(PARTIAL) LIST OF PRODUCTS FOR CHEMICALLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLIES/FRIENDS
originally compiled by Diana Lion (rev. 9/08), additions from Peggy Munson and other revisions by EBMC as indicated (04/09)
The products listed below are tolerated by many chemically sensitive people (though please note that individual tolerances vary) and are available in some local stores, such as food coops, Farmers’ markets, natural foods stores, some drugstores and community stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, online distributors (listed at end of article), etc. Please note that many products are made by manufacturers who also make scented products. Be sure to buy the unscented or fragrance-free variety! Many products are mistakenly marked “unscented” or “fragrance-free” for a variety of reasons (beyond the scope of this list to explain). It is important to test each product with your nose (if you have a good sense of smell and are not chemically sensitive yourself) or ask a friend with a good sense of smell. That will be a better determinant of whether a product is scent-free than anything a manufacturer writes on packaging. Products specifically for African Americans and people of African descent are included on this list. Although there aren't a wide range of these products, no doubt there will be more products available, as demand increases. Please look online for more sources. (Also see the category For African Americans & People of African Descent -- 4/09 EBMC) An excellent all-around product for use in washing body, hair, laundry and housecleaning is Dr Bronner's Organic Pure-Castille Liquid Soap - Unscented. It's very concentrated and only a small amount is used by diluting it in water. This is the soap used at EBMC. (4/09 EBMC) Finally, don’t be afraid to trust your naturally occurring pheromones rather than using added-on scents! My favourite products in various categories are marked with an asterisk. |
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FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS & PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT (4/09 EBMC)
Fragrance free and low fragrance personal products (and where to get them in the East Bay)
- Shea butter with no fragrance added
Ashby BART flea market in Berkeley, Saturdays and Sundays, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.- Jojoba oil, fragrance free
Food Mill in Oakland, 2 locations: (a) 3033 Macarthur Blvd, Oakland - (510) 482-3848; (b) 255 W Macarthur Blvd, Oakland - (510) 595-3633- A, D & E lotion, fragrance free (body lotion that can be used on hair)
Body Time, 2 locations: (a) 5521 College Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618 - (510) 547-4116; (b) 1942 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA - (510) 841-5818- Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding
The scent free version is called “Sniffer Sensitive. No Nonsense Formula.” The website is www.missjessies.com. It can be ordered online. Or their toll-free number is 1-888-JESSIE-6.- Naani products
http://www.naani.com/store
Click on “fragrance free” in the “Shop naani products” column. Fragrance-free products include shea butter crèmes and a lotion spray.- Hair gel with low fragrance: Flex-it Styling Aid by Hairobics
(for styling, molding, sculpting, holding... for the perms or curly hair).
“I bought it at Walgreens but that is about the only thing at a drug store that is low scent for African hair types.”
- *Unscented Crystal or Stone Deodorants by various manufacturers
- Almay Fragrance Free Clear Gel Anti-Perspirant and Deodorant
- Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Active Enzyme Natural Stick Deodorant
- Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Liquid Rock Roll-On Deodorant
- Nature’s Gate Winter Clean Unscented Stick Deodorant
- Sure Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Clear Gel Unscented
- Sure Clear Dry Solid Unscented
- Sure Roll-On Unscented
- Autumn Harp's Un-Petroleum Jelly (4/09 PM-EBMC)
- Druide Pur and Pure Shampoo
- Hair gel with low fragrance: Flex-it Styling Aid by Hairobics (for styling, molding, sculpting, holding... for perms or curly hair). “I bought it at Walgreens but that is about the only thing at a drug store that is low scent for African hair types.” (quote from a woman who uses it).
- Logona Free Shampoo
- *Magick Botanicals Oil Free / Fragrance Free Shampoo and Conditioner
- Magick Botanicals Fragrance Free Hair Spray
- *Magick Botanicals Fragrance Free Styling Gel
- Magick Botanicals Fragrance Free Hair Detangler and Shine
- Miss Jessie's Unscented Curly Pudding. The scent free version is for people with “sensitive sniffers”. The website is www.missjessies.com. It can be ordered online. Or their toll-free number is 1-888-JESSIE-6.
- Sungold fragrance-free shampoo substitute (available only online)
- Unicure Natural Shampoo Sensitive Skin Formula
- Unicure Hair and Skin Conditioner
- Homemade body and hair cleaner: pour 1 cup boiling water over one tablespoon baking soda. It's watery, but works well and removes odors.
- Homemade hairstyling gel: dissolve 1 teaspoon gelatin in 1 cup warm water and chill.
- A, D & E lotion, fragrance free (body lotion that can also be used on hair). Available at Body Time in Oakland (find locations on line).
- Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal Fragrance Free
- Jojoba oil, fragrance free. (available from the Food Mill in Oakland, and other sources).
- Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Olive & Aloe Moisturizer
- Pure unscented aloe gel
- Pure unscented vegetable oils: almond, olive, avocado, apricot kernel, coconut.
- *Shea butter/safflower oil hand and body lotion from Sungold Soap (available only online) (also available in its pure unscented form from numerous other sources online).
- Vitamin E oil
MISCELLANEOUS HAIR/SKIN
- Now Cocoa Butter
- Now Lanolin
- Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Stick
- *Spectrum Coconut Oil
Brands that include some fragrance-free options: Zuzu Luxe, Burt's Bees, Ecco Bella, Zia, Gabriel Color, Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC), No Miss (4/09 PM-EBMC)
- Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Moisture Shave
- Alba Botanica unscented cream shave, tube, 8 oz. (4/09 EBMC)
SHOWER GELS / BATH SALTS, etc.
- Batherapy 100% Natural Colloidal Oatmeal Bath
- Epsom Salts unscented
- Masada Unscented Dead Sea Mineral Bath Salts
- Pangea Organics Pure & Scentless Moisturizing Herbal Shower Gel
- Clearly Natural Unscented Glycerin Soap
- Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castille Unscented Baby Mild Soap
- Green Mountain Soap Co. Soap
- Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil Bar Soap
- Magick Botanicals Simmons Special Unscented Soap
- Nature Clean Face and Body Bar Soap
- Neutrogena Original Unscented
- Pangea Organics Pure & Scentless
- *Sungold Unscented, fragrance-free bar soap (available only online)
- Tom’s Unscented Natural Moisturizing or Deodorant Body Bar
SOAP (LIQUID)
- *African black soft soap (traditional, unscented) available from James Quartey (who is a direct distributor for women and children in his native Ghana; cell is 713-703-0241 – I’ve been buying his soap for 2 years and love it!).
- Birch Hill Happenings Unscented Liquid Hand Soap
- Clearly Natural Unscented Glycerin Soap
- Dr. Bronner's Organic Castille Soap -- Unscented (04/09 EBMC)
- *Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castille Unscented Baby Mild Soap
- Green Mountain Soap Co. Liquid Soap
- Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Moisture Soap
- Magick Botanicals Cleanser and Body Wash Unscented
- Nature Clean Au Naturelle Liquid Soap
- Organic and Nature Natural Liquid Hand Soap
- *Sungold fragrance-free liquid soap (available only online)
- Tom’s of Maine Natural Moisturizing Hand Soaps – Unscented
- Alba Botanica Fragrance Free Sunscreen
- Banana Boat Kids – Big Y unscented
- Kiss My Face Sun Screen with Oat Protein Complex
- Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock, SPF 45, fragrance free. 4 fl. oz tube.
- Rocky Mountain Sunscreen, High Activity Sunscreen, SPF 30+; or High Exposure Sunscreen SPF 50+, both in a 2 fl. oz. tube; www.rmsunscreen.com.
- Bite Away Insect Repellent
- Solar Mosquito Guard (both available from Gaiam) (4/09 PM-EBMC)
- Dr Bronner's Organic Pure-Castille Liquid Soap - Unscented Be sure to buy the unscented version! Available online at Green Boat Stuff. (4/09 EBMC)
Seventh Generation Free & Clear: Be sure to buy their Free & Clear (unscented) products, since they also sell scented ones.
All purpose cleaner, glass & surface cleaner, plus laundry liquid and powder, and dishwashing liquid for hand washing and dishwasher.- Simple, Pure, Clean: Be sure to buy their unscented products, since they also sell scented ones.
All purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, hardwood floor cleaner, dusting spray, fabric softener, bleach alternative, abrasive cleaner, scouring powder. www.simplepureclean.com/buy_natural_cleaning_products.html 1-800-870-1697- Allens Naturally products (they make various cleaners, dishwashing liquids, etc.) www.allensnaturally.com (4/09 EBMC)
- Allens Naturally
- Arm & Hammer – Free of Perfumes & Dyes
- Baking or Washing Soda
- Borax
- ECOS Free and Clear Laundry Detergent
- Ecover Unscented (4/09 EBMC)
- Shaklee Basic H – order through local Shaklee distributor
- *Seventh Generation Free & Clear (of Perfumes & Dyes) (available online at Ecosumo)
- *Sungold fragrance-free laundry soap (available only online)
- Tibetan soap rocks
- *Trader Joe’s powdered scent-free detergent (NOT the liquid type as it is scented!)
- White vinegar
FABRIC SOFTENER
- *Fragrance-free, chemical-free, fume-free reusable dryer sheets (reusable 500 times) available through www.needs.com
- Vinegar or baking soda in the rinse cycle
BLEACH (or ALTERNATIVE)
- Borax
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Oxy-Clean Powder Form
- Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach
- Needs: www.needs.com
- Birch Hill Happenings: birchhillhappenings.com/baseprod.htm
- Refreshingly Free: www.refreshinglyfree.com
- Elysian Dream: www.elysiandream.com
- Miss Jessie's: www.missjessies.com
- Simple. Pure. Clean. www.simplepureclean.com
- Sungold Soap: www.sungoldsoap.com
- Terressentials: www.terressentials.com
- Simmons Naturals: www.simmonsnaturals.com
- Body Time: www.bodytimeproducts.com (4/09 EBMC)
- Allens Naturally: www.allensnaturally.com (4/09 EBMC)
- Etsy: www.etsy.com (type "fragrance free" or "unscented" into the search bar for homemade, fragrance-free products) (4/09 PM-EBMC)
Chemical Injury Information Network (CIIN)
Support/advocacy organization dealing with Chemical Injury
www.ciin.orgPrincess Tiger Lily
Resources for MCS, CFIDS, fibromyalgia groups worldwide; making your workplace fragrance-free; links between MCS and Gulf War syndrome; etc.
www.princesstigerlily.com/mcs/mcs_by_area.htmlBuying Fragrance Free Products
excellent info by Peggy Munson
www.peggymunson.com/mcs/products.html