Nut-free Beauty

Past the products and labels, beauty brands and skincare powerhouses are gradually moving towards products that are representative of ‘clean beauty’. Favouring natural ingredients that are free-from parabens and synthetic fragrance, clean beauty products are starting to take the place of well-known beauty favourites to offer customers a new insight into the world of sustainability. According to a poll of ‘more than 1,000 women across all ages, races and ethnicities’ made by Harper’s Bazaar, ‘more than 60 percent of women would be willing to splurge on [a clean beauty product].’ As such, we are seeing more and more ‘clean beauty’ on the shelves, promoting products that are cruelty free, vegan, natural, organic, and fair trade. But have you ever heard of nut-free beauty? If your answer is no, that’s probably because it has been largely forgotten about in the beauty world…that is, until now.

It can be a struggle…

If you have a nut-allergy, like me, you will know the sheer struggle and complications that can arise when searching for new beauty products – whether that be make-up, skincare, or hair-care goods. I have spent hours reading (and then re-reading) ingredient lists to make sure that a product is safe to use. Sometimes, I’ve purchased products that I thought were in fact nut-free, only to realise post-purchase that the unrecognisable scientific ingredient listed was nut derivative. When looking at the ingredients of a product, typically they will be ‘listed from the highest percentage to the lowest,’ according to an article in Glamour Magazine written by Camilla Kay and Lottie Winter, with ‘ingredients under 1% […] listed in any order’. As my fellow nut-allergy suffers may be aware of, the names of ingredients are not always listed in their simplest form, as Kay and Winter outline how water, for example, can sometimes be ‘listed as aqua, which is its scientific name’.

So what is the solution?

Let’s discuss the solution to the problem. Recently launching, The Aromatherapy Lifestyle has the hope of becoming a trailblazer, reaching unbelievable heights in a market that does not yet offer such a saviour or privilege for nut-allergy sufferers. Offering completely nut-free products sufferers, like myself, can relax and resist the urge to continually check ingredients in search of nuts or ingredients that are derived from similar sources. As the same has been found in the case of food, there are gluten-free and free from ranges but there is yet to be guaranteed nut-free products. It is so refreshing to see a brand take nut allergies seriously and uphold the promise of providing entirely nut-free products, without the catch. As with every new product that you try, it is recommended that you do a patch test before religiously using the product and discontinue use if irritation occurs. It’s a step in the right direction to eliminate some of the anxiety that nut-allergy suffers experience on a day-to-day basis.

If you are unsure and need help with the challenging task of searching for ingredients, whether that is for yourself or for a family member/friend, The Aromatherapy Lifestyle has come up with a guide of what to avoid when reading ingredients lists, particularly as some ingredients listed on the back of brands/products are not always written in their recognisable form.

Written by Tia Giles

Nut Derivative Ingredients List