While Storm Nemo turns all of us into igloos, I've decided to write about one of my favorite things in the whole world, makeup! If you're a guy with soy allergies or a caretaker for a child with soy allergies, stick around, this affects you too!
Having worked as a makeup artist for fourteen years (if you're curious, here's my portfolio), I got to know thousands of products and ingredients over the years. At each company I worked for, I would get 'mysterious' reactions from products and realized with trial and error that I'm allergic and get contact dermatitis to: dimethicone and all liquid silicone derivatives, nickel, lanolin and most PEGs, Vitamin E (tocopherol acetate), stearic acid/vegetable stearic acid and glycerin or vegetable glycerine which are from soy.
Those of us with nut allergies are lucky that not too many bath, beauty or skincare products contain nuts, but to avoid the slight possibility, always ALWAYS read ingredients. To clear up confusion with whether coconut oil or palm oil is from a nut, here is something I found. That said, always consult your allergist before trying anything new.
Two years ago, after many soy allergy reactions at work and not enough organic cosmetics or truly USDA Certified Organic products, I decided it was time to leave. I was also fed up with the superficial nature of the cosmetics industry and wanted to immerse my heart into works on canvas, not people's faces, which would get washed off.
While working amongst thousands of cosmetics, skincare and fragrances, I was only able to use one foundation whenever my eczema on my face was acting up and then that product suddenly started adding dimethicone. I remember the looks and comments I would get from people I was helping or doing makeup on when my soy allergy or dimethicone allergy was causing peeling, rashy issues around my lips and nose. I tried to exfoliate it, but it seemed to continue to peel. I tried to cover it, but skin texture and peeling skin is always visible, no matter what you do.
At my last job, one older lady I was helping with eyeliner made a face and asked me why my skin was so dry, looking at the lower part of my face. When I tried to explain that it was eczema, (my skin was peeling within an inch and a half radius surrounding my lips) she went on to curtly advise me to start using Vaseline at night, since "its what helps her." When I said I tried that and its from eczema from allergies (which I don't even know why I bother explaining), she cut me off and told me again her prognosis on how to fix it and went back to looking for her eyeliner. Really?
Being the 'Sensitive Sally' that I am, I promptly walked to the stockroom to wipe away the tears that had already started creeping up. Who knows, maybe it was that time of the month for me. My co-workers were amazingly supportive, telling me not to let her get to me...that she was just an 'aging woman' (I'm being nice..) who was probably just jealous and trying to find fault in me (which reminded me of the quote "Love looks through a telescope; envy through a microscope.")
I felt better. Yet, everytime I looked in the mirror I got sad.
That day, I went on a mission to my nearby health food stores to find soy-free and dimethicone-free makeup and discovered two brands who seemed to have some 'safe' items. Since that time, one has added soy to their products and the other never got back to me when I questioned them about the Vitamin E in their products.
Makeup, skincare and bath product ingredients are constantly changing; for this reason, you have to constantly read the ingredients of the same products you buy. Glycerin (usually derived from vegetable oil or soy) is in practically everything, as is Vitamin E (tocopherol acetate), PEGs and lecithin (also from soy). Let's not forget about GMOs and 'natural flavors'....for this reason, its a good idea to stick with USDA Certified Organic products since they are required to avoid GMOs. I also try to avoid parabens (preservative in foods, cosmetics, skincare and bath products) since propylparaben and anything with -paraben in the ingredient is known to have been found in breast cancer tumors. For people who have open cuts or rashes, it is a good idea to avoid all parabens so that they don't go directly into your bloodstream.
The reason why this really sucks is because I have found that theatrical makeup or makeup used for stage such as Kryolan, Ben Nye and Mehron, or even cheaper knockoffs like Coastal Scents usually have soy-free and dimethicone-free products but almost all of them use parabens as preservatives!
For people with eczema or severe allergies, most cosmetics and skincare is a catch-22, you can risk long-term cancer or get an allergic reaction.
Which one do you think is the lesser of the two evils for most people? Yes, that's right, the 'cigarettes' or the paraben-laden products....that is, until they or someone they love gets cancer.
I found ONE company who touts all their makeup is soy-free, gluten-free and paraben-free.
Afterglow Cosmetics happens to be all of the following:
Infused with USDA certified
organic botanicals
Paraben free
Gluten free
Petrochemical free
Bismuth oxychloride free
Mercury free
Fragrance free
Talc free
Soy free
Cruelty free
Non-comedogenic
Having worked as a makeup artist for fourteen years (if you're curious, here's my portfolio), I got to know thousands of products and ingredients over the years. At each company I worked for, I would get 'mysterious' reactions from products and realized with trial and error that I'm allergic and get contact dermatitis to: dimethicone and all liquid silicone derivatives, nickel, lanolin and most PEGs, Vitamin E (tocopherol acetate), stearic acid/vegetable stearic acid and glycerin or vegetable glycerine which are from soy.
Those of us with nut allergies are lucky that not too many bath, beauty or skincare products contain nuts, but to avoid the slight possibility, always ALWAYS read ingredients. To clear up confusion with whether coconut oil or palm oil is from a nut, here is something I found. That said, always consult your allergist before trying anything new.
Two years ago, after many soy allergy reactions at work and not enough organic cosmetics or truly USDA Certified Organic products, I decided it was time to leave. I was also fed up with the superficial nature of the cosmetics industry and wanted to immerse my heart into works on canvas, not people's faces, which would get washed off.
While working amongst thousands of cosmetics, skincare and fragrances, I was only able to use one foundation whenever my eczema on my face was acting up and then that product suddenly started adding dimethicone. I remember the looks and comments I would get from people I was helping or doing makeup on when my soy allergy or dimethicone allergy was causing peeling, rashy issues around my lips and nose. I tried to exfoliate it, but it seemed to continue to peel. I tried to cover it, but skin texture and peeling skin is always visible, no matter what you do.
I've learned that what you see in the mirror is all that matters.
At my last job, one older lady I was helping with eyeliner made a face and asked me why my skin was so dry, looking at the lower part of my face. When I tried to explain that it was eczema, (my skin was peeling within an inch and a half radius surrounding my lips) she went on to curtly advise me to start using Vaseline at night, since "its what helps her." When I said I tried that and its from eczema from allergies (which I don't even know why I bother explaining), she cut me off and told me again her prognosis on how to fix it and went back to looking for her eyeliner. Really?
Being the 'Sensitive Sally' that I am, I promptly walked to the stockroom to wipe away the tears that had already started creeping up. Who knows, maybe it was that time of the month for me. My co-workers were amazingly supportive, telling me not to let her get to me...that she was just an 'aging woman' (I'm being nice..) who was probably just jealous and trying to find fault in me (which reminded me of the quote "Love looks through a telescope; envy through a microscope.")
I felt better. Yet, everytime I looked in the mirror I got sad.
See things through love, "through a telescope" and you will experience beauty you never imagined.
That day, I went on a mission to my nearby health food stores to find soy-free and dimethicone-free makeup and discovered two brands who seemed to have some 'safe' items. Since that time, one has added soy to their products and the other never got back to me when I questioned them about the Vitamin E in their products.
Makeup, skincare and bath product ingredients are constantly changing; for this reason, you have to constantly read the ingredients of the same products you buy. Glycerin (usually derived from vegetable oil or soy) is in practically everything, as is Vitamin E (tocopherol acetate), PEGs and lecithin (also from soy). Let's not forget about GMOs and 'natural flavors'....for this reason, its a good idea to stick with USDA Certified Organic products since they are required to avoid GMOs. I also try to avoid parabens (preservative in foods, cosmetics, skincare and bath products) since propylparaben and anything with -paraben in the ingredient is known to have been found in breast cancer tumors. For people who have open cuts or rashes, it is a good idea to avoid all parabens so that they don't go directly into your bloodstream.
The reason why this really sucks is because I have found that theatrical makeup or makeup used for stage such as Kryolan, Ben Nye and Mehron, or even cheaper knockoffs like Coastal Scents usually have soy-free and dimethicone-free products but almost all of them use parabens as preservatives!
For people with eczema or severe allergies, most cosmetics and skincare is a catch-22, you can risk long-term cancer or get an allergic reaction.
Which one do you think is the lesser of the two evils for most people? Yes, that's right, the 'cigarettes' or the paraben-laden products....that is, until they or someone they love gets cancer.
Soy-free, nut-free natural cosmetics and skincare do exist; you just have to know where to look.
I found ONE company who touts all their makeup is soy-free, gluten-free and paraben-free.
Afterglow Cosmetics happens to be all of the following:
organic botanicals
Their stearic acid is derived from cascarilla bark and palm lipids. They do use dimethicone in a few of their products so read ingredients carefully if you are sensitive to dimethicone, too. Their vegetable glycerin is derived from palm and coconut, which is rare in the cosmetics industry. Their mineral foundation colors go from light to dark, which is also very rare in the healthier cosmetics lines.
Most if not all products in the Mineral Hygienics line sold at Abe's Market are completely soy-free and paraben-free. They have beautiful yellow-based mineral makeup colors which suit light to medium skintones. Always read ingredients carefully to be sure, but from several that I read, they are safe!
As for lip balms, sunscreen and body balms, I found Badger brand to be the most safe. Most if not all of their products are not only USDA Certified Organic and most, if not all of their products are completely soy-free and paraben-free. For this reason, they are my go-to brand for their Madagascar Vanilla Lip Balm and the Anti-Bug Balm (it works and smells sooo good) which I always have in my bag during the warmer months when I go to the beach, nature trails or anywhere bugs may thrive. My next purchases are likely to be the Focus Balm or the Meditation and Yoga Balm, since I'm obsessed with incense-y smells and essential oils...
For facial skincare, a couple of Twitter friends recommended Premae Skincare from the UK whose products are reknowned for being allergy-safe and free of nuts and soy! So exciting...they even have anti-wrinkle creams!!! Their vitamin E is coconut-sourced and all other ingredients can be found in their 'ingredients' section.
I also saw a tweet by Raw Skin Food that they don't use any of the top 8 allergens! They allow you to choose a coconut or aloe vera base for whichever moisturizer you choose. You also get a free eye cream for every order until February 14th! :)
For facial skincare, a couple of Twitter friends recommended Premae Skincare from the UK whose products are reknowned for being allergy-safe and free of nuts and soy! So exciting...they even have anti-wrinkle creams!!! Their vitamin E is coconut-sourced and all other ingredients can be found in their 'ingredients' section.
I also saw a tweet by Raw Skin Food that they don't use any of the top 8 allergens! They allow you to choose a coconut or aloe vera base for whichever moisturizer you choose. You also get a free eye cream for every order until February 14th! :)
For cream, Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter - 2 oz (60ml) - Cream
does not have to be for nipples! =D It is actually the perfect chemical-free, soy-free cream for eczema and to calm and heal skin without cortizones. Here are the ingredients, but it is cheaper to purchase through my first link above.
For shampoo and body wash, I found Earth Mama Baby Shampoo & Body Wash 5.3 Oz Angel Baby and once again, here are the ingredients!
It is completely soy-free and chemical-free. Another shampoo that I highly recommend is California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash, No Fragrance, 8.5 Ounce Bottle
which is free of nuts and soy (it does contain coconut derivatives, so be sure you are ok with that first.)
which is free of nuts and soy (it does contain coconut derivatives, so be sure you are ok with that first.)
For hair conditioner, California Baby hair Conditioner - Super Sensitive, 8.5 Ounce
is the way to go. (From the website: All products are allergy tested and free of peanuts, soy, or dairy. No animal
testing.) I've used California Baby products for the past ten years and they always seem to be my go-to line when I'm having bad rashes and anything I use aggravates me.
is the way to go. (From the website: All products are allergy tested and free of peanuts, soy, or dairy. No animal
testing.) I've used California Baby products for the past ten years and they always seem to be my go-to line when I'm having bad rashes and anything I use aggravates me.
So here is the run-down of trickier soy derivatives to avoid when examining ingredients in beauty, bath and hair products:
- Vegetable protein or vegetable oil (usually soy-sourced)
- Soy lecithin/lecithin
- Guar gum (close legume cousin of soybeans)
- PEG 5 (soy sterol)
- PEG 10 (soy sterol)
- PEG 16 (soy sterol)
- PEG 25 (soy sterol)
- PEG 30 (soy sterol)
- PEG 40 (soy sterol)
- Glycerin/glycerine/vegetable glycerin (Usually comes from soy but sometimes comes from palm or coconut)
- Stearic acid/vegetable stearic acid - Usually from soy; may come from palm or other plant sources; to be sure, contact company if source isn't labeled. Be aware that this ingredient is also in many supplements and medicines.
- Magnesium stearate
- Vitamin E - (tocopherol acetate/tocopherols)
- 'Natural flavors' - This ingredient is iffy, since some natural flavors are GMOs which are made from soy/corn.
I don't know if you have tried Bare Minerals, but I have found great success with them. I am only allergic to soy however, so I am not sure about your other allergies. I also love Badger, after I had to give up my Burt's Bees obsession, they were the closest I found.
ReplyDeleteHi Betsey!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the suggestion! We used to use 'Bare Minerals/Bare Escentuals' on clients when I was at Sephora...its good if you are younger or have oily skin, but for me and my tendency towards dry/combination skin, powder/mineral foundations look dry and cakey (especially if I'm having a reaction) so I usually go for creams and liquids.
Also, the 'Mineral Veil' (which in my opinion is a MUST over the powder foundations) contains magnesium stearate which could be from soy, but I'd have to check with the company to be sure; although, if you're not reacting to it, then maybe its not. =)
And yes, Badger is awesome <3 I know, Burt's Bees and Aveeno, why can't you divorce the soy industry, already? Come back to us...
I cannot tell you enough I appreciate your research and that you are willing to let me share! :) My readers thank you!
ReplyDeleteDo you know of any multivitamins that are soy-free other than the L'il Critters? Like adult multivitamins? I am having trouble finding them.
Hey Julie!
ReplyDeleteAwww, I'm so glad I could help! I'm using Solgar Formula VM-75 (with red stripe on gold label)...I've used it for the past ten years because it is simply in my opinion the most effective multi you can buy...I literally feel a difference if I don't take it for a couple days. It specifically says 'soy-free' on the label. Make sure you do not choose the VM-75 that has a big "V" on the front with tiny lettering, since that VM-75 does NOT have soy-free on the label, so it may contain soy. Here is the url for the soy-free one:
http://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Iron-Free-Formula-VM-75-180T/dp/B00172KVJA/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1360637282&sr=8-10&keywords=solgar+vm-75
I also take Solgar Ester-C 1000 mg which definitely helps with inflammation. I read on an ayurvedic info site that "It is also helpful to get 2,000 mg. of vitamin C a day, the dose shown to dampen histamine production by 40% in seven days." I take 3000-4000 (split up through the day, WITH meals to avoid upset stomach) and find it definitely does help with my environmental allergies as well as my immune system. Their Ester C is definitely soy-free and says so on the label. Here's the url:
http://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Ester-C-Vitamin-Tablets-Ascorbate/dp/B00014D1BU/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1360637357&sr=1-1&keywords=solgar+ester+c
I also take extra B6 and B12 both by Solgar and both of those bottles specifically say soy-free. You can read more about the company here:
http://www.solgar.com/
Also, you can find alot of the Solgar line in Vitamin Shoppe, but unfortunately, the soy-free Formula VM-75 can usually only be found online. If you need extra of a particular vitamin, though, they are usually easy to find at Vitamin Shoppe (good for if you can't wait), but usually cheaper on Amazon.
I hope that helps! =)
Thanks, Maya! :) I'll pass the word along!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I have figured out most of this, however, I wasn't sure about the tocopherol acetate/tocopherols. And didn't know about the PEGs. Do you know of mascara and eyeliner that is soy free? I have had extensive conversations with Valerie of Valana Minerals. Her mineral makeup ranges in skin tone, although primarily services olive to darker tones. Her makeup is soy free. Glad to have found your blog. My challenge is not with nuts. It is scents, egg, soy, and sea minerals. How fun!
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteYou're so welcome! Yes, Afterglow Cosmetics, which I listed the link in the beginning of this post are completely soy-free and have eyeliners and mascaras along with many other beauty products. All lines I listed on this page have many soy-free products and all advertisers I include on this blog are carefully selected; I only put up companies that have soy-free and nut-free items.
Aww scents are tough and so are sea minerals since many of the natural lines add those as well. I hope you find what you need at Afterglow and thank you for the tip about Valana!
I hope my posts continue to help you.
All the best =)