| Here's the scenario: you are on an
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| | products" which are used not only in
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| elevator. The elevator stops and in walks
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| | perfumes but to scent shampoos, soaps,
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| someone with WAY too much cologne on and
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| | deodorants, lotions, creams and other
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| the smell overpowers you. Your sinuses
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| | beauty products. Here's the list - it
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| start to hurt and you get a bit sick to
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| | speaks volumes on its own:
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| your stomach. The smell of the cologne
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| | ACETONE, BENZALDEHYDE, BENZYL, BENZYL
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| stays with you, in your hair, clothes and
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| | ALCOHOL, CAMPHOR, ETHANOL, ETHYL ACETATE,
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| nose for quite a while after - hence the
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| | LIMONENE, LINALOOL, METHYLENE CHLORIDE,
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| sick feeling does too. Yuk. It's hard
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| | a-PINENE, g-TERPINENE, a-TERPINEOL,
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| not to think how inconsiderate this
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| | 1,8-CINEOLE, b-CITRONELLOL, b-MYRCENE,
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| person is.
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| | NEROL, OCIMENE, b-PHENETHYL ALCOHOL,
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| It's not just the smell that is
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| | a-TERPINOLENE
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| inconsiderate. Have you ever thought
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| | There are relatively few studies
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| about the chemicals that are used in
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| | available concerning the use and exposure
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| fragrances? Many of them are not good
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| | to fragranced products. Testing by the
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| for you to breathe or to put on your
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| | cosmetics/fragrance industry focuses on
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| body!
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| | skin effects without taking into account
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| This week Time Magazine did an article on
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| | respiratory, neurological, or systemic
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| air fresheners and how many brands have
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| | effects. There is little regulation of
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| been removed from the market due to high
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| | fragrance by regulatory agencies. Not
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| levels of phthalates. Phthalates are
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| | only is too much perfume often offensive
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| estrogenic in nature, which is believed
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| | to many, more and more people consider it
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| to contribute to certain cancers.
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| | to be an indoor air pollutant. Some are
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| Phthalates are used to dissolve and carry
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| | quite vocal about their opposition to the
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| fragrances and soften plastics, sealants
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| | use of perfumes. For years, I thought I
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| and similar compounds. They are commonly
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| | was the only one who got headaches from
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| found in cosmetics, paint, nail polish
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| | strong perfume!
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| and plastics.
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| | There is a movement afoot to curtail the
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| This peaked my interest on fragrances in
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| | use of fragrances in the work place. Many
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| general - so, as usual, I did some
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| | businesses, at the request of their
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| research. Although fragrances have been
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| | employees, are creating fragrance-free
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| used for centuries, they were made from
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| | policies. Given that many people are
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| plant and animal sources. Modern
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| | highly affected by allergies, this makes
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| fragrances are primarily synthetic
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| | sense (pun intended, get it? ...
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| materials developed since World War II.
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| | sense...scents...).
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| Did you know that 600 or more chemicals
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| | But seriously, given that we are
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| may be used in a single fragrance, and
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| | bombarded by more and more hazardous
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| 95% of chemicals used in them are derived
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| | chemicals and pollution, having less on
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| from petroleum? Why? Petro-chemicals in
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| | our bodies, homes and in our workplaces
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| perfumes are less expensive and more
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| | must be better for ALL of us. Breathe
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| easily available than the natural
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| | deeply and live well!
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| ingredients.
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| | Sources:
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| Many chemicals used in fragrances are
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| | Neurotoxins: At Home and the Workplace,
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| considered hazardous waste disposal
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| | (Report by the Committee on Science &
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| chemicals! Synthetic fragrance compounds
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| | Technology, U.S. House of
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| accumulate in human tissue and are found
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| | Representatives, Sept.16, 1986. (Report
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| in breast milk.
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| | 99-827).
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| An EPA study in 1991 listed the 20 most
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| | "Living Healthy in a Toxic World," David
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| common chemicals used in "fragrance
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| | Steinman 1996.
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