All right, I admit it. I'm steamed.
Yet again I've had to leave a church service of a church that claims to be "scent free."
It's not like people haven't been told before. Again and again the announcement, "Please refrain from using scented products; there are people in this assembly who are sensitive and we want everyone to enjoy the service." Yet week after flippin' week they come to the church wearing their precious fragrances. One person even told me to my face (as she was reeking of body spray or hand creme or something) that she didn't wear perfume. Whew. I couldn't get within fifteen feet of her!
For the record, just because it doesn't SAY perfume on the label in the front, doesn't mean it doesn't contain perfume. Shampoos, hair care products, deodorants, body sprays, lotions, detergents, drier sheets, "air fresheners", and more - all have toxic chemicals in them. Parabenzoates (derived from benzine, a poisonous petroleum product used to clean machinery.) Aldehydes (from the same family as formaldehyde - i.e., embalming fluid.) Known carcinogens. And people put that stuff on their bodies, let it soak through their skin?
I did. For many years it just wasn't on my radar. That's partly why I have this disease. It's called "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity." MCS. Exposure leaves me with headaches, disorientation, lack of concentration, fatigue, and eventually, migraine. The sooner I can get away from the source, the better. But where can one get away from something that's so pervasive? So I inform, educate, and keep doing it because there are actually people out there that have no clue that the "scent free policy" adopted by their workplace or their school or clinic - or their church - actually applies to them. After all, they "don't wear perfume."
After I began suffering with this, I made some changes in my life. I changed detergents to something where the only two ingredients were soap flakes and Borax. I changed my drier sheets out for a cloth one with metal fibers so that I'd get rid of static cling without the scent. I switched to a scent-free brand of cosmetics. I thought I was scent-free too, until I went to the clinic in a neighboring province to get a specialist to assess me. As soon as I walked in the door, the lady behind the desk said, "We're detecting a scent from you. Please change over there and put on this johnny-shirt and this robe. And when you put your clothes in this bag, tie it and we'll keep it here for you. Thanks!"
Whoa. Wow. I guess I needed to rethink some things. So I started purchasing brands that were on their list of approved products. I did find a fragrance-free detergent. And fragrance-free shampoo, and liquid soap. It's possible to make the switch... if you take the time to educate yourself. But the information out there is not easily available.
So - as a public service, I am posting the list provided by the Centre - here for all to see. Including men!!
RECOMMENDED PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS FOR CHEMICALLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE
The Nova Scotia Environmental Health Centre encourages promotion of information which may be useful to patients. All products, however, should be evaluated for personal compatibility. This list is not all-inclusive and some items may not be tolerated by some people. Most of the following products are acceptable for use in the NSEHC.
Most of the products listed below are available at your local Health Food Food Store.
HOUSEHOLD CLEANING AND LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
Shaklee Basic H – (available through a distributor)
Simply Clean – Laundry, dishwashing, all purpose – available at Superstore, some health food stores
DownEast Homecare products – dishwashing liquid, laundry liquid, all purpose cleansers & scouring powder (Available at some grocery stores and pharmacies)
NatureClean products – Includes dishwashing liquid, laundry products, various household cleansers (grocery stores and some pharmacies)
Baking Soda
Borax
President’s Choice Phosphate and Fragrance Free Laundry Detergent and Tide Free. (Not to be used at the Centre as some people react to both of these products).
SOAPS AND SHAMPOOS, HAIR CARE
Nature Clean (Shampoo and Conditioner) (available at most grocery stores)
Spice of Life – Soap (Honey & Oatmeal, Avocado) (available at Great Ocean, Farmers Market, unscented and without glycerin)
Pure Gycerin Soap – available at the Bulk Barn, most grocery stores
Cliniderm shampoo and conditioner (available at Guardian Drugs)
Pure Essentials Fragrance Free shampoo and conditioner
Aloe Vera 80 – Styling spray (Scent Free Treasures – (902) 445 – 3193)
Infinity Rosemary – shampoo & Chamomile shampoo v@mosphere (shampoo, conditioner) (available at Guardian drug stores)
Aveeno (Body Wash & Bath Oil)
Laura Line – unscented liquid soap (available at Guardian drugs)
Basic Care daily cleansing shampoo – unscented (recommended use for EPD treatments)
Clinique (Pump) hairspray
Baby’s Own unscented (not to be used at the Centre)
BODY AND FACE LOTIONS / CREAMS
(Most lotions and creams available at your local pharmacy)
Aquatain – unscented body lotion
Lubriderm – unscented body lotion
Marcelle – face cream
Almay – face cream
Clinique – face cream
Noxema – sensitive skin, fragrance free
Nutragena – face cream
Complex 15 – face and body lotion
Aveeno – fragrance free lotion
J.M. Taylor – moisturizer
Cliniderm – hand lotion
Vernix – face, hand cream, and bath oil
Laura Line – face and body cream
Olay – for sensitive skin, fragrance free
DEODRANTS
Marcelle – roll on, available at most pharmacies
Crystal Rock – some pharmacies
Natural Science
Earthwise – Chamomile
Baking Soda
Simple – 1 –800-595-HEAL
Dove – fragrance free (sensitive skin)
Ladyspeed stick – unscented, invisible
Homemade recipe for deodrant – contact Anne MacDougall
SHAVING PRODUCTS
Use an electric razor preferably
Aveeno – shaving cream (available at pharmacies and grocery stores)
Simple
Kiss My Face – fragrance free natural moisture shave for extra sensitive skin
Alternatively, you may use any safe face soap which produces a good lather.
Sea Salt with some water when rinsing. It helps to keep skin from drying out.
And just so you know - those of you who are thinking that "Judy doesn't like perfume..."
It's not a question of preference. It's a real illness; I have a medical diagnosis. It's not even a question of "Let's all lay hands on Judy so she can be healed." I believe in divine healing; I have experienced it. But sometimes I think that the healing card, if you can call it that, is a cop-out : an excuse not to behave in a loving and considerate manner because that would mean that YOU would have to change.
No, it's not a matter of preference. It's a matter of love. What better way to display the kind of love that Jesus has placed inside our hearts than to be considerate toward the ones who suffer ... when there is a perfect solution for it if you were to have a little consideration and care?
If your solution is to "stay away" from me and still wear your scent - then you are not hearing me at all, and you certainly aren't aware of the clouds you leave behind that linger long after you're gone. You know, I might like you if I could get to know you. But I can't get to know you because I can't get NEAR you. Instead of attracting people - you're actually repelling people. Nobody says anything because nobody likes confrontation.
I don't like confrontation either.
But I do like to be able to breathe without wondering if I'm going to be sick because of it.
Yet again I've had to leave a church service of a church that claims to be "scent free."
It's not like people haven't been told before. Again and again the announcement, "Please refrain from using scented products; there are people in this assembly who are sensitive and we want everyone to enjoy the service." Yet week after flippin' week they come to the church wearing their precious fragrances. One person even told me to my face (as she was reeking of body spray or hand creme or something) that she didn't wear perfume. Whew. I couldn't get within fifteen feet of her!
For the record, just because it doesn't SAY perfume on the label in the front, doesn't mean it doesn't contain perfume. Shampoos, hair care products, deodorants, body sprays, lotions, detergents, drier sheets, "air fresheners", and more - all have toxic chemicals in them. Parabenzoates (derived from benzine, a poisonous petroleum product used to clean machinery.) Aldehydes (from the same family as formaldehyde - i.e., embalming fluid.) Known carcinogens. And people put that stuff on their bodies, let it soak through their skin?
I did. For many years it just wasn't on my radar. That's partly why I have this disease. It's called "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity." MCS. Exposure leaves me with headaches, disorientation, lack of concentration, fatigue, and eventually, migraine. The sooner I can get away from the source, the better. But where can one get away from something that's so pervasive? So I inform, educate, and keep doing it because there are actually people out there that have no clue that the "scent free policy" adopted by their workplace or their school or clinic - or their church - actually applies to them. After all, they "don't wear perfume."
After I began suffering with this, I made some changes in my life. I changed detergents to something where the only two ingredients were soap flakes and Borax. I changed my drier sheets out for a cloth one with metal fibers so that I'd get rid of static cling without the scent. I switched to a scent-free brand of cosmetics. I thought I was scent-free too, until I went to the clinic in a neighboring province to get a specialist to assess me. As soon as I walked in the door, the lady behind the desk said, "We're detecting a scent from you. Please change over there and put on this johnny-shirt and this robe. And when you put your clothes in this bag, tie it and we'll keep it here for you. Thanks!"
Whoa. Wow. I guess I needed to rethink some things. So I started purchasing brands that were on their list of approved products. I did find a fragrance-free detergent. And fragrance-free shampoo, and liquid soap. It's possible to make the switch... if you take the time to educate yourself. But the information out there is not easily available.
So - as a public service, I am posting the list provided by the Centre - here for all to see. Including men!!
RECOMMENDED PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS FOR CHEMICALLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE
The Nova Scotia Environmental Health Centre encourages promotion of information which may be useful to patients. All products, however, should be evaluated for personal compatibility. This list is not all-inclusive and some items may not be tolerated by some people. Most of the following products are acceptable for use in the NSEHC.
Most of the products listed below are available at your local Health Food Food Store.
HOUSEHOLD CLEANING AND LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
Shaklee Basic H – (available through a distributor)
Simply Clean – Laundry, dishwashing, all purpose – available at Superstore, some health food stores
DownEast Homecare products – dishwashing liquid, laundry liquid, all purpose cleansers & scouring powder (Available at some grocery stores and pharmacies)
NatureClean products – Includes dishwashing liquid, laundry products, various household cleansers (grocery stores and some pharmacies)
Baking Soda
Borax
President’s Choice Phosphate and Fragrance Free Laundry Detergent and Tide Free. (Not to be used at the Centre as some people react to both of these products).
SOAPS AND SHAMPOOS, HAIR CARE
Nature Clean (Shampoo and Conditioner) (available at most grocery stores)
Spice of Life – Soap (Honey & Oatmeal, Avocado) (available at Great Ocean, Farmers Market, unscented and without glycerin)
Pure Gycerin Soap – available at the Bulk Barn, most grocery stores
Cliniderm shampoo and conditioner (available at Guardian Drugs)
Pure Essentials Fragrance Free shampoo and conditioner
Aloe Vera 80 – Styling spray (Scent Free Treasures – (902) 445 – 3193)
Infinity Rosemary – shampoo & Chamomile shampoo v@mosphere (shampoo, conditioner) (available at Guardian drug stores)
Aveeno (Body Wash & Bath Oil)
Laura Line – unscented liquid soap (available at Guardian drugs)
Basic Care daily cleansing shampoo – unscented (recommended use for EPD treatments)
Clinique (Pump) hairspray
Baby’s Own unscented (not to be used at the Centre)
BODY AND FACE LOTIONS / CREAMS
(Most lotions and creams available at your local pharmacy)
Aquatain – unscented body lotion
Lubriderm – unscented body lotion
Marcelle – face cream
Almay – face cream
Clinique – face cream
Noxema – sensitive skin, fragrance free
Nutragena – face cream
Complex 15 – face and body lotion
Aveeno – fragrance free lotion
J.M. Taylor – moisturizer
Cliniderm – hand lotion
Vernix – face, hand cream, and bath oil
Laura Line – face and body cream
Olay – for sensitive skin, fragrance free
DEODRANTS
Marcelle – roll on, available at most pharmacies
Crystal Rock – some pharmacies
Natural Science
Earthwise – Chamomile
Baking Soda
Simple – 1 –800-595-HEAL
Dove – fragrance free (sensitive skin)
Ladyspeed stick – unscented, invisible
Homemade recipe for deodrant – contact Anne MacDougall
SHAVING PRODUCTS
Use an electric razor preferably
Aveeno – shaving cream (available at pharmacies and grocery stores)
Simple
Kiss My Face – fragrance free natural moisture shave for extra sensitive skin
Alternatively, you may use any safe face soap which produces a good lather.
Sea Salt with some water when rinsing. It helps to keep skin from drying out.
And just so you know - those of you who are thinking that "Judy doesn't like perfume..."
It's not a question of preference. It's a real illness; I have a medical diagnosis. It's not even a question of "Let's all lay hands on Judy so she can be healed." I believe in divine healing; I have experienced it. But sometimes I think that the healing card, if you can call it that, is a cop-out : an excuse not to behave in a loving and considerate manner because that would mean that YOU would have to change.
No, it's not a matter of preference. It's a matter of love. What better way to display the kind of love that Jesus has placed inside our hearts than to be considerate toward the ones who suffer ... when there is a perfect solution for it if you were to have a little consideration and care?
If your solution is to "stay away" from me and still wear your scent - then you are not hearing me at all, and you certainly aren't aware of the clouds you leave behind that linger long after you're gone. You know, I might like you if I could get to know you. But I can't get to know you because I can't get NEAR you. Instead of attracting people - you're actually repelling people. Nobody says anything because nobody likes confrontation.
I don't like confrontation either.
But I do like to be able to breathe without wondering if I'm going to be sick because of it.
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