wanted: eczema-safe environmentally-friendly human washing stuff!

[baratron]

So, as part of an ongoing effort to replace the cleaning chemicals in my life with alternative cleaning chemicals from more natural sources, I switched from Carex Sensitive handwash & shower gel to one by Ecover. Coincidentally, having bought these things, Ecover & the Vegan Society had a fairly public falling-out, the result of which is that Ecover is officially no longer vegan. I'm not sure I care about the veganicity of my household products, but I do care about the environmental impact of them. However, the Ecover has turned out to be No Use for me because, for the first time ever, I have itchy, flaky eczema all over my left hand & wrist, and really irritated arms. This is annoying, because while I've technically had eczema for years, it's never manifested to this degree before.

So I need to find a new shower gel & handwash. I would prefer it to be at least vegetarian, and the chemicals in it should be natural source plant extract type things (or at least nature identical). I also want it to not give me itchy bloody eczema! I have ridiculously sensitive skin, though the majority of things I react to are either animal-derived (lanolin, casein) or common allergens (latex, rue). I'd also prefer it to have as little smell as possible, or food-type smells. (Flowery fragrances make me nauseous, but cinnamon, vanilla & cocoa are good.) I don't care about cost, within reason. (£5 is the most I'd expect to pay for a normal-sized bottle of shower gel.)

Help?!

Comments

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

I had horrible luck with Ecover stuff in general. (I think they use a fair amount of essential oils or something- certainly almost all of the cleaning stuff was too strongly scented for me, the exception being the lemon stuff which I just don't seem to be bothered by.)

Anyway, there is a tea tree shower gel which I used and was quite happy with, and I know it came in other 'flavours' but I cannot remember the brand off the top of my head. Please remind me when I have some time to go web-hunting, and I shall locate it for you. (Nature's something or other, probably.) I know it was SLS-free, because that's what I really have problems with, but it was one of those generally good lines, so I expect it's reasonable otherwise too.

Possibly in the meantime have a poke around on GoodnessDirect.co.uk? We ordered some things from them many years ago, and they seemed reasonable and also have some selection, so you might find something there. (Even if you then go to track it down locally, at least you know what you're hunting for. :) )

(Lush shower gels never worked for me, so I'd be leery of them.)

In the can-find-at-Tesco temporary stopgap category, the Simple line of stuff was normally relatively skin-friendly for me, so that may also be worth having a gander. (It's fragrance free, I think. Certainly, i do not recall a strong aroma, at least.)