The answer is YES! Your shower gel could literally be making you sick!
Let me start by saying I am no expert when it comes to ingredients. I have zero science background. But I have real-life experience of how a simple thing like a shower gel can make me sick.
The other day, something strange happened in my home.
I have an allergy to fragrance, or maybe I should say, an allergy to some of the ingredients within products. We no longer use any perfumes or aftershaves in our home, and we have no air fresheners or scented candles.
When I have guests staying, I kindly ask them to not bring any perfumes, aftershaves nor spray deodorants.
Because it´s not like a nut allergy which can be life threatening, people don´t truly understand how unwell a product like perfume, aftershaves, sprays etc can make me feel.
The other day, a guest took a shower and within minutes of the shower running, the entire house filled with scent and then I started reacting.
My throat became sore.
My tongue felt slightly swollen and itchy.
My eyes were itchy and watery.
I developed a pounding headache.
I felt nauseous and genuinely unwell.
At first, I thought I was coming down with something, which has been something I have thought for many years, never knowing that an ingredient within that fragrance was the issue.
But the symptoms began while the shower was running — and only after taking an anti-histamine, opening all the windows and waiting for my home to no longer smell like a spa, did I start to feel better, which was basically the next day.
That sent me down a research rabbit hole – could Clarins Shower Gel make me sick?
Clarins Tonic Bath & Shower Made Me Sick?
This was the culprit that made me ill – Clarins Bain au Plantes Tonic. If you use this or anything similar and suddenly feel a bit off, please remember this post!
What Chat GPT says about Clarins Ingredients
| Ingredient on Clarins label | What it means |
| Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil | Aromatic essential oil — strong scent |
| Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil | Fragrant rosemary oil |
| Pelargonium Graveolens Oil | Floral fragrance oil |
| Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol | Fragrance chemicals (allergens) |
Chat GPT says even without the word “parfum,” this packaging includes:
- Linalool
- Limonene
- Citronellol
- Geraniol
This totally makes sense because Citronellol is something that I know 100% I´m allergic or intolerant to. Where I live, we have mosquitoes, and many repellents, citronella candles etc products make me ill. Quite often, it´s better for me to be bitten and put up with the itchyness than how citronella makes me feel.
How Can a Shower Gel Make You Feel Ill?
Most people think of shower gel as something that affects the skin only. You put it onto your skin, scrub and wash it off.
But here’s what we forget and something I am really passionate about because people do not realise that their constant cough, sniffles, headache, blocked nose could be down to all the smellies in their home and also outside.
- Hot water creates steam.
- Steam aerosolises fragrance compounds and essential oils.
- Those volatile compounds fill the air in your bathroom — and beyond.
You’re not just applying fragrance to your skin. You’re inhaling it.
Essential oils are often marketed as “natural”, but natural does not automatically mean non-irritating. Many essential oils contain known fragrance allergens such as limonene and linalool, which can oxidise and become even more irritating.
For some people, exposure can trigger:
- Sore throat
- Itchy or swollen tongue
- Streaming eyes
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Tight chest
- Skin irritation or hives
This doesn’t necessarily mean a full-blown allergy — it can also be fragrance sensitivity or irritant exposure.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Over the years of running Deciem Chat Room, I have seen so many people blame The Ordinary for some reactions. But some people forget to mention that they used numerous acids beforehand, or didn´t check the conflicts. But maybe your skin was already irritated from the shower gel or your cleanser.
If you’re constantly dealing with:
- Unexplained headaches
- “Random” rashes
- Sneezes
- Blocked nose
- Mucus
- A sore throat in the mornings
- Skin that won’t calm down
- Generally feel crap
It could be your body wash or someone else’s. It could be perfume, aftershave, cleaning products, scented candles, air fresheners.
The Overlooked Problem With “No Added Fragrance”
I always try and take a positive from a negative. I learned that essential oils are just as bad a fragrance to me. Many people say “oh it´s all natural” and dismiss how I feel, but now I know for sure, I will 100% ban these from my home.
The other thing I learned is anything that uses the words “invigorating”, “spa”, “revitalising”, these will react with the hot water and create a vapor throughout your home, so not only is it on your skin but you are literally breathing it.
So next time check if your shower gel says…
- Essential oils
- Botanical extracts
- Aroma blends
Is Unscented Fragrance Free?
No! “Unscented” does not automatically mean fragrance-free. An unscented product may still contain fragrance ingredients — they’re just added in small amounts to neutralize or mask a smell so you don’t detect a scent. “Fragrance-free,” on the other hand, means no fragrance materials have been added at all. If you’re sensitive to fragrance, always look for fragrance-free on the label — unscented isn’t the same thing.
What I’m Doing Differently Now
Since that reaction, I’ve become even more cautious about fragranced products in my home. It´s one thing when I´m out or go to someone else’s home, but I will not be unwell in my own home. I will now tell my guests that I will provide all shower gels, body lotion (The Ordinary Body Natural Moisturizing Factors + Inulin) and I have even deodorants. They´re welcome to bring their own as long as it is 100% fragrance free.
I have found several fragrance-free shower gels, which include Dove Fragrance Free Shower Gel, Instituto Español Natura Gel Ducha & Instituto Español Oleogel Atopic Skins. All 3 of these are under 5€, and I have used all of them with no problems whatsoever.
You can find lots of fragrance free shower gels on Amazon but the products do change from country to country. Be sure it says “fragrance free” and not “unscented”. I have also used Naturium which is really nice too, but a little more expensive. You can also use The Ordinary Shampoo as a body cleanser too which I have used without any issues. In fact this is one of my favourite shampoos.
Now, if you watch Tik Tok and go down the “clean product” rabbit hole, you´ll probably find someone saying these aren´t safe somewhere, so you must do your own research to how you live your life.
But right now, I am happy to have found numerous fragrance-free body washes that my family and I, and our guests, will all use from now on.
Department Store Perfume Areas
These are an absolute killer for me, especially around Christmas Time. I will often wear a mask or have a scarf with me and do my best to avoid these areas.
Cleaning Products
Have you ever been to restaurant and they come to clean the tables using as much spray as possible? Not only does the whole area around you smell, but it also ruins the food’s flavour. We literally stopped going to a local place because of this. When the owner asked why he hadn´t seen us for a while, I very nicely told him the truth. He took it on board, realised he was still cleaning as if it was covid and not only changed the product but the way they cleaned the tables. Instead of spraying nonstop from a high distance, they sprayed directly onto the cloth and went back to a much more gentle cleaner.
Stain Remover
Ariel Stain Remover – I don´t know what is in this, but this put me to bed for the afternoon. Really strong, sore throat and severely inflamed which made me physically feel sick.
People
People, yes there are people who literally make me ill. I remember one of my daughter´s boyfriends – he was such a lovely boy, but he literally made me sick. I would be absolutely fine, and then he would walk into my home, and instantly I´d start sneezing, my nose would block up completely, and my throat would be sore. It wasn´t aftershave but it was a spray deodorant like Lynx.
So what other things that could be making you unwell?
- Perfumes
- Cleaning Products
- Those car tree smelly things
- People – yes their perfume, body wash, deodorants
- Hand sanitizer
- Deodorants
- Shower Gel
- Hand Soaps
- Scented Candles
- Washing powder
- Insense sticks
Can I be allergic to something that is Hypoallergenic?
Yes, you can. I had one of the WORST reactions to a deodorant that was hypoallergenic. Aluminum is also a problem for me.
If one minute you´re fine and the next you´re sneezing, have a sore throat, itchy and generally feel unwell, take a look around and never rule out something that´s in the air.
Simple swaps can make a bigger difference than you think.
So if your question is “is shower gel making me sick”. Yes, it can.
So what do I do?
I control what I can control, which is me and what´s inside my home. I will no longer be uncomfortable in my own home. But outside of that, I have to deal with reactions, and it is hard on planes, in restaurants, lifts, and events where people wear strong scents, but there is only so much I can do, and I need to live. I also always try and carry some kind of scarf, sometimes wear a mask and have an antihistamine with me.
