When most of us think of food allergies we think that it only affects the things we eat. However, food allergies stem not necessarily from the food itself but from the chemical makeup of its proteins. As such, it’s the proteins in the food our bodies are reacting to. For some allergies, like peanut allergies, this reaction can be extremely dangerous and even life-threatening. So it may be shocking to know that some of these chemicals that you’re allergic to can be found in various body products. The body can absorb these dangerous chemicals through the skin so it’s important to be aware of what’s in your products and what to look for!
Allergens in Your Makeup
If you have a peanut allergy you may want to look out for any products containing chemicals with the root “arachis” in them. Arachis is the scientific classification for pod legumes like peanuts. Arachidyl behenate and arachis hypogea (peanut oil) are popular ingredients in various cosmetic products and they don’t always come with warnings, so it’s important to keep a look out!
According to the findings of Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel of March 2013, some food allergens can be neutralized during processing. These include but are not limited to arachidyl behenate arachidyl erucate and arachidyl propionate. However, this doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of allergic reaction. In reality, it all depends on the extent to which the chemical component has been processed.
Other non-neutralized ingredients like arachis hypogea, or peanut oil, may still be active allergens. Peanut oil is commonly used in cosmetics as a thickening agent, cleansing agent, and abrasive or exfoliant.
In 2004 The United States Federal Government passed the Food Allergen Labelling and Consumer Protection Act which requires that food manufacturers label whether or not their products contain food allergens. The government has identified 8 major food allergens and as of January 1, 2006 requires that food labels identify the presence of these allergens in their products.
But what is a major food allergen? According to FALCPA, a major allergen is a food or protein derived from one of the following ingredients:
Shellfish/Crustaceans
Tree Nuts
Eggs
Milk
Wheat
Soybeans
Peanuts
Fish
But what distinguishes these as major allergens?
Simply put, it just means that these ingredients are statistically responsible for around 90% of all food allergies. However, what this also means is that food allergens that do not fall within this percentage are technically not legally required to be identified on food labels. It is also worth noting that in the case of more generalized food groups, products containing tree nuts and shellfish must identify specifically what species of fish or type of nut is used in the making of the food product.
That being said, what about cosmetics?
Unfortunately, the FALCPA doesn’t really regulate the use of potential allergens in the ingredients of cosmetics. Despite the fact that cosmetics technically fall under the government classification of food and nutrition, cosmetic products are not held to the same labelling guidelines as actual food products. Because of this, many cosmetics can contain potential allergens without clearly identifying them. If you don’t know that arachis is the botanical classification for pod legumes like peanuts then you may not know that the product you’re using actually contains peanuts or peanut byproducts.
The disclosure of food allergens in cosmetics is more or less up to the individual manufacturers. The amount of potential allergens used in cosmetics can result in side-effects ranging from extremely mild to severe. In some cases, the small traces of allergen-related ingredients like peanut oil may cause no reaction, in others, they may cause mild to severe irritation. This, of course, is mostly in reference to skin-care products or cosmetics to be used on the outer body.
At worst, a reaction to these products can cause a type IV non-life threatening allergic reaction along the lines of mild to severe skin irritation. Ingestible products like lip-balm, however, can potentially be more dangerous. Ingesting allergens like peanut-based ones can lead to type I anaphylaxis reaction which can be life-threatening. When it comes to peanut oil, however, whether or not the consumer will have an allergic reaction is dependent on what proteins are present in the oil when it’s used in the cosmetic. Some manufacturers claim to remove the allergy-inducing protein from the oil before they use it in their products. The presence or absence of this protein will determine if you’ll have a reaction to the product.
So what is the solution?
Some might say buy organic. However, studies show that organic products may put you more at risk. According to a report by the New York Times, organic cosmetics are some of the worst offenders when it comes to including allergens in their ingredients. Furthermore, organic cosmetics will use these ingredients in their purest form which is ultimately more potent.
Is there a solution?
There’s no easy answer. If you suffer from allergies, especially ones that could be potentially life-threatening, it’s important to be aware of the substances you’re using on and/or in your body. Keep in mind that not all ingredients are clearly labelled and that allergens can exist in a wide variety of products. Until the use of these ingredients are better regulated in healthcare and cosmetics it’s important to stay informed and keep a look out for anything potentially dangerous. Allergy sufferers should stay informed, stay vigilant, and, most of all, stay safe.
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