Allergies & Soap Making

[CaliZona]

I want to make a soap safe for people who have nut allergies.

So Far this is the info that I found. Please let me know if you are aware of any other oils & butters to stay away from or that can be used.

Nuts (Don't Use)

Mango Butter-Nut

Shea Butter-Nut

Peanut-Nut

Almond-Nut

Coconut-Nut

Apricot Kernel-Nut & Seed

Soy-Bean

Walnut-Nut

Hazelnut-Nut

Macadamia Nut-Nut

Ok To Use

Olive Oil-Fruit

Sunflower-Seed

Safflower-Seed

Castor-Seed

Babassu-Kernel

Palm-Fruit

Palm Kernel-Seed

Avocado-Fruit

[FarmerJill]

This may be a dumb question but in order to promote a product as nut-free would you also have to ensure that your facilities are completely nut-free, meaning none of those other oils could be stored onsite? Not that I'm thinking of going that direction but just for future reference. My workshop is my kitchen and your post got me to thinking of the peanut butter in one cupboard and the jar of Planters in another. I never thought of those as possible sources of problems for people with allergies.

[doris]

Yes, the nut allergies can be really bad. To make safe soap, I also would think the soap-making area would also have to be nut free. I've heard that a scrap of peanut butter on a badly washed knife is enough to kill some people.

[CareBear]

My son is allergic to peanuts and hazelnuts (filberts). I avoid those oils specifically but to avoid coconut oil is next to impossible for me when soaping - it's cheap and hard to sub for IMHO.

Apricot Kernel - I don't believe it's a "nut", and if it is, then wouldn't Palm Kernel? Frankly, people can be allergic to anything. And just cause I'm a nit-picker, peanut is not a nut - it's a legume like soy.

I would sincerely watch the "nut free" claim unless each of your vendors also will certify that their products are nut free (and keep in mind a lot of different oils may be processed on the same equipment or handled in the same facilities so they might not be able to, or if they do it may not be true...). If you guarantee something and someone has a reaction you had better watch out! And of course you had better have a nut free facility (in my case kitchen) too...

[CaliZona]

Thank you everyone for your input. I think I'm gonna have to scrap the nut free soap idea.

[jbren]

I'd like to know where that list originated from.

[kidsngarden]

I made a nut oil free lip balm and posted on the label in bold black letters "while this product contains no nut oils it was produced in a facility which produces products with nut oils. Those with allergies use caution" to hopefully save my hiney.

Even if I don't promote it as nut oil free someone with nut allergies may use it anyway and who knows what could happen?

Bethany

[thecandlespastore]

I was not aware coconuts were nuts.....oh wait, they aren't:pCoconuts are drupes, which means its a fleshy fruit, just like peaches, nectarines, etc. Perfectly safe to use coconuts for people with nut allergies. Apricot Kernel oil is also not in the nut family, since it is from apricots, once again, another drupe fruit (is my biology degree showing?) Taking my nerd glasses off now.

[CareBear]

Taking my nerd glasses off now.

Put those back on - you don't want to lose them!!! Really, nerds ROCK! Thanks for clarifying.

(btw, many people who are allergic to fruits can safely use the oils because the allergy is often to enzymes in the fruit which are denatured and removed (mostly) in the processing. My ex is terribly allergic to apricots and uses AKO straight on his skin, and to apples but can eat cooked apples.)

It's just so hard to predict, and people differ greatly, so really the only thing we can do is label accurately and let buyer beware.