Methylisothiazolinone, Isothiazolinone and Chloroisothiazolinone Allergy Resources

Welcome to my page of resources for people who are sensitive or allergic to Methylisothiazolinone, Isothiazolinone and Chlorothiazolinone additives in household and cosmetic products. I'm going to use MI as an abbreviation for all three related chemicals.

Some time ago I developed eczema on my eyelids, which I tracked down to the use of a particular shampoo.  Then I happened to hear an item on You and Yours on BBC Radio 4, which explained that many people had developed a sensitivity to a product which has been introduced as a preservative.  Suddenly MI seemed to be in everything, from shampoo to washing up liquid, cleansing wipes to moisturizing cream.

I am concentrating on finding resources to allow people to replace the products which irritate the skin with those which don't, especially recipes and tips to allow people to make their own products and be sure that they are safe to use.

I am also concentrating on the UK, UK products and trademarks and UK suppliers, as I have found it quite annoying to be continually guided to pages where the products are only available in the US or would cost an arm and a leg to import to the UK.

I have started a petition on the 38 degrees website to get these chemicals banned, but I think the best chance of removing them is to inform the manufacturer

Photo by James Heilman, MD (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0

s that their bottom line is going to be harmed if they continue to include MI in their ingredients.

I intend to post lists of MI-free products, but be aware that while I will make every effort to keep the information up to date, it is possible that a manufacturer may change their formulation at any time.

I also intend to post information about support groups and action groups campaigning to have the ingredient removed from products, as well as lists of products known to contain MI.  Please let me know in the comments if there are other products which should be included in these lists.