Allergic to limonene & linalool

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I have been confirmed to be allergic to limonene & linalool. I need help finding deodorants shampoo conditioner toothpaste washing powder fabric softener cleaning products ect. Am struggling to find anything that isn't stupidly high priced. Does anyone have any recommendations

Thank you

Hello!
I’m also allergic to limonene & linalool, and it’s been causing me contact dermatitis eczema since 2022. I’ve always had sensitive skin but started to get eczema on my eyelids, lips and inner arms. After months of waiting for dermatology appointments and allergy tests to find out the cause, turns out this type of ‘eczema’ I experienced is a contact allergy to limonene and linalool. I know how tough it can be as it seems like both are in everything so wanted to share some products I’ve found on my journey!
I’m starting an Instagram blog where I share products for people suffering with the same www.instagram.com/limoneneandlinaloolfree

My dermatologist told me that products are only legally required to state that they contain limonene & linalool in their products if it’s over a certain % (I think either 2% or 5%) so I’ve found it’s best to avoid fragranced products altogether. This includes anything that says ‘perfume, aroma, parfum, fragrance, scent’ etc on the ingredients list, but doesn’t actually list what ingredients make up the fragrance smell.

She also said that pretty much 99% of perfumes & essential oils will have it in. I avoid anything scented in my house, such as perfume, essential oils, scented candles, room sprays, diffusers, cleaning products.

Here is a list of products I’ve found that work for me, some affordable and some more pricey. This is just a guide and each individual is different so make sure you check the updated list of ingredients on the bottle before buying.

Skincare - there are lots of fragrance free skincare products but here are some that have worked well for me

• Cerave hydrating cleanser
• La Roche Posay Cicaplast B5 baume
• Cetaphil gentle cleanser
• Avène extremely gentle cleanser
• La Roche Posay anthelios suncream
• Aveeno Daily moisturising lotion
• Vaseline original
• Most of The Ordinary products are fragrance free
• Superdrug fragrance free face wipes (most places do their own version)
• Sanex Zero deodorant
• Urtekram deodorant
• Salt of the Earth deodorants

Makeup - check ingredients of your makeup products! You don’t want anything that states limonene, linalool and it could be a risk using perfumed/scented makeup.

Hair care + shower

• Faith in Nature fragrance free shampoo, conditioner & body wash
• Green people scent free shampoo & condtioner
• The Ordinary sulphate cleanser & BEHENTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE conditioner
• Philip Kingsley unscented shampoo & conditioner
• Philip Kingsley elasticizer hair mask
• Urtekram body wash, shampoo & conditioner
• Sanex zero

Laundry + Household cleaning

• All Surcare products are amazing - they have been a lifesaver for me!
• Ecover Zero range
• Dettol fragrance free range
• M&S Sensitive Zero fragrance range - yet to try but looks good
• Bar Keepers Friend - some products are ok
• Easy original thick bleach
• Bio - D fragrance free toilet cleaner

Hand Sanitiser

• La Roche posay purifying hand sanitising gel
• Nursem unfragrenced range

Toothpaste - this is a hard one!!

• Euthymol
• Lavera Neutral Gel toothpaste
• The Natural Family Co natural toothpaste

Also limonene and linalool have other chemical names. They usually aren’t used on product ingredient lists but just in case!

I also don’t use anything with citronellol or gernaiol

This is so interesting. I’m allergic to many, many fragrances. I have long thought limonene might be the ingredient but not entirely sure. Thanks for the list.

It’s definitely worth doing an extended allergy test! And if there’s anything you think you might be allergic to ask them if they can test you for those too. I did through NHS with a referral to allergy specialist in london. Lots of long waits, but cutting out fragrance completely has really helped!

I smell everything before I buy it. I get given cosmetics for presents and am going to have to send out stronger messages not to do so for me as they go to the charity shop or the bin. It’s a problem with people wearing perfume or aftershave, even passers by in the street. It makes me gag.

I feel you! It can be so hard to avoid in day to day life but luckily my home is a fragrance free zone so my eczema/contact dermatitis has cleared up massively. It really varies but sometimes if I’m sat next to someone with a strong perfume on the tube it will trigger itching. Or if I walk into a shop with a diffuser on. Where I work they use candles and I feel rude to ask them not to because I’m new lol.

Another fragrance allergic here. It can be a pain finding products, particularly when the formulation of something you like changes. It means I check ingredients every single purchase, even on products I use regularly.

Also, some brands use the word 'unfragranced' to describe a product with no specific or strong smell, rather than with no fragrance chemical in it.

To add to PP's list:

Brands to look out for (but still check ingredients, because some do both fragranced and unfragranced products): Simple, Sanex, Ecover, Faith in Nature, Green People, Clinique, Waitrose.

Waitrose do a good range of own-brand unfragranced products, including laundry detergent but not fabric conditioner. I vastly prefer their shampoo and conditioners to Simple or Sanex. Also like their body lotion and handwash. Unusual to find that Waitrose is the low budget option!

IME Waitrose generally have the biggest range unfragranced products of all the supermarkets.

I find I tolerate Mitchum Unfragranced deodorants, even though they actually include fragrance chemicals.

Anything I am uncertain about, I do a test patch before using. I put a blob of the product on a plaster and stick it on my inner arm just beneath my elbow. I leave it for 24h and then check for any redness or irritation. Obviously I remove it earlier if it irritates my skin.

I've not used this myself.

oranurse.co.uk/unflavoured-toothpaste/

Thank you for sharing! I do the same

Check out the skin safe app
its not perfect and they recently monetized, but it’s still my go-to for finding safe products

you can get a personalized allergy profile with them as well if you send them your patch test results

sadly, inexpensive is not the way this goes. I just spent 14 to order a ridiculously tiny tube of toothpaste, but there are only 2 I have found that are safe, my favorite has been sold out for weeks, and I had no choice but to order the second. Both only available online of course.

For diy patch testing, I don’t use a plaster and it still works. Always test new products. I am allergic to most plasters so I just rub a tiny bit on and wait 72 hours.

I've gone very old fashioned when it comes to household cleaning. Vinegar for descaling, cheapest vodka in a spray bottle for cleaning windows and mirrors, liquid soap for washing floors etc, and also woollens and silk laundry, baking soda for deodorising everything and for neutralising sick. Microfibre cloths clean most fingermarks from surfaces such as around door handles and light switches.

I get fragrance free washing up liquid ( Surcare and Fairy) but I religiously use washing up gloves for all cleaning that uses anything more than the old fashioned solutions I listed above. I use washing up liquid for cleaning things that need a bit more oomph, like kitchen counters after preparing meat, or the hob after frying.

I don't use fragrance free dishwasher tablets. IIRC I once came across some ff Finish tabs, so they are probably available if you're willing to hunt and pay. Instead I avoid opening the dishwasher while it is still hot, and, if I have to, I lean back so as not to get a faceful of stinky steam. The routine we've got into is to run the dishwasher at bedtime. The first one down in the morning leaves its door ajar, so by the time we start getting things out of the dishwasher, most of the fragrance has dispersed.

The new M&S sensitive zero fragrance range looks good and not too expensive.

They do a window & glass cleaner, surface wipes, fabric stain remover, washing up liquid, surface spray, laundry detergent and fabric conditioner.

It says on some of them certified by Allergy UK so going to try soon and will let you know!

Neutogena do a good unfragranced hand cream, as do O'Keefe. Very rich and excellent when I haven't been able to avoid using fragrance handwash.

When my face is inflamed (as opposed to just dry) I find that pure coconut oil, the sort you cook with, is extremely soothing. Apart from topical steroids, it is the only thing that I put on my face during a dermatitis flare.

I'm allergic to lavender and also choose fragrance free to be more certain of avoiding it. So Clinique is fine, Clarins is not. I can smell if a mile off, so generally know if it's in a product. Worst problem I have is hotels that use spray room fragrance, as that often includes lavender. Anything aromatherapy is out too.

Could you please share the 2 toothpastes you use? Struggling to find some

I use cleure and vmv hypoallergenics.

That may involve international shipping for you. I sadly do that pretty frequently to find products

I am allergic to Linalool & highly reactive to Limonene. I have found lots of fragrance free products (good) but missed having some kind of scent. Recently, successfully tried LJ Natural, Cosy night in bath & body oil with no reaction. They also do hair oil and soap (labelling clearly states its Linalool/Limonene free).

To add to the comprehensive list of products sighted above: Olsson Scandinavia hair products are good. My hair becomes extremely dry (brittle) if I come into contact with Linalool. I find the Olsson hair mask helps my hair recover.

The Naked Range, Hair Serum for heat protection when styling.

I am struggling to find a foundation, I use Clinique, but be careful not all of their foundations are Linalool free.

I have found cleaning products to be the hardest to find, I've been using Ecover Zero Multi surface spray but this is no longer on their website, they say they still produce it, but I am having difficulty sourcing it. But if you can get it, would recommend it.