying a tiny dab of Lampades the next day, my headache and dizziness returned within a few minutes. Luckily it passed within an hour or so (I'd washed the tiny spot of Lampades off as soon as the dizziness came back). And I've been very sensitive to smells since last weekend; even my deodorant and hand soap, which normally I don't notice, have been smelling very "sharp" to me. I'm avoiding BPAL or any other scents until this over-sensitivity passes.

 

My guess is that the dizziness was scent-related, and concurrently, I was coming down with a minor cold. Maybe it wouldn't have been an issue if I wasn't already working with a lowered immune system, or maybe it would have kicked my butt even if I'd been in perfect health. Either way, it's fair to say that I won't be assisting with any more decanting marathons.

[Browneyes]

I just had an awful allergic reaction to Venice (it was an imp labelled Old Venice) - I don't understand why though - I have tried blends with all those notes before with nothing bad happening. But now I feel intense dizzyness and there's a large red mark where I applied the oil. I've washed it off the best I could with cold water... But it looks like it might take a while before this reaction wears off

[mawaridi]

Cockaigne gave me a screaming migraine that didn't go away for hours after I'd scrubbed the oil off my wrists

 

Bengal gave me a nasty red rash on my neck (although it didn't seem to affect my wrists before I washed it off). Which is a shame, because I love it - smells like gingerbread

[flco]

Jailbait makes the spots where I apply it itch for about 30 minutes, but I love it so much that I don't care!

[Castrensis]

I've coped with eczema & skin allergies since birth, to the point where I have to use unscented detergent & dryer sheets, unscented deodorant, & skin creams that are unscented and free of sodium laureth sulfate (far too drying). Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap is the only soap that doesn't turn my skin into an angry red plain.

 

Every perfume oil I've used (even "perfume", i.e. water/alcohol/oil solutions, can only be sprayed on the outside of my clothes) caused significant reactions within minutes of application so I've developed many adaptive techniques to make scent wearable. These may have already been mentioned, but I like hearing myself talk (...or is that reading myself type?).

 

I generally use scent lockets to enjoy fragrances but as a result I miss out of the experience of the scent morphing with my skin chemistry. The scent in the bottle is generally the scent I get from the locket. I'm not terribly disappointed because most of what I've dared to sample on my skin morphs into a scent similar to those utilized in baby products.

 

My other favourite delivery of fragrance is to make solid perfume using the fragrance oil of my choice. I then apply the solid perfume to my hair and the heat from my skull releases a delightful scent all day long - & it conditions at the same time!

 

What I do when an oil makes my skin look all leprous.

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, so this is an account of what I have done to manage my chronic skin conditions and maintain healthy, beautiful skin despite my maternal genetic betrayal. Use OTC products cautiously, read all information that is provided with the product(s) and always consult your primary care physician &/or ask the pharmacist! (I'm serious about the pharmacist bit, they're a goldmine of information and can help you safely choose an appropriate product and instruct you in its use.)

 

I keep a big bottle of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap in my bathroom, it's unscented, all-natural, and ultra-gentle. It's made from plant oils and as a result is excellent for your skin. I use this to wash off substances that cause a reaction.

 

Next essential: a tube of Cortizone-10 to deal with allergic reactions as soon as they happen. Steroid liniments like Cortizone-10 are only appropriate for small, localized reactions. You don't want to use these products over large body surfaces because you absorb a small amount of the steroids transdermally - an infinitesimal amount when used on a small area, but absorption can be significant if you slather yourself with it. The earlier you can cut off the inflammatory response the better.

 

Oral Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is useful for reactions over large portions of my body surface, for example, when the cumulative stress of a soap or lotion results in a reaction. Be aware that Benadryl may sedate you into oblivion (it's the medication in most PM brands, e.g. Tylenol PM, &c.). As said in the preceding paragraph, don't use cortizone ointment to treat large areas. The best you can do is to wash thoroughly with tepid water & a gentle, non-drying soap, pat yourself dry - don't rub - and immediately apply a non-petroleum based lotion to your skin. Petroleum products don't tend to absorb well into my skin but rather conspire to form a greasy protective shield to help retain moisture. Natural products containing plants oils & various waxes actually penetrate into my skin to replace moisture & help heal the damage.

[Mia M]

i'm actually SUPER-sensitive to a lot of fragrances, but i've had really good luck so far with BPAL scents. (*knocks on wood!*) so far, the only scents i've had bad allergic reactions to two oils. the first was ode to melancholy... it made me feel like i rubbed fiberglass insulation all over my face and body and then crushed it up and inhaled it to boot... itchiness + sneeziness! languor caused an extreme reaction in me for some reason; my eyes became all bloodshot and teary and my entire face went itchy! i had to take two claritin and bombard my eyes with lubricating eye drops in order to get to bed!

[captainecchi]

Hmmm.... I don't see a lot of distinction on this thread between an allergic reaction and (non-allergic) irritant contact dermatitis. I think it's highly likely that you can get irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) from known irritants in oils, such as ginger and cinnamon oil/bark. I had a bad reaction like this to Eclipse; I applied it to my wrists, elbow joints, neck, and cleavage, and it turned my neck and elbow joints BRIGHT RED and burned quite badly until I washed it off.

 

HOWEVER.

 

This is not, strictly speaking, an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction is systemic. It may manifest as hives--raised, itchy red welts on your skin--but that's a skin-level manifestation of a systemic process, i.e., your body producing more histamine because something has triggered it to do so.

 

ICD is just your skin cells saying, ouch, I don't like this. It's a local reaction, and it's very similar to what happens when you eat a hot pepper.

 

ICD is uncomfortable, but as soon as you wash the irritant off, it should go away. An allergic reaction, however, is something to worry about. Hives can develop into an anaphylactic reaction, which is very dangerous. As somebody mentioned up thread, if you know you have an allergy to a certain ingredient, your best bet is to email the lab and be sure none of the blends you're considering have that allergen.

 

Here's a good link that distinguishes between ICD and hives/allergic contact dermatitis: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/contact_der.../article_em.htm

 

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I just have had some bad experiences with hives vs. contact dermatitis, and I wanted to mention them. When in doubt, don't use something that irritates you).