Lime oil in Musgo Real Lime Glyce soap - can it cause an allergic reaction?

[Rocinante]

I bought a puck of Musgo Real Lime Glyce soap to wash with before shaving, as the reviews were quite favorable. Loved the silky feeling, but after using it I noticed throughout the day and into the evening my face felt warm, almost like I had a bit of razor burn. However it was not limited to where I had shaved, but rather everywhere I had washed with the soap (top of cheeks, forehead, back of neck.) No redness or irritation, just warmth like a mild sunburn.

Can the lime oil in a soap cause such a reaction? Wouldn't it wash off with rinsing? I'm told glycerin is hypoallergenic so that doesn't seem a likely cause. Anyone with similar experience?

 

[jazzguy]

I have a reaction to this soap though not as bad as yours. It probably is the scent. I suggest you try some Clearly Natural instead. It should be easy to find at a natural foods store in your area.

 

[DBdL]

I bought a puck of Musgo Real Lime Glyce soap to wash with before shaving, as the reviews were quite favorable. Loved the silky feeling, but after using it I noticed throughout the day and into the evening my face felt warm, almost like I had a bit of razor burn. However it was not limited to where I had shaved, but rather everywhere I had washed with the soap (top of cheeks, forehead, back of neck.) No redness or irritation, just warmth like a mild sunburn.

Can the lime oil in a soap cause such a reaction? Wouldn't it wash off with rinsing? I'm told glycerin is hypoallergenic so that doesn't seem a likely cause. Anyone with similar experience?

Sorry to hear you had a reaction.

I highly doubt it was anymore then a mild reaction and I do suggest discontinuing the use of it. However there can be something more sinister at play as I will explain now.

Curiously enough human skin can react after being exposed to citrus oils and UV light. The reaction is called phytophotodermatitis (phyto = plant, photo = light, dermatitis = inflammation of the dermis AKA skin); it also goes by the name Berloque dermatitis. Now what normally happens is that the patient will refer getting blisters, redness and hyperpigmentation (usually looks a little like a bruise). This typically occurs 24 hours after exposure due to a phototoxic chemical found in some citrus fruit called bergapten (especially high concentrations are found in bergamot oil). Interestingly enough this is one of the reasons citrus oils were removed from perfumes. This usually occurs in 2 stages, first patients will describe a warmth similar to a sunburn hours beforehand as well as redness and itchiness. The second stage includes the skin pigmentation and if unlucky some blisters. This is not overly common but it is seen in medical practice. Most likely you simply had a mild reaction but if you start to see skin pigmentation go to your physician. Keep in mind that most management usually consist of discontinuing phototoxic agent and sun exposure as well as a light course of corticosteroids. Wet compresses have also been used to help alleviate some of the swelling/discomfort. There is little else that can be done and will usually resolve slowly over weeks. If not then a cream called hydroquinone can be used to remove pigmentation, usually combined with a few other ingredients.

As I said I highly doubt it is this but certainly interesting.

Hope all goes well and happy shaving,

D

 

[cb91710]

Many essential oils can cause a reaction. Sandalwood is a common culprit, but citrus may be as well.

I have had similar reactions to several glycerine-based soaps, though I suspect that the reaction was from the EOs rather than the soap itself.

 

[Rocinante]

Wow, thanks! Yes, very detailed and interesting DBdL.

I think I will try a soap without EOs like the Clearly Natural with Aloe.

Oddly I have not felt this with Red Proraso (sandalwood) so it may just be citrus oils.

 

[rearviewmirror]

Rocinante, I get the same thing from anything with Lime oil in it. Mama Bears Lime Ice was the first culprit, burned like HECK!

 

[Rocinante]

Interesting rvm. I bet the Mama Bear had even more lime oil in it than mine, as the Musgo Real scent is very subtle (as with their shave creams.)

Used my old standby Clinique soap today. No problems at all; it's just a bit boring.

 

[eyebright]

I agree, it's most likely the lime oil. That's the reason I use bergaptene-free bergamot eo. Citrus oils have to be used with caution.

 

[Rocinante]

Michelle, can I find your soaps locally in stores? Bethesda / Tysons / Dulles ?

 

[Jerry-built Hustler]

If you have an allergy to lime oil, then using something with lime oil in it could cause a reaction. However, in most cases, you have to already have the allergy in order to experience a reaction. Exposure to something to which you're not already allergic usually won't spontaneously cause you to develop an allergy to it. (That said, it is sometimes possible to develop a sensitivity over time after repeated exposure to a given allergen, although that doesn't sound like the case here.) If you've never experienced an adverse reaction to handling fresh lime or citrus, then odds are you're not experiencing an allergic reaction, per se. But the soap could have something in it that your skin just doesn't agree with, which is causing the irritation. It's been a long time since I used the soap, but I found that my skin didn't particularly like it, either, and I don't have a lime or general citrus allergy.

On a related note, does the Musgo lime soap actually contain lime oil? I long since discarded the one I had, so I can't reference that, but I looked up an ingredients list of the soap online. Despite ad copy claiming inclusion of lime oil, I don't see lime oil listed as an actual ingredient. The soap does contain limonene, which is often used as a scenting component in things intended to smell like citrus. Limonene can be found in citrus oils, but the inclusion of limonene in a product does not necessarily mean the product actually contains a botanical extract of lime. Indeed, limonene can be distilled from any number of sources, including oranges, eucalyptus - even turpentine. Frankly, I always thought the soap smelled rather synthetic.

http://www.theportugalonlineshop.co...il-soap-165gr-body-bath-soap-musgo-real-glyce

 

[Rocinante]

Interesting points JbH. So I can't necessarily blame "lime oil" specifically, but something in this particular soap causes me some irritation.

Also, curiously, at the bottom of the linked page it says Musgo Real soaps contain no perfumes. Yet the ingredients list includes "Parfum (Fragrance.)"

 

[Jerry-built Hustler]

So I can't necessarily blame "lime oil" specifically, but something in this particular soap causes me some irritation.

That would be my guess. I suppose you could be allergic to something else in the soap, but the symptoms you describe don't sound like an allergic reaction; they just sound like irritation.

The ad copy claims the Musgo soaps contain no synthetic perfumes, so I guess if they believe the perfume oils used are derived from natural sources, they can make such a claim. It's a fine line, though. I accept that there is a difference between high quality and low quality perfumes. There had darn well better be, or Penhaligon's and Creed should sell for the same price as Old Spice. That said, when it comes to how a grooming product is scented, I look at it in pretty binary terms: is it scented with essential oils, or perfume oils? Essential oils are pure distillates of the plant essence (hence, "essential"), whereas perfume oils can be pretty much from anything. From all appearances, the Musgo soaps fall in the latter category, for better or worse.

 

[DBdL]

That would be my guess. I suppose you could be allergic to something else in the soap, but the symptoms you describe don't sound like an allergic reaction; they just sound like irritation.

The ad copy claims the Musgo soaps contain no synthetic perfumes, so I guess if they believe the perfume oils used are derived from natural sources, they can make such a claim. It's a fine line, though. I accept that there is a difference between high quality and low quality perfumes. There had darn well better be, or Penhaligon's and Creed should sell for the same price as Old Spice. That said, when it comes to how a grooming product is scented, I look at it in pretty binary terms: is it scented with essential oils, or perfume oils? Essential oils are pure distillates of the plant essence (hence, "essential"), whereas perfume oils can be pretty much from anything. From all appearances, the Musgo soaps fall in the latter category, for better or worse.

JBH certainly has a very valid point, however do keep in mind that you may have been exposed hundreds of times before without a reaction and time 101 and boom allergic reaction. That being said I would agree with JBH in that it is most likely a sensitivity issue and not allergic in nature.

In regards to "high quality/low quality" perfumes, one must keep in mind that certain oils are costly to acquire either due to small volumes of availability or hyper inflated prices due to supply/demand. Also EO's can sadly have hundreds of different substances while FO's tend to be solely one substance hence why EO's can lead to greater chances of sensitivity/allergic reaction.

 

[Rocinante]

The ad copy claims the Musgo soaps contain no synthetic perfumes,

Ha, I need to read more carefully in the 6am hour.

JThat being said I would agree with JBH in that it is most likely a sensitivity issue and not allergic in nature.

I'm thinking sensitivity too, after reading all this. But to what? No real way to know, I guess.

 

[Jerry-built Hustler]

I'm thinking sensitivity too, after reading all this. But to what? No real way to know, I guess.

You're right, there isn't, but then there probably isn't any need for you to know, either. Unless you start noticing sensitivity to other, similar products and can single out a culprit ingredient, you can probably just write off this Musgo as a soap that doesn't work for you. As I said, I had a similar problem with this particular soap - I found it quite drying, and it left my skin feeling a bit raw and irritated. To be fair, though, not all Musgo soaps are this way. I've still got some of the old, tallow-based classic Musgo soap on a rope, and it leaves my skin feeling fine.