Sudden Allergic Reaction to PAULA'S CHOICE Skin Balancing Toner After Long-Term Use

Subject: Regarding your allergic reaction to PAULA'S CHOICE Skin Balancing Toner

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience. It's understandable that you're concerned about the sudden reaction after using the toner for a long time.

1. Which ingredient might be the culprit?
   It is very difficult to pinpoint the exact ingredient causing an allergic reaction without specific allergy testing (like patch testing) performed by a dermatologist. However, based on the ingredient list you provided, some ingredients are more commonly associated with skin sensitivity or allergic contact dermatitis in some individuals. These include:

   • Preservatives: Ingredients like Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, and Hexylene Glycol are necessary to keep the product safe from microbial growth, but they can sometimes cause reactions in sensitive individuals.
   • Emulsifiers/Surfactants: Ingredients like Oleth-10, DEA-Oleth-10 Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, and Polysorbate-20 help mix oil and water components, but some can be irritating or sensitizing for certain skin types.
   • Plant Extracts: While often soothing, extracts like Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract or Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract can occasionally cause reactions in individuals allergic to specific plants.
   • Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): As discussed in the previous response, while not a true allergy for most, high concentrations of Niacinamide can cause flushing, redness, and warmth, which might be mistaken for an allergic reaction, especially on sensitive skin. The concentration in this specific product is not listed, but it's a possibility, especially given the user's suspicion.
   • Other ingredients: Even ingredients generally considered beneficial (like humectants, emollients, etc.) can potentially cause a reaction in rare cases depending on individual sensitivity.

   It's important to remember that a reaction is highly individual, and an ingredient that causes a problem for one person might be perfectly fine for another.

2. Why did you suddenly react after long-term use?
   This phenomenon is quite common and is often due to sensitization. Your immune system can develop a reaction to a substance after repeated exposure, even if you tolerated it perfectly fine before. Think of it like becoming allergic to pollen or certain foods later in life. Your body's immune system "learns" to recognize the ingredient as a threat and mounts a response upon subsequent exposure.
   Other factors that could contribute include:

   • Changes in your skin barrier function (e.g., due to weather, other products, or underlying skin conditions).
   • Changes in your overall health or immune system status.
   • Interaction with other products you might have started using concurrently.

Your observation that the reaction occurred immediately upon re-introducing the toner after your skin recovered strongly suggests that the toner was indeed the trigger. The fact that it didn't cause a reaction on your neck or forearm could be because the skin on your face is thinner and more sensitive, or perhaps the concentration of the problematic ingredient applied or absorbed differs.

Since you plan to make your own toner, avoiding ingredients you suspect, like Niacinamide, is a reasonable starting point. However, if you want to be certain and avoid future reactions, consulting a dermatologist for patch testing could help identify the specific culprit ingredient(s). This would allow you to confidently avoid them in any product, homemade or commercial.

I hope this information is helpful!