Nefcerka
February 6th, 2024, 08:54 AM
Limonene and linalool are very often found in many personal care products, including haircare. Also most of essential oils naturally contain these ingredients.
Both rapidly oxidize once in contact with air (e.g. in an opened bottle) into hydroperoxides.
In sensitive people, they might cause contact allergy reaction - dermatitis - right away, or in several hours, or several days later.
In most people, if a product is used daily, an allergy is not likely happen. People more likely to develop allergies to limonene and linalool are, according to some sources, women over 40 years old.
However, if a product is opened and then left unused for several months... that is another story. The oxidization can happen if you buy a bottle that someone else has opened in store to smell the perfume.
Or it can happen the way it happened to me - TMI warning:
I bought a Loreal Elseve Dream Long conditioner about 5 months ago. At first use, I hated the smell - it made me sneeze and my eyes to water. I used it only once or twice since that, but the bottle has been opened for maybe more than 10 times. And linalool and limonene are somewhere in the middle of the ingredients list, so quite high.
I went back to it in January to finish it off. Started using it every wash, every 4 days. I wash my hair standing up in the shower and the conditioner trickles down basically down my entire body with the exception of the front of the neck and the face.
It started with an unusual persistent itch in various, affected places, mostly at the back of my body. Because I didn´t know what was happening to me then, I scratched. Big, big mistake. Those scratched areas turned into a rash, clusters of rash turned into leathery skin. Not pretty. My hands are covered in tiny blisters.
I didn´t get a reaction right away, but delayed, with exposure over time. And even though I discontinued the use of the Elseve conditioner two weeks ago, my symptoms are still getting worse, not better. That´s because only today I googled about the limonene and linalool (investigated what Lady Stardust said about them - thank you, I should have taken your word to heart sooner) and I realized, that I have been constantly bleaching my entire body unwittingly - it wasn´t just the Elseve conditioner. The culprits are also in the Balea Natural Beauty macadamia hair mask that I have been using after trashing that conditioner (and which I had sitting opened on a shelf even longer, for 6 months).
Stupid, stupid, aching and miserable me.
I´m sharing my experience in hope that this never happens to anyone here. Luckily most people shouldn´t have these sensitivities, although with the increasing number of chemicals in personal care, one has to be careful these days.
Both rapidly oxidize once in contact with air (e.g. in an opened bottle) into hydroperoxides.
In sensitive people, they might cause contact allergy reaction - dermatitis - right away, or in several hours, or several days later.
In most people, if a product is used daily, an allergy is not likely happen. People more likely to develop allergies to limonene and linalool are, according to some sources, women over 40 years old.
However, if a product is opened and then left unused for several months... that is another story. The oxidization can happen if you buy a bottle that someone else has opened in store to smell the perfume.
Or it can happen the way it happened to me - TMI warning:
I bought a Loreal Elseve Dream Long conditioner about 5 months ago. At first use, I hated the smell - it made me sneeze and my eyes to water. I used it only once or twice since that, but the bottle has been opened for maybe more than 10 times. And linalool and limonene are somewhere in the middle of the ingredients list, so quite high.
I went back to it in January to finish it off. Started using it every wash, every 4 days. I wash my hair standing up in the shower and the conditioner trickles down basically down my entire body with the exception of the front of the neck and the face.
It started with an unusual persistent itch in various, affected places, mostly at the back of my body. Because I didn´t know what was happening to me then, I scratched. Big, big mistake. Those scratched areas turned into a rash, clusters of rash turned into leathery skin. Not pretty. My hands are covered in tiny blisters.
I didn´t get a reaction right away, but delayed, with exposure over time. And even though I discontinued the use of the Elseve conditioner two weeks ago, my symptoms are still getting worse, not better. That´s because only today I googled about the limonene and linalool (investigated what Lady Stardust said about them - thank you, I should have taken your word to heart sooner) and I realized, that I have been constantly bleaching my entire body unwittingly - it wasn´t just the Elseve conditioner. The culprits are also in the Balea Natural Beauty macadamia hair mask that I have been using after trashing that conditioner (and which I had sitting opened on a shelf even longer, for 6 months).
Stupid, stupid, aching and miserable me.
I´m sharing my experience in hope that this never happens to anyone here. Luckily most people shouldn´t have these sensitivities, although with the increasing number of chemicals in personal care, one has to be careful these days.