From My Medicine Cabinet, New Favorites—Fragrance-Free!
(O'Keeffe's Working Hands hand cream, Kiehl's Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Cream, Remwood's Grandma's Baking Soda Soap)
I walk a line between natural/organic and synthetic (derived from petroleum or natural gas) when selecting products because of my mix of allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities. Here are three recent additions to my routine. I'm always my own test subject.
Remwood's Grandma's Baking Soda Soap might even knock their original Lye Soap out of first position. This one adds castor oil and baking soda to Remwood's traditional base. I find almost all soaps aggravate my skin, but these sooth and clean gently.
Deodorants offer odor protection, while antiperspirants protect against sweat. Kiehl's Superbly Efficient Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Cream. I've tried the health food store options, by the way, the "crystal" deodorants don't work for me and leave me with a rash. The drugstore traditional, fragrance-free antiperspirant/deodorants do kind of work, but the chemical feel and smell is not "a wear it and forget it." (Yes, most things do have some kind of odor even those without added fragrance.) Watch out for masking fragrances, these are problematic for the chemically sensitive person.
With this virtually scent-free Kiehl's option you squeeze some out and smear on armpit. Once you get the hang of it, this is a winner, despite the worrisome description including citrus extracts which I usually cannot tolerate. This product is an antiperspirant & deodorant (contains: 16% Aluminum chlorohydrate). Wear it and forget it, I find this product works longer than the 24 hours described on the container.
My husband loves O'Keeffe's Working Hands hand cream. He's used it for years. Puts it on his hands at night and by the morning his skin is markedly improved. Roughness, dryness, cracks are waaaay better. I finally tried the cream. Okay—he's right. It's great. I use it whenever I want my hands to feel less dry and look like they aren't completely neglected.This hand cream might cause a tad bit of a burning sensation after applying to particularly roughed-up skin, that seems to be normal for my husband and myself anyway. I haven't had adverse reactions such as rash, etc. I've even tried in on my neck. (Mix a small amount of O'Keeffe's and a few pumps of Silky's Garden Triple Refined Emu Oil in the palm of your hand, blend with your fingers, then dab on neck and gently apply upward until somewhat absorbed. Best at night. I don't know if this combo would stain clothes or not, so use care not to get on garments.)
My alter ego, Alecka Zamm's goal is "no more freakin' fragrance." Unfortunately she only watches over my desk. I wish she could watch over us all. In my alter ego's post "I'll Take the Laughs But Not the Fragrance," Alecka Zamm explains a bit about chemical sensitivity. This is why I must go without fragrance and avoid scents at all cost.
For more on fragrance-free products and my personal journey, check out:
"How To Go Fragrance-Free, Part One: Squeaky Clean"
“How To Go Fragrance-Free, Part Two: After The Shower”
“How To Go Fragrance-Free, Part Two: After The Shower”
"How To Go Fragrance-Free, Part Three: Laundry Products"
You can see all the posts I've written on the subject of going fragrance-free here.
You can see all the posts I've written on the subject of going fragrance-free here.
