Limonene & Linalool

Regular readers of this blog will know that my teenage daughter has coeliac disease. This means she can’t ingest gluten. She adheres to a strict gluten free diet and we have to be careful about cross contamination. She was diagnosed six years ago and we haven’t stepped out the front door since without having to plan ahead. It’s every meal, every day, forever. If this sounds like a massive headache that’s because IT IS. But after that initial deer-in-the-headlights phase it does become a way of life and ultimately you get used to it. Most people are very accommodating, checking packet ingredients carefully and ensuring she can eat without any worry. As a family we hugely appreciate it. But this post isn’t about all things gluten free (I’ll save that for another time), that was just to set the scene.

Recently the same daughter (I only have the one after all) underwent some fairly gruelling allergy testing. There was a round of blood tests followed by a week of patch tests. She couldn’t wash, swim, sunbathe, sweat etc.

And the results came back saying she’s allergic to Linalool and Limonene. Aside from sounding like characters in an Enid Blyton novel (“…the girls at Mallory Towers were extremely excited when identical twins Linalool and Limonene arrived with their matching lacrosse sticks and palomino ponies…”) I can’t say I was overly thrilled at having another thing to eliminate/worry about, even if they were two things I’d never heard of.

Essentially linalool and limonene are ingredients found in fragrances. One floral and the other from the zest, peel or rind of citrus fruits. Can’t be that common can it? Wrrrooonnnggg! Turns out these two ingredients appear in mostly everything in my house, or at least it feels that way.

Washing up liquid, toothpaste, shampoo, dry shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent/pods, stain remover, fabric conditioner, hand wash, bubble bath, dishwasher tablets, face wash, bath oil, household multi purpose cleaner, carpet cleaner, floor cleaner, granite cleaner, ANY CLEANER, antibacterial wipes, shower gel/body wash, perfume, facial moisturiser, candles, cleanser, hand/foot creams, body lotion, air freshener, hair spray, shaving gel… gives you the idea.

At first I thought I’d use up what we have and then move on from there bit by bit but my daughter has been on and off steroids for two years with skin issues and if this allergy is what’s causing it then I really couldn’t see how I could delay. The doctors also advised she avoid products containing SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) where possible. So I set about researching. All I can say is thank God for the internet.

Here are some of my finds…

The moment I said my daughter had a contact allergy several people came out and recommended the household brand Method. They are known for being eco friendly with a focus on natural ingredients, rather than the synthetic, but finding a product that has neither limonene or linalool was tricky. I’d advise checking individual packaging to find what you need. This Sweet Water Foaming Hand Wash is suitable.

Ecover Zero has been specially formulated for those with skin allergies. Zero fragrance and zero colours. Not to be confused with Ecover’s regular range which is fragranced. This range isn’t available in any of my local supermarkets but I did manage to order it from Ocado.

Surcare is widely recommended for those suffering from eczema and skin allergies. I emailed them as I didn’t find the ingredients clear on their packaging and they responded saying their range does not contain limonene, linalool or SLS. Super!

ECOS, formerly named “Earth Friendly Products”, have a fragrance free line in their range. I ordered this hand wash from Amazon for my kitchen. Pleased with it. Good chunky size and inexpensive. They also have laundry products.

0% colourants. 0% perfumes. 0% optical brighteners. Neutral is endorsed by Allergy UK. The only thing I would say is that it is comparatively quite expensive.

My daughter really likes the pretty packaging of the Happy Naturals 97% natural hair care range. Not all fragrances were suitable but the Coconut & Roobios shampoo and conditioner for colour treated hair was. A bargain at £2.50 a bottle!

Green People are the experts in organic, environmentally friendly, gentle products. As a result you pay a bit more but they really know their stuff and have a huge range. We have their scent free hand wash in our bathroom and my daughter uses their scent free body wash. Highly concentrated, a little goes a long way!

If you or anyone you know has sensitive skin issues then their website is a really good place to start. Click here

Finding a toothpaste that fit the bill was quite tricky. We bought one but my daughter really didn’t like the taste. I can’t say I’d be keen on an aniseed flavoured toothpaste myself. Eventually we did happen upon The Natural Family Co. With 70% organic ingredients this minty gel toothpaste is SLS, paraben and sugar free. No artificial colours or flavours. Non-GMO. Vegan. Cruelty free. So far, so good!

Now, after all of this the doctors aren’t even sure that this allergy has anything to do with her skin issues. It may something internal. People with coeliac disease have a much higher instance of skin issues after all. But at least it’s a start!

The small print – Please do not take my word for any of this. Ingredients can change at any time. Always read the label and if in doubt contact the company directly.