Perfumes

Perfumes are amongst the most frequent allergens. Complaints to the FDA concerning perfumes include headaches, dizziness, rash, hyper pigmentation, violent coughing and vomiting, skin irritation and the explosion of the perfume container.

There are 4 basic scents: Floral, Fruits (fresh, clean), Woodsy-mossy-leafy spicy (warm aromatic scent with sandalwood, cedar wood and balsam predominating) and Oriental (stronger heavy odors) A typical flower perfume (rose) would be composed of:

phenylethyl alcohol 35%
geraniol - 48%
amyl cinnamaldehye 2%
benzyl acetate 4%
ionone 4%
eugenol - 2%
terpineol - 5%

Effects of Fragrance

Fragranced products provide a constant source of fragrance chemicals, which are absorbed by your skin and inhaled as vapours. They go directly into your blood stream and may affect your body. The effects on our bodies and environment may include:

Brain and nervous system – immediate - dizziness, nausea, and trigger headaches/migraines; longer term - multiple chemical sensitivity
Respiratory – coughing, sneezing, and asthma trigger.
Skin – irritation and considered among top five known allergens.
Hormone disrupting - phthalates - interfere with estrogen and testosterone and have been linked to birth defects and breast cancer.
Systemic – synthetic musks, like musk xylene, accumulate in body's fatty tissue, breast milk and blood.1
Aquatic life, birds and other animals are impacted as chemicals make their way into the ecosystem. (The canary in the coal mine?)
Check out the Get a whiff e-bulletin.

Links

Advocacy Groups

Fragrances hide toxic chemical ingredients, Environmental Working Group, Feb 2007.

Fragrance Products Information Network

Fragrance: Emerging Health and Environmental Concerns, Flavour and Fragrance Journal, Volume 17, Issue 5 . 2002.

Not Too Pretty

Fragrance Industry

International Fragrance Association (IFRA)

Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM)

Fragrances hide toxic chemical ingredients, Feb 2007, EWG