Toxic chemicals are not listed in Perfume and Cologne
You love the way your perfume or cologne smells, your favorite celebrity wears and endorses it, but do you actually know what is inside the beautiful bottle that is packaged so perfectly? The fragrance industry uses over 900 synthetic ingredients that are identified as toxic. Even worse, the makers are not required by law to list the ingredients they use on their labels because of a loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973 that excludes fragrances because of “trade secret” considerations.
Common Side Effects
Studies have shown that many of the popular brands don’t list the harmful ingredients that are linked to hormone disruptions, reproductive toxicity, sperm damage, allergy problems, skin rashes, respiratory problems like asthma/wheezing, liver damage and carcinogens which may cause cancer. The perfume or cologne is sprayed directly on the skin, which is a direct line into the bloodstream or it is inhaled when sprayed on the skin, causing many of the side effects listed. This is also the reason people get headaches from perfume. If you smell a fresh flower, it will most likely not result in a headache but when you smell a synthetic fragrance that is supposed to smell like a flower, there can be over 40 toxic ingredients that you inhale.
Ethanol is Poisonous
Most perfumes use alcohol as the base carrier for the scent, denatured alcohol to be exact, which is another way of saying Ethanol. Ethanol that has been denatured prevents its use as a beverage, so you can’t drink it! That being said ethanol is still highly toxic and can’t be made non-poisonous. It is a highly flammable liquid and vapor, if you flip over your perfume bottle you should see a little warning. Despite its poisonous nature, it is still used in perfume and cologne even though it is harmful if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. It affects the central nervous system, causes irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and may affect the liver, blood, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and reproductive system. These are effects from just one ingredient in perfume and cologne!
- you do?
Use a perfume or fragrance made from natural sources, such as essential oils, botanical oils and flower water. Essential oils are derived from plants and have therapeutic benefits, so they not only smell good but also can have wonderful effects on your mental, emotional, spiritual and physiological health. These fragrances will use plant-based oils as the base carrier instead of poisonous denatured alcohol. Essential oils should not be placed directly on the skin without a base carrier oil. Also, many popular perfumes now come in roller ball bottles, these are not to be confused with natural plant-based oils perfumes, as they still have alcohol in them. If you see the word alcohol listed in the ingredients of the perfume, chances are there are harmful toxins inside the bottle and steer clear!
Brands to try
Lavanila Forever Fragrance Oil
Lavanila Forever Fragrance Oil is great to try and its made purely from botanical oils. They also make perfume spray with alcohol derived from organic sugar cane, so there are no petrochemicals that will be harmrful to your health! You can buy them online or at Sephora.
Pacifica Perfume Spray
Pacifica is another great brand that is cruelty free and made with no harmful chemicals. Their perfume spray has alcohol that is derived from corn and is gluten free. They also make a great solid perfume that comes in a tin and has a base carrier of coconut wax and organic soy. They have several different scents to try! You can buy them online or at most Whole Foods Markets.
Lakshmi NYC The Goddess Line
These perfume oils smell wonderful and use natural plant based oils as the base carrier! You can buy them online or can find a complete list of stores on their website. One of my favorites!
Auric Blends Essential Oil Perfume
Auric Blends naturals come in 4 different scents and use jojoba oil and vitamin e oil as the base carrier, so they will moisturize the skin as well! You can buy them online or at most Whole Foods Markets.
Strange Invisible Perfume
Strange Invisible Perfumes are a beautiful fragrance that use organic grape alcohol (beverage-grade) as a base carrier. The fragrances are organic, pesticide free and made from essential oils. They are made in both Pure Perfume and Eaux de Parfum. Even with a name like that, this fragrance is anything but strange!
Find your truth.
Tags: Auric Blends, botanical oil, Cologne, denatured alcohol, Essential oil, ethanol, fair packaging and labeling act, Fragrance, fragrance industry, harmful ingredients, Lakshmi NYC, Lavanila, liver damage, Pacifica Perfume, Perfume, poisonous, reproductive toxicity, sick, side effects, Strange Invisible Perfumes, synthetic fragrance, toxic, toxicity
