Today’s topic is all about fragrance. Do you enjoy wearing perfume or are you one that would prefer not wearing it and simply have a natural scent? Have you ever sat near a person that is wearing strong perfume or cologne and realize you’d rather get up and move to a different place? Perhaps you enjoy browsing the perfume section in a department store and trying out the best smelling perfume. I used to love wearing perfume but when I realized that many perfumes have unnatural and even harmful chemical additives, I decided to make my own perfume with essential oils. I feel better about what goes on my body (and eventually IN my body) each day. And what I’m using now smells even better.
Go to your bathroom and look at the labels on your lotion, perfume, body wash, shampoo and bathroom spray. Does it say fragrance on the label? Have you ever wondered what that means? What ingredients are in this mysterious fragrance? Well, it turns out that there may be a good reason that companies do not want to list exactly what is in “fragrance.”
So why is fragrance so bad?
According to a study, the average fragrance contains about a dozen chemicals that are not listed on the label. The law does not require these chemicals to be specified so there’s no way to know which ones are in your brand. But many of these types of chemicals are linked to hormone disruption and allergic reactions. In fact, most are not even tested at all.
How can fragrance ever be allowed?
You may be wondering how this could even be allowed in the first place. Fragrance acts as a loophole on the FDA’s regulation of personal care products. They are considered a trade secret under the Fair package and labeling act of 1966. This allows manufacturers to avoid listing ingredients so their formula cannot be replicated easily. Unfortunately, this gives brands an opportunity to add in cost effective, but toxic, chemicals to their products to make a scent that is “better” than natural. But these labratory scents are chemically unrecognizable to naturally occurring scents. These chemicals are used to make sure the spray disperses well and so it lingers longer. Of course, this is a desired trait for perfume and body sprays, but at what cost?
What does fragrance do to us?
When a product is sprayed into the air, it doesn’t just affect the person that sprayed it, but it can cause problems for other people nearby. The chemicals can induce a frenzy of reactive behavior – potentially triggering migraines, allergy symptoms, asthma, chronic lung disease and other health conditions. Even if people do not have immediate symptoms from exposure, because of the lack of testing we don’t actually know the long-term effects of spraying or rubbing them on our skin every day. Perfumes are not the only culprit; these effects can also come from furniture, adhesives, cleaning supplies, paints, and even paper.
Do we even know what chemicals are in fragrance?
Another study found that about 75 percent of products that list fragrance contain a hormone disrupting family of chemical compounds called phthalates. Phthalates, used to make fragrances last longer, have been linked to many hazardous health conditions, such as reduced sperm count, liver and breast cancers, reproductive malformation and diabetes. This carcinogen has been banned in many countries (EU, Japan, South Korea, Canada, even China), but our government has set a high level of proven harm for these chemicals that some say is almost impossible to reach. Companies voluntarily comply with many safety standards, but the current law does not require that cosmetic ingredients be free of certain harmful health effects before they are put on the shelves. Even if a chemical is finally put on the chopping block, it can take years for the government to be able to phase out the chemical with the help of the Environmental Protection Agency.
How can I avoid fragrance?
Like with many other personal product choices, it is up to us to protect ourselves. The main, and easiest, strategy is to check the labels on the products you buy. To be safe, you want to avoid any product that simply includes “Fragrance” with no other explanation. Some companies list the exact ingredients in parentheses next to the word fragrance. To see how toxic they are, you can enter them into the Environmental Working Group’s skin-deep database and see the hazard level. Some products may say “Fragrance-free”, “unscented” or “free and clear”, but be careful here as well. Many times, these phrases mean that they just contain a chemical that masks the scent of other chemical ingredients. The very best option is using products that use essential oils and herbs, and perhaps a natural fragrance, to create their scented products. You can also make them yourself – I mentioned I have been doing that for a few years now. Lastly, you can even avoid scents all together and rely on your own awesome natural scent!
What is being done about making fragrance safe?
Non-profits like Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and Women’s Voices for the Earth are at the forefront of the debate. They continue to urge the House and Senate towards chemical policy reforms so we can make breast cancer, and other cancers, a public health priority. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is another organization that is bringing the demand for safer cosmetics to Congress by forming petitions, hosting events, and leading grassroots efforts for change. There is hope for a safer cosmetic future, but we must make it a priority in our cities, counties and states so lawmakers can no longer ignore the issue.
Until we can get the government to regulate these chemicals and stop allowing companies to omit them from labels (and we will keep trying), one thing we can do is spread the word to our friends and family and always take the initiative to look out for our own well-being.
If you want to get rid of your chemical-laden perfumes and switch to all-natural perfumes, hop over to my Facebook page “Freedom-n-Joy Essentials” where this week I’m sharing on DIY perfumes and colognes. There are many recipes there to pick from. Once you start wearing them, you will love the smell and you’ll feel better about not putting all those potentially harmful chemicals on your body. Join me today!
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