You can probably still remember the scent of your father's aftershave or your mother's fancy perfume. Unfortunately, some of the loveliest scents from your childhood we now know are toxic.
The secret, untested and hazardous chemicals that create "fragrance" in products are not limited to perfume and can be found in body lotions, body sprays, cologne, shampoo, dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents and other household products. Spraying fragrances in the air and applying them to our skin allow them to permeate our bodies.
Searching for an ingredient list is most often futile. A legal loophole allows fragrance manufacturers to omit chemicals used for their secret scents, which evens out to about 50% of all the ingredients used in products.
In laboratory tests on 17 name-brand fragrances, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics along with the Environmental Working Group found as many as 38 secret chemicals, with an average of 14. Among the chemicals identified are known endocrine disrupters and common allergens, and 66 percent of the secret ingredients have never been tested for safety.
One example is diethyl phthalate, a chemical that is already lingering in most Americans’ bodies which studies have linked to sperm damage, abnormal reproductive organ development in babies and childhood behavioral issues. Other ingredients found include musk ketone, a common secret chemical that collects in human fat tissue and is found in breast milk, and chemicals that react with ozone in the air to create formaldehyde, a harmful air pollutant.
The perfume with the highest number of chemicals in the study was Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio with 40 chemicals, including 19 known as sensitizing chemicals which can trigger allergic reactions. American Eagle Seventy Seven contained the most secret chemicals (14) and 16 that have not been tested for safety. Halle by Halle Berry, Quicksilver, Jennifer Lopez, and J. Lo Glow all contained hormone disrupters which mimic estrogen in the body and can cause thyroid problems.
In order to keep you and your family safe from these chemicals be sure to read the ingredients. If you see the word “fragrance,” there is no way to guarantee its safety. Pregnant women should exercise extra caution.
See the Environmental Working Group chart of how the perfumes they tested rated.