Why You Should Avoid Synthetic Fragrance
Why do so many companies use synthetic fragrance if its so bad for you? That is a fantastic question, and the answer is quite simple. Large beauty companies want their hair and skin care products to smell pleasant but don’t want to spend extra on expensive essential oils.
According to Cosmeticsinfo.org, fragrances are: “complex combinations of natural and/or man-made substances that are added to many consumer products to give them a distinctive smell. Fragrances are used in a wide variety of products to impart a pleasant odor, mask the inherent smell of some ingredients, and enhance the experience of using the product.” The use of fragrance isn’t as simple as one added ingredient. Instead, the presence of the word ‘fragrance’ on an ingredient list can indicate up to 4,000 different chemicals.
Typically, under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, each ingredient must be listed individually. However, there is a loop-hole that prevents the law from forcing a company to disclose ‘trade secrets’. Because of this, all ingredients that are used to create the scent of a product can be labeled under the term ‘fragrance’. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) discovered that the average product containing fragrance also contained 14 chemicals that were not listed on the ingredients label.
The irritation from fragrance doesn’t stop with asthma and allergies. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), fragrance is the biggest cause of cosmetic contact dermatitis. Unfortunately, since all fragrance ingredients fall under one term, it is almost impossible for a consumer to find what is causing the irritation. Instead they end up having to avoid all product that contain the ingredient ‘fragrance’. Unfortunately, even products that are labeled as ‘fragrance-free’ can still contain fragrance ingredients as a masking agent to cover the unpleasant chemical smells of other ingredients.
According to Cosmeticsinfo.org, fragrances are: “complex combinations of natural and/or man-made substances that are added to many consumer products to give them a distinctive smell. Fragrances are used in a wide variety of products to impart a pleasant odor, mask the inherent smell of some ingredients, and enhance the experience of using the product.” The use of fragrance isn’t as simple as one added ingredient. Instead, the presence of the word ‘fragrance’ on an ingredient list can indicate up to 4,000 different chemicals.
Typically, under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, each ingredient must be listed individually. However, there is a loop-hole that prevents the law from forcing a company to disclose ‘trade secrets’. Because of this, all ingredients that are used to create the scent of a product can be labeled under the term ‘fragrance’. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) discovered that the average product containing fragrance also contained 14 chemicals that were not listed on the ingredients label.
Why is this a problem?
One of the most common ingredients in fragrance is phthalates. Phthalates are added to extend the life of the fragrance. According to the EWG, phthalates are endocrine disruptors that are linked to problems of the reproductive system. They have also been linked to asthma and allergies.The irritation from fragrance doesn’t stop with asthma and allergies. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), fragrance is the biggest cause of cosmetic contact dermatitis. Unfortunately, since all fragrance ingredients fall under one term, it is almost impossible for a consumer to find what is causing the irritation. Instead they end up having to avoid all product that contain the ingredient ‘fragrance’. Unfortunately, even products that are labeled as ‘fragrance-free’ can still contain fragrance ingredients as a masking agent to cover the unpleasant chemical smells of other ingredients.