What is fragrance?
Fragrance, or perfume is often confused with the word “scent”. A scent is simply the way something smells. Perfume and mothballs both have a scent, but only one is a fragrance. Let me break it down:
Fragrance is an actual ingredient, well a compound made up of several ingredients to be exact. Although perfume is the biggest offender, fragrance is also found in many of your favorite skin care products, and most of your hair care products. The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) lists 3,059 materials that are reported as being used in fragrance compound. Although cosmetics and other products are regulated through the FDA and must list all ingredients, one ingredient you may find in your products is the mysterious “FRAGRANCE”! When you see this word, it means that ONE listed ingredient actually contains up to 3,059 ingredients. How is this possible?! The FDA has a loophole that allows the makeup of different fragrances to remain a secret to guard the trade secret formulas.
Phthalates are often found in 70% of perfumes tested, and not listed on the label (see above.) Phthalates are known hormone disruptors which can lead to problems like infertility, metabolic issues, breast cancer, birth defects, diabetes, obesity and more. A recent study from Brigham and Women's Hospital linked phthalates to an increased risk for preterm birth. Pregnant woman who wore perfume and underwent testing had phthalate concentrations 167 percent higher than non-users.
Your skin, your body’s largest organ, (YES- SKIN IS AN ORGAN, which means it needs to be healthy to function) has many jobs, one of which is absorption. This is the most common way fragrance enters your body. Fragrance can also affect you by contact with fragranced items (ie hugging someone wearing perfume, sleeping in sheets washed with a fragranced detergent), and by exposure to air containing fragrances (this is why I avoid the laundry detergent aisle at all costs!!!). Yep, our skin will absorb the vapors! Fragrance lingers a long time in the air. It settles and stick to the skin, hair, clothes, furnishings, furniture, food… everything… yeah…. Food!
Did you know that 95% of the chemicals in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum? Also, many of the chemicals in perfumes are the same chemicals in cigarette smoke. GROSS.
In case this information wasn’t enough on it’s own to make you weary of personal use, know that your perfume is also affecting the health of those around you. In addition to the above health issues, perfume can also affect men’s infertility, sperm count. In babies and kids, phthalates have been linked to obesity, asthma, behavioral problems, genital changes in boys and early puberty in girls.
There’s more….
Fragrance has neurological, systemic and respiratory effects. It is a known human immune toxicant. It also has a huge effect on our environment by polluting our air and water. When we wash our hair, bodies, clothes, etc with items containing fragrance, it is washing down the drain and into waste water treatment facilities which DO NOT REMOVE these chemicals.
How do you know if your product has fragrance? It will be listed as an ingredient on your products. Looking for change and still want to smell good? Consider custom blending a perfume that consists of essential oils and witch hazel! The same essential oils can be added to fragrance-free detergents, lotions and body washes!
References:
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702512/FRAGRANCE/#
http://saferchemicals.org/chemicals/phthalates/
http://www.positivehealth.com/article/environmental/fragrance-a-growing-health-and-environmental-hazard
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