Fragrance

Fragrance is the #1 pollutant on Earth

On my first day of Fundamentals Class, the teacher informed us that fragrance is the number one pollutant in the environment today.  That came as a surprise to me considering of all the heavy smoke I see leaving car exhausts and factory smoke stacks.  However, it made sense the more I thought about it.  I can barely walk past a perfume section in a mall without my eyes burning and my chest tightening.  Perfume is a volatile and offensive smell to me, but for so many others it is loved and revered as desirable. 

Fragrance on an ingredient list can indicate the presence of up to 4000 chemicals.  That does not exactly give one a good indication of what ingredients are in it.  David Suzuki states that, “of the thousands of chemicals used in fragrances, most have not been tested for toxicity, alone or in combination.  Many of these unlisted ingredients are irritants and can trigger allergies, migraines, and asthma symptoms.”   This article goes on to state that “in laboratory experiments, individual fragrance ingredients have been associated with cancer and neurotoxicity among other adverse health effects.”   I must speculate why it is so widely used in products that do not even require it.  It shows up in the ingredient list for blush, moisturizer, and make-up removing lotion.  Phthalate (DEP), which is often found in fragrance to help the scent linger, has been labeled as a “Category 1 priority substance, based on evidence that it interferes with hormone function”  by the European Commission on Endocrine Disruption.  Furthermore, “Phthalates have been linked to early puberty in girls, reduced sperm count in men, and reproductive defects in the developing male fetus (when the mother is exposed during pregnancy).  Phthalate metabolites are also associated with obesity and insulin resistance in men.”    Health Canada has recently banned phthalate in children’s toys; however it is still allowable in cosmetics.   The Environmental Working Group rates fragrance to be quite high on the overall health hazards of the ingredient.   It causes irritation to eyes, skin and lungs.  Fragrance is also a “known human immune system toxicant or allergen.”   Fragrance poses as a toxic threat to the environment and to wild life.

There is a loophole in the label “fragrance” that manufacturers use to keep their secret recipes from being exposed.  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics got together with Environmental Working Group and tested seventeen different fragrance products and found fourteen secret chemicals not listed in the labels due to this loophole.  Ten of these chemicals are linked to allergic reactions such as asthma, wheezing and contact dermatitis.  Four hormone disrupting chemicals were found that are linked to a range of problems including sperm damage, thyroid disruption and cancer.    The main concern is that fragrance is so hidden in these ingredient lists that people do not even consider that these unknown chemicals are being absorbed through their skin.  

It's funny when you think about it, where did we even ever get the idea that we have to bathe in chemicals to smell good?  Somewhere (probably around the 1950's during the creation of heavy consumerism) someone made an advertisement that told you to try their product.  They got celebs to join in and sold a lifestyle.  They use the cheapest ingredients and ask for a hefty price.  That price is not just monetary, but it is doing damage to your body as well.

The way I see it, fragrance is a mask.  If you have a smelly body odour problem, masking it with heavy fragrances, from soaps to room deodorizers, does not actually fix the problem.  When I smell heavy perfumes on people I have to wonder, what are they hiding beneath that fake aroma?

Solution:

We are what we eat.  Often if we are eating processed and unnatural foods that will contribute to the awful smell that's coming out of us.  A diet in wholesome and real foods can surely help.  Can you image the odour of someone who eats burger king everyday compared to someone who eats fresh salads and organic meats?

Fragrances are meant to mimic REAL life smells.  Like flowers and fruits.  You can get essential oils of your favourite smells and use these sparingly instead.  Plus, oils are even cheaper compared to these over priced bottles you buy at shopper's the day before Christmas.  I also sometimes like to rub flowers and herbs from the garden on myself.  Natural and lovely.

Bathing regularly is key.  If I don't feel the freshest, there is nothing greater than I nice hot shower with my favourite all natural goats milk soap.

My mom sprayed the bathroom with febreeze awhile back and I immediately started coughing and choking.  Now she puts cinnamon in a little pot with some water, heats it on low heat on the stove and it freshens up the whole house.

We complicate life too much sometimes.  I think it's time to start taking a few steps back and questioning why it is that we do what we do in this society and if it is worth the price to pay at the end.

References:
   David Suzuki Foundation, “Fragrance and Parfum”, http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/fragrance-and-parfum/

   Environmental Working Group, “Fragrance”, EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database,
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702512/FRAGRANCE/#

  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, “Not So Sexy”,
http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=644