Hypoallergenic, or is It?

Like most people I thought that when a product said it was hypoallergenic that meant that there was no way that I could have an allergic reaction to that product or any of its ingredients. However, the truth is that some companies simply use this word as a marketing ploy to sell their skin care products. At present companies are not required by the FDA to prove any claims they make about their products being hypoallergenic.

To be honest I was stunned when I found this out. As someone that suffers from allergies and has had allergic reactions to skin care products in the past, this is a very scary thought to me. The very idea that companies do not have to prove that their product will not cause someone to have an allergic reaction and yet that they can use the term hypoallergenic just seems ridiculous to me. Considering that people do die from allergic reactions when they are severe enough to cause anaphylactic shock, it really bothers me that there are no laws making companies prove these claims.

So, what can you do to protect yourself? Actually there are several things you can do to prevent yourself from having an allergic reaction to a skin care product. Here are some tips for getting around this deceptive marketing practice.

1. Read skin care product labels thoroughly. While you will not always understand what is there since oftentimes you will not know what the chemicals are, if you are allergic to almonds for example and the product contains almond oil, then chances are you could have an allergic reaction to the product. So, if you see something on a label that is related to something you know you are allergic to, then avoid that product.

2. See if the store you are shopping at has samples of the product that you are interested in so that you can take it home and try it out. Even if you have to pay a few dollars for the sample this is better than having a severe reaction later on. Try a bit of the product out on your inner forearm overnight and pay close attention to the area you tested in the morning. If the store does not have samples, look online and see if you can get a sample that way, many companies are happy to send out samples and advertise for them.

3. Switch to natural or plant based products. I'm a proponent of using natural products but there are still a few things to keep in mind when using them. Make sure that you store them exactly the way the directions state, otherwise the product can expire sooner than the expiration date. Be careful to test plant based or natural products the same way you would with a regular one or one that claims to be hypoallergenic. If you have plant based allergies already, this may not be a good option for you.

4. Often when people have allergic reactions to skin care products it is because of the fragrance or the chemicals used to preserve the product. Even products claiming to be hypoallergenic can have both of these. While it is still a good idea to test any skin care product before using it on a large area of your body, you might have better luck switching to no fragrance or no preservatives products. While this has helped some people, remember that if there are no preservatives then that means that mold and bacteria can grow in your product so store it in exactly the fashion the directions suggest and if the color or texture suddenly changes, or the product begins to smell funny, throw it away and purchase a new container.

Some other general tips for using your skin care products would be to wash your make-up brushes frequently, wash your hands before putting on your make-up or using any skin care product for that matter, and when you are trying cosmetics at a counter insist on fresh applicators and that the person helping you clean the edges around the testing container with alcohol. All of these along with the previous tips will help you to get around the deceptive practice of labeling skin care products hypoallergenic. Hopefully, sometime in the near future the FDA will step in and make companies prove these claims before allowing them to use this particular word to describe their product.