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daffodil7
May 21st, 2012, 10:58 AM
Guys, please be careful with Fruit of the Earth (FOTE) Aloe Vera Gel!

When I was pregnant, I was avoiding many chemicals that were listed as dangerous to the fetus for various reasons. Well, one of them was Triethanolamine or TEA. Well, since I've had my child, I still avoid the same ingredients when I see them listed in our products after learning what they can potentially do, and TEA is just like unforgettable because it is in so much stuff. Like you see it in so many things. Mostly I see it listed as Triethanolamine though.

Anyway, I was thinking that it's probably better to use some sort of organic Aloe Vera treatment instead of FOTE for the SnowyMoonTreatment. Even though you are rinsing the Triethanolamine or TEA off of your hair, instead of letting it sit on your skin, neck and scalp, you are still not washing it off, and according to several things I have read, it could potentially be dangerous after long term exposure. This brief article seems to gather up the jist of what I've read several places: http://www.eco-friendly-digest.com/triethanolamine.html

I wish I could use the FOTE or they would change the ingredients or something because of the price and the volume I could get and the consistency. All of the organic Aloe is watery and stuff, but I'm going to have to use that to finally try this treatment out as my DC for moisture after my protein. The Triethanolamine is why I have avoided this conditioner for so long. Hopefully the organic aloe will work just as well.

Let me know if you have tried this with organic aloe and how the results were.

spidermom
May 21st, 2012, 11:32 AM
Well darn!

P.S. - That was SnowyMoon, not SnowyMountain

Changling
May 21st, 2012, 11:43 AM
What is supposed to be harmful about it? The link said it could become contaminated with something that can cause cancer, and that it could make your lungs and eyes inflamed - but what if it doesn't do that? Like you use it, and you don't experience any inflammation? Does that mean it is not harmful (at least, not to you)?

Pretty much anything can become contaminated with something that can cause cancer (like the air can become contaminated with cigarette smoke), so that doesn't really raise a red flag for me. The linked article mentioned that it could be harmful after long-term exposure - harmful in what way?

summergreen
May 21st, 2012, 11:52 AM
That's interesting. I had a horrible itchy reaction to FOTE Aloe gel when I used it on my hair.

daffodil7
May 21st, 2012, 12:45 PM
What is supposed to be harmful about it? The link said it could become contaminated with something that can cause cancer, and that it could make your lungs and eyes inflamed - but what if it doesn't do that? Like you use it, and you don't experience any inflammation? Does that mean it is not harmful (at least, not to you)?

Pretty much anything can become contaminated with something that can cause cancer (like the air can become contaminated with cigarette smoke), so that doesn't really raise a red flag for me. The linked article mentioned that it could be harmful after long-term exposure - harmful in what way?

There are other more in depth articles on it online, I just chose that link because it gave you guys a brief rundown, quick info.

Essentially, what I've gathered is that it is a very dangerous chemical and carcinogen but it balances the PH in cosmetics and makes them nice to use. However, it is only deemed safe for use in cosmetics that are washed away, or rinsed away. When it sits on the skin, it is dangerous and this is considered long term exposure.

Since aloe vera gel is something you are meant to use as a moisturizer on hair and skin anyway, I have to wonder why they would use something like that ingredient there. Now when longhairs do the SnowyMoonTreatment it is rinsed out, but that is only rinsed and not washed, and then it can also sit on your neck and skin all day until your next shower or bath since a lot of times when you are washing your hair bent over the tub or something instead of the shower, you don't really wash everything that got on your back, neck and shoulders, or even the sides of your face for that matter.

And in addition to all of that, it can be contaminated with an additional carcinogen as was described in that link I gave you.

I do suggest that you do your own research as well, in all things. I am a busy mom, and might have missed some things. But I think there is enough for concern before using the product regularly where it can seep into and stay in your pores.

I posted that post because it's just my thoughts whenever I contemplated buying the FOTE. The SMT treatment sounds really good, but I am just not willing to use something so dangerous regularly, so I am going to just use a watery, pure aloe like the kind you get from whole foods or something. Maybe I'll buy the leaf if I can find them. I think the leaf gel is thicker. Haven't seen them in my local stores yet.

daffodil7
May 21st, 2012, 12:45 PM
Well darn!

P.S. - That was SnowyMoon, not SnowyMountain

Oops. Thank you, sorry.

Changling
May 21st, 2012, 12:50 PM
There are Aloe leaves for sale in the exotic produce section of my grocery store (Hannaford), but they are only available part of the year, not year-round. Maybe you can buy them online...? I'd be careful about whether they meet the standards of your country, if you are getting them abroad though. Sometimes bad pesticides and stuff get through online stores even if they are banned from stores.

akilina
May 21st, 2012, 12:53 PM
Interesting to know! :) I always felt like using gel aloe like that for my SMTs wouldn't cut it so I never did an SMT until I was in my home town where there is a co-op so I got some 100% just aloe no additives or anything. I love the stuff

DayDreamerDani
May 21st, 2012, 02:48 PM
I suggested my boyfriend use it as hair gel. Which he loves. Maybe we should reconsider. Hmmm

Hollyfire3
May 21st, 2012, 02:57 PM
I LOVE FOTE aloe gel...this isn't good info for me...I wonder if its actually true?

Viola88
May 21st, 2012, 03:13 PM
Here's more information FOTE aloe (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/283873/Fruit_Of_The_Earth_Aloe_Vera_Crystal_Clear_Aloe_Ge l/) I just read over it really fast...trying to cook at the same time as catching up on the TLHC posts :D

Juanita
May 21st, 2012, 04:40 PM
Just curious why don't you grow your own. Climate or other reason? I have a huge pot of it plus growing in the garden. Ouse it on sores ,cuts sunburn. You can add it to juices blended green juice as well as on hair. I just find it such a useful plant. Many people here have it in their gardens or at least a pot of it. I live in a tropical to sub tropical region with extreme temperatures

Annibelle
May 21st, 2012, 05:51 PM
:( I've been using this on my face for the last week... drat! It's the only thing that's helped my skin after a honey-washing incident. Bah!!! I'll have to keep using it till I can get to Whole Foods, though, because when I don't use it lately, my face gets dry and flakey and really ugly. :(

Slug Yoga
May 21st, 2012, 06:22 PM
Ah, this might explain the horrible, horrible burning sensation I have gotten when using this on my face, and the stinging in my eyes!

I have had trouble finding actually "pure" aloe vera gel, it always has something else in it (even the FOTE types are not actually "pure" aloe vera gel but have some sort of stabilizing ingredients or whatever.

I've been considering getting an aloe plant. My question is, for those of you that have aloe plants: how much and how often do you break off a leaf and use it? Is a single (large) plant actually enough to where you can break off a leaf and use it on a regular basis without just decimating the plant?

Changling
May 21st, 2012, 09:22 PM
Just curious why don't you grow your own. Climate or other reason? I have a huge pot of it plus growing in the garden. Ouse it on sores ,cuts sunburn. You can add it to juices blended green juice as well as on hair. I just find it such a useful plant. Many people here have it in their gardens or at least a pot of it. I live in a tropical to sub tropical region with extreme temperatures

I'm not sure how well it would grow in Maine - that's where I live. It's very succulent and spiny, like a desert plant that needs lots of direct sunlight (and heat, I imagine). Temperate zones get sunlight at an angle through the atmosphere, and a lot of it is absorbed or reflected before it reaches the ground. That's why we're all so pale XD also it gets cold here, even in the summer sometimes. We're still getting frost every night, and it's almost June.

It might grow inside...but it might require a sun lamp, or other special conditions. I've had a lot more difficulty growing plants indoors than out.

daffodil7
May 21st, 2012, 11:05 PM
:( I've been using this on my face for the last week... drat! It's the only thing that's helped my skin after a honey-washing incident. Bah!!! I'll have to keep using it till I can get to Whole Foods, though, because when I don't use it lately, my face gets dry and flakey and really ugly. :(

That sucks. Hopefully, you can get to the store soon. I have eczema, so I know how it is to be chained to a product until you find a better solution. I like the idea of growing my own Aloe Vera that others have mentioned. I never realized it was so easy to grow yourself.

daffodil7
May 21st, 2012, 11:08 PM
Just curious why don't you grow your own. Climate or other reason? I have a huge pot of it plus growing in the garden. Ouse it on sores ,cuts sunburn. You can add it to juices blended green juice as well as on hair. I just find it such a useful plant. Many people here have it in their gardens or at least a pot of it. I live in a tropical to sub tropical region with extreme temperatures


I live on the East Coast, but it does get pretty hot here. It certainly does feel tropical and subtropical, but I'm not sure if it qualifies. I am going to look into growing aloe vera here. Thank you.:)

Tabihito
May 21st, 2012, 11:22 PM
I live on the East Coast, but it does get pretty hot here. It certainly does feel tropical and subtropical, but I'm not sure if it qualifies. I am going to look into growing aloe vera here. Thank you.:)

Technically, most of the southern half of the US is subtropical, so if you're in Florida or the Carolinas, you're subtropical. It should do fine outside almost anywhere though, so long as you don't get long, hard freezes. You shouldn't reach the heat extremes that would be capable of killing it; if Texas summers can't manage it, it's pretty darn resistant, and I know we have a very healthy aloe plant outside.

julierockhead
May 21st, 2012, 11:23 PM
This is an article on Triethanolamine that may help.

http://personalcaretruth.com/2011/06/a-closer-look-at-triethanolamine-tea/

I'm not a fan of chemicals that I can't pronounce and that need explanations from chemists, also I prefer simple natural organic things, but let's not panic here.

teela1978
May 21st, 2012, 11:46 PM
Ah, this might explain the horrible, horrible burning sensation I have gotten when using this on my face, and the stinging in my eyes!

I have had trouble finding actually "pure" aloe vera gel, it always has something else in it (even the FOTE types are not actually "pure" aloe vera gel but have some sort of stabilizing ingredients or whatever.

I've been considering getting an aloe plant. My question is, for those of you that have aloe plants: how much and how often do you break off a leaf and use it? Is a single (large) plant actually enough to where you can break off a leaf and use it on a regular basis without just decimating the plant?

You can buy 100% aloe, it comes as a liquid because the gel breaks down without stabilizers. Its a juice and needs to be refrigerated after opening... probably not good anymore week or so after opening (no preservatives). If you can use it fast enough though... check the health food section. I think its supposed to be good for your digestive system if you're a bit stopped up :)

Changling
May 22nd, 2012, 04:29 AM
This is an article on Triethanolamine that may help.

http://personalcaretruth.com/2011/06/a-closer-look-at-triethanolamine-tea/

I'm not a fan of chemicals that I can't pronounce and that need explanations from chemists, also I prefer simple natural organic things, but let's not panic here.

excellent article, julierockhead! I appreciate scientific information on this stuff. It looks like rinsing it off counts as washing it off, so it should be safe for SnowyMoon's treatment. Not sure about putting it on skin though, that would still be prolonged contact. Maybe washing one's face with it might still help certain skin problems? As long as you were rinsing well afterwards it should be fine.

If I wanted to buy 100% aloe I'd have to shop online. FOTE is the purest stuff available in my area (I kind of live in the boonies). So this is good news.

kdaniels8811
May 22nd, 2012, 04:57 AM
I buy pure aloe vera online, I am a soap maker so have some sources but if you search for it you can find it at Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay. The usual suspects. What I get is 100% aloe, no preservatives. It is one of the ingredients in my soap that makes it suds up really well! Good luck finding it, I buy almost everything on line as we live far away from anyplace that would carry such a thing. Whole foods is 2 hours away.

daffodil7
May 22nd, 2012, 09:42 AM
excellent article, julierockhead! I appreciate scientific information on this stuff. It looks like rinsing it off counts as washing it off, so it should be safe for SnowyMoon's treatment. Not sure about putting it on skin though, that would still be prolonged contact. Maybe washing one's face with it might still help certain skin problems? As long as you were rinsing well afterwards it should be fine.

If I wanted to buy 100% aloe I'd have to shop online. FOTE is the purest stuff available in my area (I kind of live in the boonies). So this is good news.

Yes it is good news. I am glad that rinsing counts. I guess if you are careful not to get it on your skin or to rinse it off if you do, it should be okay. For me though, I don't want to risk forgetting or missing a spot. However, if it is mostly safe, maybe just missing one spot won't be a big deal for some. Though I really wish they'd just change the formula. It would make me so happy, and I buy it all the time. Frustrating.

spidermom
May 22nd, 2012, 10:41 AM
I have a green thumb, but aloe vera is one plant that just will not grow for me no matter how careful I am. It shrivels up and dies. I'd blame the climate here, but I couldn't keep it alive in Florida, either. I guess AV and I are not simpatico.

Kaelee
May 22nd, 2012, 10:50 AM
I use Lilly of the Desert aloe gelly (on my face, not in my hair). It's not runny at all, and has no TEA.

Valfreyja
May 22nd, 2012, 11:33 AM
This doesn't surprise me at all, I got a really dodgy feeling from the FOTE gel, something about the texture and the ingredients list put me off from using it. I only use the gel taken straight from the plant. Honestly guys, I live in chilly, dark little ICELAND (situated just within the arctic circle!), so there is really no reason why climate need have any effect. I obviously grow mine indoors though, in the window sill in order for them to catch what little sunlight there is here (it's sunnier during the summer, but during the winter months there is almost no sunlight at all). And they grow large, too. My plants aren't just dinky little things, they look like proper monsters. Even though many of you live in the US where it's hot, perhaps you might want to try growing them indoors?

Changling
May 23rd, 2012, 10:17 AM
This doesn't surprise me at all, I got a really dodgy feeling from the FOTE gel, something about the texture and the ingredients list put me off from using it. I only use the gel taken straight from the plant. Honestly guys, I live in chilly, dark little ICELAND (situated just within the arctic circle!), so there is really no reason why climate need have any effect. I obviously grow mine indoors though, in the window sill in order for them to catch what little sunlight there is here (it's sunnier during the summer, but during the winter months there is almost no sunlight at all). And they grow large, too. My plants aren't just dinky little things, they look like proper monsters. Even though many of you live in the US where it's hot, perhaps you might want to try growing them indoors?

It might be a humidity issue as well - if aloe grows in the desert, it probably doesn't like muggy places (like the East coast of U.S). Usually you have an air conditioner or heater in your home that keeps the air dry. Maybe that's better for it?

ratgirldjh
May 23rd, 2012, 10:25 AM
I use FOTE sometimes on bug bites, scratches, burns, etc. I do have aloe vera plants also and use the fresh just as much.

I only use the FOTE when I need something now (like for an insect bite) and I don't have a leaf of my fresh aloe nearby.

For quite a while I experimented with aloe vera in my hair both fresh and FOTE and came to the conclusion that both eventually cover my hair with an in-penetrable 'plastic' like coating. The FOTE stung my eyes if I put it too near but I have put fresh aloe vera into my eyes before for allergy eyes and it works great.

When I get this build up (both from fresh and FOTE!) it is very hard to even get water to penetrate my hair!!! This weirded me out so much because at these times my hair still looked shiny and nice and had no tangles - Just felt like duck feathers or something in the water! And surprisingly the FOTE seemed cleaner feeling than the fresh even though both left this coating.

I decided that this can't be a good thing, especially because I would also get the coating on my scalp in places and could see it on my brush and also my hair seemed to attract more lint. So I stopped the aloe vera on my hair.

It did seem to work very well though at least it didn't hurt my hair or scalp and I never felt sick from it - and the coating comes out pretty easy with a few washes. But now I sort of liken aloe vera gel (fresh or FOTE) to a plastic coating! And I always used aloe vera gel as a RINSE OUT conditioner never as a leave in and still I got this coating!

I have since given up on using it and fresh on my hair because of the coating even when rinsed out!

It sucks that there are scary things in FOTE since it is meant to be used on skin and left on :( But it does serve it's purpose. I think it is all about moderation. They probably didn't think that people were going to be putting it all over their body and scalp and leaving it on and so that it didn't matter. However it is not meant for drinking and you can buy it at Wal-Mart and so it doesn't surprise me there is a nasty ingredient! But it isn't tested on animals which I love.

I did research it before I bought it and decided to try it anyway and was surprised that the FOTE didn't cause any reactions on my very sensitive and picky skin so I will continue to use it just not on my hair.

AlexDig
October 22nd, 2014, 08:27 AM
I've found aloe vera plants for about $3 at the store so even if I don't intend to grow them, I'll buy one, peel all the outer layers and blend all the insides. I preserve it with a bit of grapefruit seed oil and store it in the fridge. This might be a good alternative for you ladies who can't find the good stuff at a store near you. I've had plenty of hair success with the "organic runny" ones too though so I don't really find all the chemicals to make it "gelly" at all necessary.

Panth
October 22nd, 2014, 12:01 PM
Ugh, please. What with the scaremongering?

1) Where is the ingredients list for FOTE Aloe Vera Gel? All I can find on the internet is 100% aloe vera.

2) Even >98% triethanolamine (i.e. nearly neat) is not actually classified as harmful. It is not a carcinogen. See the MSDS (material safety data sheet - basically, a list of all known toxicological info, safety info and fire hazard info for any given chemical) here (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MSDS/MSDS/DisplayMSDSPage.do?country=GB&language=en&productNumber=T1377&brand=SIAL&PageToGoToURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com%2F catalog%2Fproduct%2Fsial%2Ft1377%3Flang%3Den) and here (http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDOWCOM/dh_0914/0901b8038091445d.pdf?filepath=productsafety/pdfs/noreg/233-00267.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc). (Do bear in mind that MSDSs are always (unless stated) for the neat chemical, and thus the irritant nature of the diluted form, e.g. in toiletries, is far, far less.) The recommended course of action even with neat triethanolamine is simply to wash it off with soap and water.

Breanna
October 22nd, 2014, 02:46 PM
I'll have to bookmark this and read all the articles later but I'm kind of nervous, I've been putting this on my face as a moisturizer after I wash (feels great! I would hate to stop using it), and on my eyelashes/eyebrows in place of mascara, and on my eczema! I would have no problem just getting a plant and using it fresh, but this is still bumming me out, I really love the product. But with more information I can make a final decision.

maborosi
October 23rd, 2014, 08:29 AM
Ugh, please. What with the scaremongering?

1) Where is the ingredients list for FOTE Aloe Vera Gel? All I can find on the internet is 100% aloe vera.

2) Even >98% triethanolamine (i.e. nearly neat) is not actually classified as harmful. It is not a carcinogen. See the MSDS (material safety data sheet - basically, a list of all known toxicological info, safety info and fire hazard info for any given chemical) here (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MSDS/MSDS/DisplayMSDSPage.do?country=GB&language=en&productNumber=T1377&brand=SIAL&PageToGoToURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com%2F catalog%2Fproduct%2Fsial%2Ft1377%3Flang%3Den) and here (http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDOWCOM/dh_0914/0901b8038091445d.pdf?filepath=productsafety/pdfs/noreg/233-00267.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc). (Do bear in mind that MSDSs are always (unless stated) for the neat chemical, and thus the irritant nature of the diluted form, e.g. in toiletries, is far, far less.) The recommended course of action even with neat triethanolamine is simply to wash it off with soap and water.

I agree. I thought LHC was above this whole "evil chemicals!!!1" thing that seems to plague the rest of the internet. :(

AlexDig
October 26th, 2014, 05:35 PM
I agree. I thought LHC was above this whole "evil chemicals!!!1" thing that seems to plague the rest of the internet. :(

I think it's just that some of us ar super sensitive to certain additives and the like, and it's nice to hear what others are doing to try to get around that :-)

Panth
October 27th, 2014, 01:58 AM
I think it's just that some of us ar super sensitive to certain additives and the like, and it's nice to hear what others are doing to try to get around that :-)

But nobody here has reported any sensitivity to this chemical...

All that's happened is one person made some false statements about an ingredient, i.e. that it's carcinogenic (false - it's not), that it's a teratogen (false - it is, according to the MSDSs, only toxic to the fetus at levels toxic to adults and it takes an awfully large dose (and given orally) for it to be toxic at all) and that you can't remove it by just washing (false - even neat triethanolamine is recommended to be removed with nothing more than soap and water, no medical attention or further treatment required). People then believed these unfounded statements without question because "OMG!!chemicals1111!!!11". That is a prime example of scaremongering - generating unfounded fear based on dubious or false information.