Products I Use

As a result of my various skin issues, resulting from allergies and chemical sensitivities, I have spent a lot of time searching for personal and household products that I can use without risk of breakout or flare-up. Below are the item that I use regularly. If it isn't listed here, I don't use it! There are recipes available online if you choose to make your own products. I'm a little lazy, though, so like to purchase premade products if possible, though in some cases I haven't found a suitable commercial product so have been making my own.

Skin Care

Soap
Dr. Bronner's Citrus Orange bar soap
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Palm Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Water, Organic Orange Oil, Organic Olive Oil, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Lemon Oil, Organic Lime Oil, Salt, Citric Acid, Tocopherol

This is a great soap! I would recommend it even for people who don't have allergies or skin issues. Lathers very nicely, not drying, gentle enough for use on face and sensitive skin, but still get the soapy job done. The smell is great, too. And for someone who has to stay away from items with fragrances, having a yummy smelling soap that doesn't irritate my issues is a big bonus!

Body Lotion
I make my own body lotion from a recipe that a friend passed on to me. It works surprisingly well, even in harsh Canadian winters! Combine the following ingredient in a plastic squeeze bottle. Be sure to give it a good shake before each use.

1 part apple cider vinegar
1 part grapeseed oil
2 parts water

Face Lotion
Desert Essence Daily Essential Moisturizer
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate (Vegetable Derived), Stearic Acid (Vegetable Derived), Cetyl Palmitate (Plant Derived), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol (Vegetable Derived), Propanediol (Corn Derived), Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Glycerin (Plant Derived), Gluconolactone, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Geranium Maculatum Oil (Plant Derived)

This is a very light facial moisturizer. Strong enough to keep my skin soft all day long, but not oily or heavy. I have acne prone skin (in addition to my various other issues) and this lotion does not aggravate my acne. I find, however, that I rarely use a facial moisturizer anymore. Since cutting out all cosmetics and switching to a soap that is non-irritating, my skin is naturally moist and smooth most of the time. 

Toner
Thayer's Alcohol-Free Unscented Witch Hazel toner with aloe vera
Ingredients: Purified Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Certified Organic Filet Of Aloe Vera), Glycerin (Vegetable), Hamamelis Virginiana (THAYERS® proprietary un-distilled Witch Hazel) Extract, Citric Acid, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E) Acetate

I use this toner when my skin feels greasy, oily or dirty throughout the day. It doesn't dry my skin out, but leaves it feeling fresh, clean and moisturized.

Lip Moisturizer
I have found a locally made, soy-based lip balm that works very well for me.

Eczema Cream
Uremol 20 Urea Cream
Ingredients: 20% urea in an emollient cream base. Carbomer 940, ceteareth-12, ceteareth-20, citric acid anhydrous, decanoic acid triglceride, germaben II, glyceryl monostearate, octyl dodecanol, potassium phosphate monobasic, purified water, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate dibasic

This is a strong moisturizer that, so far, has prevented cracking when my dyshidrotic eczema flares up.

I have also used Glaxal Base in the past.
Ingredients: Water, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cereareth-20, Sodium Phosphate, p-chloro-m-cresol.


I prefer the consistency of Glaxal Base to Uremol, but so far feel that Uremol does a better job at keeping my skin moist. Glaxal Base feels less oily, which can be good in some cases, though I prefer a more oily emollient for dealing with my eczema flare ups.

Cosmetics 

I don't wear much, if any, make-up on a regular basis. I have a few items on hand for when I need to make a good first impression, but day-to-day I don't wear any. I have seen some very positive changes to my skin since removing cosmetics from my daily routine.

However, if you do wish to use cosmetics, then check out the following sites. I have had luck with both.

Raindance Cosmetics
These people will send sample sizes of most of their items! Very helpful!

Beauty Without Cruelty
I use their shampoo (see below) and have a tube of their mascara on hand. I'm quite pleased with the mascara. It covers well and lasts most of the day. Mascara usually smears a lot for me, and this was no worse than the average brand. This mascara will still irritate my eyes if worn for a long period of time, but that probably speaks more to my sensitivities than the product quality.

Hair Care 

Shampoo
Beauty Without Cruelty Daily Benefits Shampoo
Ingredients: Betula alba leaf, Betula alba sap, Melilotus officinalis blososn, Tussilago farfara, Euisetum arvense, Urtica diolca, Achillea millefollum, inositol, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis in purified water, sodium c14-16 olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine, panthenol, hydrolysed soy protein, niacin, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, soy protein, yeast extract, citric acid, phospholipids, sodium benzoate, potassium sobate, ethyl hexyl glycerin, Cympobogon flexuosus oil, cirtus aurantium oil, Lavandula hybrida oil

This is the shampoo I am using currently. The large bottle is very affordable. The shampoo is quite nice, lathers well, rinses clean and smells great.

I have also used Cliniderm Gentle Shampoo in the past.
Ingredients:Aqua, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, sodium chloride, cocamidopropylamine oxide, PEG-150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearate, citric acid, PEG-12 dimethicone, disodium EDTA, potassium sorbate

It worked well as a shampoo, though was quite expensive for a small bottle. It's quite concentrated, so not a lot is needed, in theory, to clean the hair. However, it is very low foaming, so does not spread very easily through the hair. Virtually no scent, which can be a big plus! But the price was a deal-breaker for me, when other cheaper products are available that work just as well.

Hair Gel
Kiss My Face Upper Management styling gel
Ingredients: Purified, Deionized Certified Organic Floral Water of Nettle, Calendula and Chamomile, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (Amino Acid derived), Yeast Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Grapefruit Extract

I have short, natural curly hair. I use a little dollop of this gel each morning before drying my hair. It holds the curl all day long, and is not crunchy or hard. 

Pet Shampoo
Bark 2 Basics Crystal Clear shampoo
I can't find any ingredients for this product, but the label says "Our products contain no fillers, thickeners, harsh additives, oils, lanolins, or silicones. Bark 2 Basics products are biodegradable, environmentally friendly and cruelty free. ... No colors or fragrances."
The product is concentrated 16:1, so a little bit goes a long way! It is clear and colorless and has virtually no smell. It lathers nicely, cleans well, and does a decent job at whitening the white bits on your pet. Rinses easily and leaves fur soft and shiny.

Detergents/Household Cleaners

Surface Cleaning
Most of my surface cleaning is done with a mixture of 50:50 white vinegar:water and a spray bottle of hydrogen peroxide. I mix up the vinegar:water solution in a spray bottle and keep it on hand for daily cleaning. Spray the surface with the vinegar:water solution and leave for a couple of minutes before wiping. For particularly soiled surfaces, I will spray a layer of hydrogen peroxide on top of the vinegar:water solution before allowing to sit. Baking soda makes for a good abrasive for real tough scrubbing.

Fabric Freshener
I use the same spray bottle of 50:50 vinegar:water for fabric freshener. Spray liberally on furniture, carpet, or drapery to neutralize odors. If you want something pretty smelling, add a couple drops of essential oils. Only a couple drops are necessary, a little bit goes a LONG way!

Laundry Detergent
I'm as surprised as anyone that a big brand name product is okay for my skin issues! But I have been using Tide Free Liquid laundry detergent for many years now with no issues.
Ingredients: Borax, citric acid, diethylenetriamine pentaacetate, amylase, protease, disodium diaminostilbene disulfonate, diquaternium ethoxy sulfate, polyethyleneimine ethoxyltate, calcium formate, dimethicone, ethanolamine, propylene glycol, sodium formate, water, alcoholethoxy sulfate, lauramine oxide, lareth-9, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Nature Clean Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Ingredients: water, citric acid, fatty polyglycoside, sodium citrate, cellulose gum, australian tea tree oil, benzoic acid