PPD free beard dye
With the trend for beards in men showing no signs of slowing down, it’s not surprising that many guys are looking at options for dyeing them, especially if they begin to turn grey — but which are allergy safe? …
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eczema / skin allergy
Sulfite free hair dye
Following my recent article on sulfite / sulphite sensitivity, it was pointed out to me that sulfites are also used in cosmetics. Given their role in colour preservation and to prevent oxidation in foods such as dried apricots, it’s not…
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Methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone …
… benzisothiazolinone, octylisothiazolinone. Four preservatives with very long names that most have never heard of, but together, they’re responsible for one of the most significant allergy epidemics in recent decades — and they are also the subject of my latest…
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Allergen free skincare
I’m often asked for recommendations for allergy-safe or hypoallergenic cosmetics. Many refer to ‘allergen free’ skincare but in practice little can be truly allergen free, given that almost all ingredients used in toiletries can — at least in theory, if…
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Nut free face paint
The subject of allergy-friendly face paint for kids regularly arises on social media, specifically nut free face paint, so here are the safe options that that I know about. Usual warnings apply: always double check with manufacturers (as suppliers and…
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Nickel in jewellery
In ‘free from’ world, we are well accustomed to product recalls being issued for food and drink — but perhaps less so for non-food products. The EU also has measures in place to withdraw other potentially dangerous products from the…
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Hair dye tests
Research was published in Contact Dermatitis looking at the instructions hair dye manufacturers give consumers about performing an allergy self-test before coloring their hair. It was a follow-on from a 2011 study, which found great variability in the instructions given, and whose…
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Are oats good for eczema?
Ask the internet this question and you’ll be presented with a long list of positive answers — of course oats are great for the skin and for problem skin conditions such as eczema, everyone declares. Use skin creams with oats…
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Nickel free razors and shavers
If you have a nickel allergy — which may affect up to 16% of women, and 3% of men — finding a safe razor blade for shaving is just one of many day-to-day problems you might encounter. In fact, there…
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Black henna tattoos
For some years, the British Skin Foundation has been warning the public about black henna temporary tattoos, which can cause extreme and severe skin reactions. A recent survey among dermatologists suggests such reactions are on the rise. Black henna temporary…
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