Body Care: What is "Fragrance"?

Skin is the largest organ of the human body. As such, it can absorb and assimilate substances that are applied to it. As mentioned in a previous post, I pay particular attention to the products I apply daily such as body and face creams. I avoid commercial body creams, face creams and colognes because they are usually loaded with artificial fragrance. I try to feed my skin similarly to how I would feed my stomach -- with ingredients that I'm familiar with; that are derived from a natural, unprocessed source; and that are traditional and have been in existence for a long time. I want to KNOW what I'm putting into my body. Products with artificial fragrance pass none of these tests, as you will read below in a Q&A from the Environmental Working Group blog:

Question
Is it true that the cosmetics industry can put any chemical into a product’s "fragrance" without showing it on the ingredients list? What do they put in there?

Answer
It's true. When you see "fragrance" on a personal care product's label, read it as "hidden chemicals." A major loophole in FDA's federal law lets manufacturers of products like shampoo, lotion, and body wash include nearly any ingredient in their products under the name "fragrance" without actually listing the chemical.

Companies that manufacture personal care products are required by law to list the ingredients they use, but fragrances and trade-secret formulas are exempt. An analysis of the chemical contents of products reveals that the innocuous-looking “fragrance” often contains chemicals linked to negative health effects. Phthalates, used to make fragrances last longer, are associated damage to the male reproductive system, and artificial musks accumulate in our bodies and can be found in breast milk. Some artificial musks are even linked to cancer. And if you've got asthma, watch out -- fragrance formulas are considered to be among the top 5 known allergens, and can trigger asthma attacks. The same kinds of chemicals are often used for fragrances in cleaning products, scented candles, and air fresheners.

To avoid those unpleasant side effects, choose fragrance-free products, but beware labels that say "unscented." It may only mean that the manufacturer has added yet another fragrance to mask the original odor. Check ingredient labels carefully, or search Skin Deep to find products that do not list "fragrance" as an ingredient.

The best solution is not to allow cosmetics companies to get through this loophole. They should be required to list all of their ingredients on the label where consumers can find out what they're buying. On top of that, cosmetics manufacturers regularly include ingredients with known or suspected links to cancer, reproductive toxicity and other negative health effects. The federal government must set safety standards for personal care products.

Related Posts:
Carla's Bodacious Body Butter
Ode to Jojoba Oil
EWG's 'Skin Deep' Site + Sunscreens

Comments

[hugo boss perfumes]

well perfume plays a important role in creating a personality of a man or women also, and choosing the right fragnance according to your personality becomes really hard some times .