Ever wondered if perfume is bad for your health? In this ultimate guide, we explore the dangers of synthetic fragrance, including the toxic and harmful health effects, the negative environmental impact and why you should go fragrance free.
The term “fragrance” on a product label represents an undisclosed mixture of various chemicals and ingredients, added to provide a pleasant scent, or (more often) to mask a bad one.
Did you know the average fragrance product contains 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label?
These unlisted ingredients often include carcinogens, allergens, respiratory irritants, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxic chemicals and environmental pollutants? You’ll quickly realize this toxic mix of ingredients known as “fragrance” is added to nearly every product on the market, from laundry detergent to dish soap, shampoo to all- purpose cleaning spray, candles, and deodorant.
Is perfume bad for your health?
The Dangers of Fragrance Perfume, cologne and synthetic fragrance are incredibly toxic to your health. But why is fragrance bad for you? Take a look at some of the negative side effects of fragrance:
Fragrance causes headaches and negatively affects the brain.
Fragrance irritates the skin.
Fragrance causes allergies, asthma and respiratory distress.
Fragrance harms the reproductive system.
Fragrance causes cancer.
I’m a big fan of voting with your dollars to send a message to companies who use toxic chemicals in their products that it is NOT OKAY! Here’s a few other ways you can send that message:
Why Go Fragrance Free?
At the end of the day, your safest option to minimize exposure to potentially toxic compounds is to buy only fragrance-free products. You’ll want to look for the words “Fragrance-Free” instead of “unscented”, which may still contain fragrance used to mask bad odors. Be sure to check the ingredient list for “fragrance.”
Because here’s the thing about most toxic chemicals—toxicity is cumulative, it builds up. Thanks to our handy liver, which is our body’s own natural detoxifier, if we are hit with a single toxin, our bodies are able to process it and detox from it.
Almost every product has fragrance added to the mixture, so we're getting hit with those toxic chemicals around every corner–when you wash your hair, soap up in the shower, brush your teeth, apply perfume or cologne, do your laundry, wipe down your countertops, mop your floors, light a candle, and the list goes on and on.
The International Fragrance Association, an industry trade group, publishes an online “Transparency List” of about 3,100 stock chemical ingredients that are used in fragrance. According to the Breast Cancer Fund, when it comes to the prevention of cancer, avoiding synthetic fragrance is one of the best ways to protect yourself.
Here are some of the other most commonly used toxic chemicals in fragrance:
Phthalates: This class of plasticizers used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVCs) is also used to add fragrance to a product. These are some of the most powerful endocrine disruptors around. Phthalates act by interfering with, specifically suppressing, androgen production (hint: androgens are the male hormones, like testosterone), which are critical to male development AND female hormone balance (yes, females also have androgens), including fertility. Because of their anti-androgenic activity (phthalate exposure is linked to genital abnormalities in boys, reduced sperm counts, endometriosis, and elements of metabolic disruption including obesity, insulin resistance, and Type 2 Diabetes), many phthalates have been banned or their use
restricted in other countries. But they’re still allowed in the U.S., meaning Americans are at risk for developmental and reproductive toxicity. Phthalates often hide under the “fragrance” ingredient, but they can also appear on ingredient lists as phthalate, DEP, DBP, and DEHP.
Parabens: This group of artificial preservatives is used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold in a cosmetic product, increasing its shelf life. Parabens also disrupt reproductive hormones, as the preservative is estrogenic, meaning they can mimic the hormone estrogen, disrupting normal function of the hormone system. This is really bad news for all women, as excess estrogen has been linked to breast cancer. And for women with hormonal imbalances, estrogen dominance is one of the many imbalances associated with PCOS, so by using products with parabens, you're just worsening the issue.
Styrene: In 2014, the National Academy of Sciences confirmed that styrene, a chemical building block used to produce a wide variety of everyday products including fragrance, can cause cancer. Styrene turns up in automobile exhaust, cigarette smoke and could lurk in various sprays and liquids you’ll find in the cosmetic and cleaning aisles of your
supermarket. According to the EWG, if a company doesn’t fully disclose that it contains styrene (which it most likely will not) then the only way you’ll know it’s present is if you use a gas chromatograph or mass spectrometer. Ethanol: Many fragrance mixtures rely on synthetic alcohol made from petrochemicals, rather than organic, undenatured alcohols made from corn or sugarcane that’s distilled right from the plant, says McCoy.
These harsh alcohols are rough on the skin, so it’s important to avoid ingredients like ethanol, also known as alcohol denat. “These denaturants are used to make the alcohol undrinkable, but if I can’t drink it, I don’t want to put it on my skin.”
Synthetic Musks: Nitro- and polycyclic musks are artificial chemicals used for decades in “fragrance” mixtures added to everyday products. Some musks irritate the skin, or trigger allergic reactions, certain musks have been linked to cancer and can harm the nervous system, and a study of nitromusks in people suggests that higher levels of some musks may be linked to reproductive problems in women. So if you're trying to get pregnant, or one day hope to be able to, using synthetic musks could greatly hurt your chances of conceiving.
What are the good effects of perfume and fragrance?
It smells good. That's it. That’s the one redeeming quality of synthetic fragrance, and
you have to ask yourself whether the risk is worth that simple reward. Especially when there are natural alternatives that smell just as good available.
If you’re wondering why companies would continue to use synthetic scents if they’re so bad for our health, you’re not alone. I asked the same question when I learned about the dangers of fragrance. The answer is simple—they are cheaper. It always comes back to money.
What are Natural Surfactants?
There are a lot of organic skincare brands that utilize natural surfactants in their formulation, and I expect there will be a lot more in the future as customer demand grows. I’ve tried a lot of them, but today I’ll highlight a few of my faves. These surfactants are my favourites because they are gentle, easy to find and work well together. These can be used in a variety ofP products, including gentle shampoos,
shower gels, facial cleansers, and infant washes.
Coco Glucoside: It is a nonionic surfactant made from coconut oil and fruit sugars, though it can also be made from potato or corn. It’s a mild foaming cleanser that’s fully biodegradable.
Decyl Glucoside: It is identical to coco glucoside in terms of nonionicity, however it has a shorter chain length. It produces less foam (and its foam is less stable) than coco glucoside, but it does give a product more viscosity. It is totally biodegradable and made from coconut oil and glucose. It can be found in a variety of shampoos, gels, and baby goods. Lauryl Glucoside: Lauryl Glucoside is a glucoside that is extremely similar to the other two glucosides I described. It has increased viscosity and a longer chain length. It takes longer to foam than the other two, but the foam it produces is the most stable. It’s a light cleaner, but it’s not as gentle as the other two alkyl polyglucosides.
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate: It is an anionic surfactant that can be utilized in natural goods (ECOCERT). For a milder, more natural shampoo, it’s an excellent substitute for SLS (or body wash, etc.). Coco Betaine: is an amphoteric surfactant derived from coconut. It’s gentle and can assist items to make more foam and have a higher viscosity. It’s a gentle cleanser that’s soft on the skin.
Sodium Coco Sulfate: Sodium coco sulphate is an approved anionic surfactant. It’s made from coconut oil and has a pH of 10–11. It’s a water-soluble surfactant that’s available in powder form. It’s commonly found in non-soap shampoo bars and/or cleansers for bars.
SF Plantapon: Plantapon SF is a blend of plant-based surfactants (coconut, corn, and palm) that can be used in shampoos, shower gels, and facial cleansers.
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