Coconut Allergy Info

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm very allergic to products containing coconuts, coconut derived ingredients, or coconut scented products. I had a severe breakout on my face that I kept getting told was acne. Once I removed coconuts, my face was no longer itchy and my face stopped breaking out. The breakout can occur so fast, but can take what seems like forever to clear up completely. It's been six months since I last knowingly used products containing coconuts. Month by month my face continues to look better, but it's a very slow healing process.

 

Finding soaps, shampoos, conditioners, toothpastes, and dish soaps that are free of coconut ingredients can be very challenging. I don't think coconut allergy is very common. However, as I'm researching products and contacting companies trying to find acceptable products, I want to create a post for that may help others dealing with a coconut allergy. Please contact the companies yourself to make sure the product is acceptable for your child's or your allergy because the ingredients in products change.

 

 

Coconut Free Soap:

Kiss My Face Pure Olive Oil Bar Soap-The company informed me that this product is free of coconut ingredients. The ingredients in this product are: Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Sodium Chloride

Product Found at: http://www.kissmyface.com/

 

Coconut Free Shampoo

Gluten-Free Savonnerie Shampoo-The company informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. This shampoo is a completely synthetic product. The ingredients in this product are: Distilled water, disodium laureth sulfosuccinate and disodium cocoamphodiacetate, panthenol, PEG 150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearate, propylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.

Product Found at: http://gfsoap.com/

 

Coconut Free Conditioner

Gluten-Free Savonnerie-The company informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. The glycerin in this conditioner is sourced from palm oil. The ingredients in this product are: Distilled water, glycerin, behentrimonium methosulfate (and) cetearyl alcohol, jojoba oil, panthenol, propylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate. The cetearyl alcohol in the conditioner is made from Colza Oil, not coconut oil. Colza is related to the turnip.

Product Found at: http://gfsoap.com/

 

Coconut Free Moisturizing Lotion

Gluten-Free Savonnerie-The company informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. The glycerin in this lotion is sourced from palm oil. The ingredients in this product are: Distilled water, jojoba oil, avocado oil, emulsifying wax, glycerin (from palm), propylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate ( 97.1% natural )

Product Found at: http://gfsoap.com/

 

Coconut Free Moisturizing Lotion

Dakota Free Products-This company has informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. The glycerin in this lotion is sourced from palm oil.The ingredients in this product are: Aloe vera gel, (aloe vera juice, vegetable glycerin, carbomer, triethanolomine, methylparaben, quaternium 15) organic expeller pressed soybean oil, expeller pressed safflower oil, distilled water, soybean based emulsifier, grapefruit seed extract, organic lemon essential oil and natural vitamin E oil (soybean source). https://dakotafree.com/product.asp?Category...mp;Product_Id=4

 

Fragrance Free Baby Balm

Dakota Free Products-This company has informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. The ingredients in this product are: Expeller pressed safflower oil, North Dakota beeswax, jojoba oil, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E oil from soybeans), organic grapefruit seed extract, natural lavender oil. https://dakotafree.com/product.asp?Category...p;Product_Id=27

 

Lip Balm

Gluten-Free Savonnerie-This company has informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. The ingredients in this product are: Palm kernel oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, carnauba wax. (100% natural). http://gfsoap.com/

 

Massage & Body Oil

Gluten-Free Savonnerie-This company has informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. The ingredients in this product are: Safflower Oil and jojoba oil (100% natural). http://gfsoap.com/

 

 

 

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Coconut Containing Soaps *Not Safe*

Dr Bronner's Magic Soaps-The company informed me that Coconut oil is their main oil used in soaps. All soaps contain coconut oil and glycerin.

 

Coconut Containing Shampoos*Not Safe*

Earth Science Allergy-Fragrance-Free Shampoo-The company informed me that this product contains a coconut derived product called Sodium Myreth Sulfate. Also most of their products contain vegetable based glycerin and coconut is often used as a source (Palm Oil).

 

California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash-The company informed me that this product contains coconut derived ingredients which include decyl polyglucose, phospholipid, and aloe vera.

 

 

List of coconut derived Ingredients:

1,2 Octanediol

2 Phenoxyethanol

Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate

Capryl Glycol

Caprylic Acid

Caprylic Glycol

Caprylic/Capric

Caprylyl Glycol

Ceteareth-20

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Ceteth-20 Phosphate

Cetyl Alcohol

Cetyl Esters

Cocamide MEA

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Cococaprylate/Caprate

Cocomide DEA

Coconut Oil

Disodium Cocamphodiprop

Emusifying Wax

Glyceryl Caprylate

Hexyl Laurate

Isopropyl Myristate

Laureth-3

Olefin Sulfonate

Organic Sodium Cocoate

PEG - 7 Glyceryl Cocoate

PEG -100

Phenoxyethanol

Polysorbate 20

Sodium Cocoate

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sucrose Stearate

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinat

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Sodium Stearate

Sorbitan Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

Vegetable Cetearyl Glucos

Vegetable Glycerine

 

With many ingredients there is the potential for the above ingredients to be from different sources. This is just a partial listing of ingredients to research further when seen on a package.

 

Information found at: Kiss My Face Ingredients & Definitions and Glossary of Ingredients

 

 

 

I'll continue updating this as I work to find more acceptable products.

 

 

Carolyn

[powerofprayer]

Carolyn,

I'm just wondering if your tics increase when you use something with coconut or is it just the skin reaction? How did you discover this allergy? Was it when you were a child or just recently?

[Guest]

Hi powerofprayer,

 

No, I've never seen an increase of tics when using coconut ingredients. It's just the skin reaction. Allergy reactions are different for every person and also depend on the food/product. This is the first time that I've ever had an allergy that causes a skin reaction. My other allergies causes tic increases and headaches. I discovered this allergy by thinking back to the things that changed in my diet around the time this skin reaction occured. The skin reaction was not gradual, but instead a sudden reaction. It took me 3 months to figure this out. I had started using a lot of coconut oil, drinking coconut water kefir, and in the end I found out that most health food store soaps contain coconut. Before this I had never eaten any coconut containing products. I had also started using a lot of olive oil at the time and originally I thought it could have been the olive oil. However, avoiding olive oil didn't stop the skin reactions. My skin testing and delayed food sensitivitiy test showed coconut as being a problem.

 

Also this last Christmas, I received coconut scented lotion from a coworker and had a skin reaction just from smelling it. Not too long after that I discovered that every time I washed my dishes my face got itchy. The dish soap had coconut oil in it. I discovered this allergy just recently. My skin reaction started in August/September of 2006. By the end of December 2006, I had a pretty good idea that this skin reaction was caused by coconuts.

 

Carolyn

[patty]

Carolyn,

 

Thx for your interesting post on coconut ingredients and products that do not contain coconut. What dish soap or detergent do you use?

 

Patty

[Guest]

Patty,

 

At this time I don't use any dish soap, but instead just use the Johnson & Johnson baby soap to wash dishes in. It's not what I really want to use for my dishes, but it doesn't make my face itchy. So until I find a dish soap that is for sure safe I'm holding off on actual dish soaps. I'm guessing that non-organic/natural dish soaps don't contain ingredients derived from coconuts, but I need to check on that still.

 

Carolyn

[caseyp57]

Carolyn,

 

Thanks for providing this list. My son who has high functioning autism (which is/can be related in some ways to Tourette's or so I've been told) has horrible skin problems and is allergic to coconut-- also protoleum products and a number of other things. I knew to watch out for glycerine because it sometimes comes from coconut but I didn't realize they had added it to the fish oil I was breaking apart to put in his olive oil. He doesn't have acne but they think it is a type of pityriasis, though the biopsy was not totally conclusive. He does get better in the summer months when he goes into the sun. Anyways I wanted to ask you what you meant about Johnston and Johnston baby soap as when I looked it up it did contain some of these products you had listed. Possibly I have the wrong product and I will look in the stores but please respond if you get this to let me know any more information you have ton this. I will look for the kiss my face soap for him in the store too. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Hi caseyp57,

 

The Johnson & Johnson baby soap does not bother my skin. From my knowledge, Johnson & Johnson baby soap is a synthetic soap and therefore those ingredients aren't derived from coconut. I think the soap products that you have to worry about containing coconut are the natural/organic products since many are derived from coconut. None of the soaps at my workplace bother my skin, but none of them are organic/natural.

 

Carolyn

[caseyp57]

Thanks Caroline. I'm also trying to find petroleum free shampoos and this involves research as I'm not sure what the synthetic stuff is derived from. But we did find the Kiss My face soap and it has a nice scent; I'm trying to convince my son he should try using it to wash his hair but have been so far unsuccessful. Anyways thanks again.

[Guest]

Your welcome. I hope that you can convince your son to try washing his hair with the Kiss My Face soap.

 

Here's another soap that may be worth researching. Sungold Soap

I've never seen anybody mention this soap before, but it was one that I found over the internet. I may consider it as a way to stop using the baby soap. Good luck.

 

Carolyn

[HMN]

Hi, I'm new here. I found this post through a Google search for coconut free soaps. So, thanks!

 

Anyway, my 3 year old daughter has coconut allergies - I've been desperately trying to find coconut free products but it isn't easy. I spent about an hour in Whole Foods last week reading every single shampoo label and was horrified that every single one had some sort of coconut derivative in it. I thought the California Baby line might have something but they do not. Their conditioner, however, claims to be nut free and I don't see any derivatives on the label.

 

So after searching online, I found this one recently...

at www.bluehousesoaps.com. I haven't talked to them directly, but the description for the "Crunchy Mama Shampoo" says that it is coconut-free. I haven't tried it yet, it's in the mail and I hope to get it soon. This is the ingredient listing for the product: Saponified oils of sunflower and olive, vegetable glycerine, and fragrance or essential oils.

*** NOTE if you do try to order this, please be aware that there is a drop-down menu to choose your scent/ essential oil. There is an 'unscented' option listed. It is not obvious that you need to select one. I only noticed it when I went back to find the link to post here!

 

I am still searching for natural cleaning products that are coconut free. If I find some, I will post back later.

 

Thank you for the list of coconut derivatives, it will help in my search.

[bitchinmona]

Hi, I'm new here. I found this post through a Google search for coconut free soaps. So, thanks!

 

Me too! Well, actually, I was just googling "coconut allergy" because I wanted to see just how much of an oddity I am.

 

It seems I am even more 'unusual' than most afflicted with coconut allergies; I am reactive only to the pulp and fibers, but the pressed coconut oil and coconut milk don't affect me unless there are traces of the pulp present.

 

Anyway, my 3 year old daughter has coconut allergies - I've been desperately trying to find coconut free products but it isn't easy. I spent about an hour in Whole Foods last week reading every single shampoo label and was horrified that every single one had some sort of coconut derivative in it. I thought the California Baby line might have something but they do not. Their conditioner, however, claims to be nut free and I don't see any derivatives on the label.

 

This bit here is what compelled me to respond. Be extremely cautious, especially at stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc. These stores, strangely enough, are where I have the most difficulty. Coconut seems to be in EVERYTHING there.

 

Case in point: Trader Joe's Dunkers. Nice, wholesome, chocolate-chip biscotti-esque dunking cookie sticks. Seems fine, right? Yeah, notsomuch. Can't taste it, can't smell it, but there's definitely coconut in them thar dunkers! Sure, I should have been more vigilant about checking the reeeeeally small print on the bin, but... really? Coconut in chocolate chip dunkers? WHY?

 

A vegan friend of mine explained the natural foods stores' obsession with coconut. Turns out, although coconut adds fat (the good kind) to foods, it's very healthy in many other ways. Beside that, it increases the sweetness in a recipe without adding sugar. Finally, it acts as both a filler and a binder, so it's especially popular in items such as cookies, breads, and even some bagged chips - not to mention its exfoliant qualities when used in soaps, the heavenly scent when used in lotions, and so on.

 

(Her boyfriend pointed out as well that manufacturers such as the store brands for TJ's and Whole Foods are able to get coconut extremely cheaply because they can purchase it in mass quantities, and can use coconuts that have 'blemishes' such as uneven roundness, discolored patches, etc. that don't affect the quality of the coconut but wouldn't be sold in markets).

 

So coconut actually ends up being a cheap, healthy, and natural filler, binder, and sweetener. Pretty awesome except for the whole allergy thing.

[michaelg]

Writing to add my thanks. I think I've had coconut allergy since I was a kid, but only last year did it become somewhat debilitating. I hadn't heard of most of the products listed here. All those new to me appear worth investigating. Carolyn, I'm grateful to you for your work in compiling and posting all this information.

 

A warning about Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soap: Quality control may not be all it should. I've been using it for a couple of months, and while in general it's been excellent, a couple of times it's provoked the same symptoms (hives) in me that conventional soaps do. My guess is that sometimes coconut enters the soap during manufacture. So, if you try this soap and it causes problems, you may want to try a different bar before giving up on the product.

 

Two questions: Am I the only coconut-allergic person who can no longer eat in restaurants without experiencing outbreaks? What in restaurant food might be affecting me so strongly?

 

Best of luck to all.

 

Michael

[biker]

sorry to make so many edits, i knew i was allergic to coconuts, but i didn't know shampoo had coconut ANYTHING in it till my wife told me not to use a generic "mane and tail" shampoo as it had coconut oil in it. that made me start looking at ALL our shampoo and soap, checking ANYTHING that started with coco and coca on the internet. and that led me here...

 

 

quote - Gluten-Free Savonnerie Shampoo-The company informed me that this product is free of coconut oil and coconut derivatives. - quote

 

they lied

 

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoamphopropionate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate and Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate are made from fatty acids from coconut oil, also called coconut acid.

taken from http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient_de...redient_id=1036

 

its tricky to find some of the coconut ingredients

 

also, coconuts come from palm trees, therefore, there might (IMHO) be a cause for concern for palm derived ingredients.

The coconut palm tree is a native of the tropics. The fruit of the palm is known as the "coconut". <taken from http://www.allergycapital.com.au/Pages/coconut.html

[baobab]

Found this thread via a Google search for coconut allergy... I have a severe coconut allergy, and unfortunately the cocamide present in most liquid soaps and shampoos sets it off. Although I find synthetic cocamide is somewhat less irritating than the natural stuff, it is still a problem.

 

The one shampoo I have found that does not contain coconut-related ingredients is Paul Mitchell's baby shampoo. This Amazon link lists the ingredients as:

 

Ingredients: Water/Eau Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cetyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Bisamino Peg/Ppg-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-propyl Dimethicone/Hedychium Coronarium (White Ginger) Extract/Peg-12 Dimethicone, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Bisabolol, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Stem Extract, Trametes Versicolor (Mushroom) Extract, Stevia Rebaudiana Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Quaternium-15, Fragrance/Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal.

 

It's the one shampoo I've found that doesn't leave my scalp with a chronic itchy rash. As long as one has the patience to read ingredient labels, coconut free conditioners are somewhat easier to find.

 

In terms of regular soap, I tend to use Cetaphil for washing hands, face, body, etc. It's very simple and non-irritating, cheap, widely available, and the white-labelled/own-brand drug store equivalent is usually another good coconut-free option. High end natural or luxury bath products tend to be teeming with coconut derivatives.

 

michaelg - depending on where you live there may be a lot of coconut oil or palm oil in the restaurant food you've encountered. As noted by another poster, a lot of vegan and vegetarian food contains coconut products, and palm oil is often a cheap generic 'vegetable oil'. My experience has been that this tends to be worse in Europe than in North America; the best solution is to eat at high end restaurants that use only olive oil, and to ask your server to check with the chef...

[MichaelTampa]

I am wondering if you have tried, or have heard of, NAET, which is an allergy elimination technique involving acupuncture. In theory, it boasts of permanently removing an allergy. I have not had quite that level of "permanent" success, but it has been very helpful for me.

 

Michael