Last summer I wrote about how my latex allergy had been acting up and part of the culprits were aloe and shea. It has been nine months, and I have eliminated both and their toxic friends from my cabinets, and my skin has been so happy. So then why last night did I start the skin molting process. I want to think of it as molting because the idea of molting is that you are shedding something to make way for a new growth. Hopefully it is some growth for myself and for other latex reactors that are reading this.

If you remember my kick off last year was when I ate the organic blueberry ice cream, my annual vegetarian treat, and by the time we were at dinner my skin was peeling off, red, and I felt awful. The only two items in the ice cream that had changed was that it now contained xanthan gum and carrageenen. What I did find was that carrageenen is a pseudo-latex allergen. I has actually caused anaphalaxis in those with latex allergies. Do you know what foods are latex reactive? There is avocado, banana, chestnut, cherimoya, eggplant, green pepper, kiwi, melon, mango, potato, passion fruit, papaya, pineapple, tomato, and wheat. Going nightshade-free, gluten-free and then eliminating the top (avocado/banana/kiwi/papaya) could make a big impact in your life. I will admit to the rare pepper, pineapple, potato and tomato, but I have eliminated the rest out of my diet completely.

So I eliminated all of the rest off it. All of the shampoos, conditioners, skin care, make-up and other packaged foods that had either xanthan or carrageenen, and then aloe, shea and all of the other allergens of mine are out (sunflower, nut oils, avocado oils) which really narrowed down the field of what you can buy to almost nothing.



So then yesterday I ran out of my regular tinted moisturizer, and used one I had bought just before this happened, and had forgotten about. I had none of those ingredients listed. After a few hours my skin felt like it was going to peel off. I washed my face well, applied my now favorite moisturizer, and took all the things. That includes turmeric, quecertin, allergy natural pills, Zyrtec, Benedryl, and then waited. I say waited because Benedryl makes my joints ache. I figured I would not be able to sleep. However, I remember that I had just bought yucca, and so I took that. The joint pain diminished and the allergy pills kicked in and I went to sleep.

So what was in my make-up:? I learned last night that chondrus crispus extract is carrageenen. It was in my Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation that I used. They don't have to list it as carrageenen, and I think that is why the ingredients in these products are always so foreign sounding. Because would you use a skin care product with carrageenen in it? Probably not.

This is why when you see me, I am usually make-up free. A little rosehip oil, a little moisturizer, maybe some BB cream, and lipstick. That's my go to for happy skin.