The pleasing smell of a perfume can be enchanting. According to scientists, however, its various probable toxic effects can be quite devastating. In this article, you will learn about the fact that your favorite perfume could have an unfavorable impact on your health, and it’s all because of the harmful chemicals in it.
Got family and friends who love wearing perfume no matter the occasion? Share this article on your various social media sites so that they, too, may be able to read the important pieces of information below.
Hundreds of Chemicals Fall Under Fragrance
Needless to say, the number one ingredient in perfumes is fragrance. But what is this fragrance exactly? Well, according to experts there are more than 500 different chemicals used by perfume manufacturers that can be referred to simply as fragrance, and many of them can be rather harmful.
Regulatory authorities cannot require perfume makers to name all of the ingredients they use that qualify as fragrance due to the fact that they are trade secrets. If truth be told, these manufacturers are not really enforced to enumerate every single fragrance they using its chemical name — fragrance alone will do.
Fragrance is Actually Everywhere
Fragrance is not only found in perfumes, but so many other products as well. Anything that comes with a pleasing smell most likely has fragrance in it. Makeup, lotions, soaps, shampoos, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dishwashing liquids, air fresheners, insecticides, scented candles — these and so many other products contain fragrance.
Even if you are not fond of wearing perfumes, it can be virtually impossible for you to live a life that’s free of fragrance. For as long as people find pleasing smells agreeable, manufacturers of various cosmetic, personal care, household cleaning products and others will keep on using fragrance.
Their Scary Chemical Names Say It All
We all know that chemicals that are difficult to spell or read are almost always synthetic. As opposed to ingredients found in nature, most consumers are aware that manmade substances can cause all sorts of harmful effects.
Some of the chemicals used in perfume making that are often simply referred to as fragrance include ethyl acetate, ethanol, benzaldehyde, acetaldehyde, dimenthyl sulfate, limonene, linalool, styrene oxide, methylene chloride, a-pinene and a-terpinene. All of them sound quite dangerous, don’t they?
Don’t be fooled by their menacing names — all of them and so many others are the ones used for making perfumes and other nice-smelling products smell the way they are.
Scientifically-Proven to Cause All Sorts of Problems
According to scientists, the chemicals stated above are known to bring about many different side effects, ranging anywhere from mild to serious. Some of them are proven to cause problems such as eye and skin irritation, burning sensation, sore throat, coughing, sinus pain, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, muscle aches, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes and even spikes in the blood pressure.
Some of these chemicals can also cause problems concerning the mood such as depression and anxiety. That’s because they are known to trigger a disruption in the balance of hormones.
Carefully Reading Labels is a Good Idea
If you want to minimize your exposure to these chemicals, carefully read the label of a product before you place it in your shopping cart. If something contains an ingredient that sounds or looks unsafe, consider looking for a different item. Especially if there is no list of ingredients on the packaging or container, take it back to the shelf.
Unfortunately, experts say that even products that claim to be made from all-natural ingredients may contain manmade chemicals. Some examples of them are fragrance oils that are often mistaken for essential oils.
