The chemicals in perfume and scented products cause discomfort for up to 30 percent of people, but they are likely harmful to everyone.
I am one of the 30 percent, and perfume, cologne and heavily scented products make me cough, make my sinuses “twist” and sometimes give me a headache even though I don’t suffer from headaches otherwise.
When I encounter people in public emitting these chemicals from their hair, skin and clothing, it’s extremely uncomfortable. One person is bad, and multiple people in the same place is unbearable.
I believe most people don’t enjoy making others uncomfortable, so I hope once they know the effect on others, consumers will eliminate or reduce use of these products.
Even if you don’t react negatively to perfume, do you really want to make others miserable when they are near you? Is “smelling good” really worth a possible increased risk of cancer and hormone disruption?
If you still want to wear perfume or cologne in public, please keep in mind:
-Jeffrey Riley, PerfumeIsPoison.com
“Air freshener” is a marketing term for chemicals. It is not pressed from flowers by elves in a beautiful valley, and fresh air doesn't come from a factory. If you have unpleasant smells in your home or office, consider identifying and removing the source instead of layering on toxic chemicals. Indoor air pollution is a serious health issue and spraying volatile organic compounds and phthalates only makes it worse.
Shampoo, conditioner, soap, laundry detergent, household cleaners...these chemicals are everywhere. In places like Portugal and Brazil, unscented products are not even available in stores. I hope this can change as more people become aware of the danger and social cost.
As noted in this article, dog noses are about 40 times more sensitive and cat noses nine to 16 times more sensitive than human sniffers. And, their systems are even more sensitive to the toxic chemicals in perfume and scented products than ours. This article also points out that even many natural essential oils are harmful to pets, so those must also be used carefully if you have pets.
Resources on the health effects of perfume and scented products.
(under construction)
Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP)
This report details testing done in their Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. One in four fragrance ingredients they detected were linked to adverse, chronic health effects.
Dicas de Mulher
This brief article is in Portuguese but Google translates it well (Olá, amigos brasileiros!).
Natural Resources Defense Council
Their funding ran out for further research and advocacy after publishing this article.
New York Times
From this article:
Fragrance formulas are considered trade secrets which means companies can hide any number of chemical ingredients under the umbrella terms “fragrance” or “parfum.” More here.
A product’s label can say “unscented” and still have one of these terms in the ingredient list because some fragrance compounds may be used as dyes, solvents or stabilizers for active ingredients or for masking other undesirable smells in a product. More here.
According to the International Fragrance Association, there are more than 3,600 chemicals used in fragrance mixtures around the world. These include chemicals that environmental exposure researchers and toxicologists agree should be avoided, such as benzophenone, BHA, naphthalene and phthalates. Other ingredients in fragrances can trigger skin allergies, eczema, nasal irritation and asthma.
Studies on some of the chemicals in fragrances, such as diethyl phthalate and musk ketones, have also suggested that they can interrupt normal hormone function, which has been linked to ovarian failure and sperm damage.
European Commission
This paper is perhaps a little too dense for us non-scientists.
Reader’s Digest
From the section on perfumes in this article:
Though they may make you smell good, Dr. Alam [Maskfika N. Alam, MD] says some perfumes or body sprays contain hazardous compounds that can harm the delicate mucosal surfaces of our respiratory tract. In other words, you might be coughing and sneezing up a storm. And even if you are mostly healthy, many people develop a headache in addition to a coughing fit. Here are 12 toxic ingredients your beauty products might contain.
This organization concludes, "Exposure to fragrance chemicals can cause headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; nausea; forgetfulness; loss of coordination; and other respiratory and/or neurotoxic symptoms. Many fragrance ingredients are respiratory irritants and sensitizers, which can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate sinus conditions."
EWG Verified
EWG tracks "chemicals of concern" and helps consumers find less harmful products. These articles provide more detail on perfume and scented products.
Expert Panel Confirms that Fragrance Ingredient Can Cause Cancer
Chemicals in Everyday Products Rival Cars as Source of Air Pollution
Phthalates appear to be prime suspects linking adverse health effects and adverse reactions to perfume and scented products. These resources provide more details on these hard-to-pronounce substances.
Occupational & Environmental Medicine
Key points from this paper:
Phthalates are a family of compounds that exhibit marked differences in toxicity in relation to their structure. In laboratory animal studies, some phthalates have been associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity. These studies show that the most sensitive life stages are: fetal, peri-pubertal, adult (mature).
Most of the U.S. population is exposed to phthalates. Data suggest that phthalate exposure is also prevalent in other countries (e.g. Germany and Denmark). Exposure is believed to be primarily through ingestion and inhalation, although dermal exposure may be important for some phthalates (e.g. diethyl phthalate). Special populations, such as neonates in intensive care units, may be highly exposed to di(2-ethylhexyl phthalate, DEHP) through the use of medical devices.
Phthalates have short biological half-lives, metabolise quickly, do not accumulate, and are primarily excreted in the urine. Therefore, the urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites provide an excellent biomarker of exposure.
The metabolism and excretion of phthalates varies based on their chemical structure. Oxidative metabolism is prevalent for high molecular weight phthalates (e.g. DEHP, di-isononyl phthalate). Therefore, biomonitoring strategies should be designed with this consideration in mind.
Exposure to high doses of some phthalates causes reproductive and developmental toxicities in both male and female animals. Although several human studies have explored possible associations between phthalate esters and altered semen quality, shortened gestation, reduced anogenital distance in baby boys, and premature breast development in young girls, data are limited and further study is recommended.
There is limited epidemiological evidence of an association between some phthalate esters, specifically DEHP (Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate), dibutyl phthalate, and butylbenzyl phthalate, and airway symptoms.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
History is instructive when considering the safety of “safe” products. Here’s a partial list of products previously sold as safe or even beneficial. Will chemical-laden scented products join this list in the future?
Cigarettes (endorsed by doctors)
Pesticides with DDT
I did this as a child
Lead in pipes, paint and gasoline
Mercury in dental fillings
We played with mercury with bare hands in Jr High science lab (oh, the 70s!)
Dioxin (Times Beach, MO sprayed it to control dust)
Nonstick pans with PFAS
Food containers with BPA
Once profitable products are established in the market, it’s extremely difficult to regulate them until the evidence of harm is overwhelming. Those with a profit motive tend to wield more influence than health advocates. Who do you trust more?
There is a saying in the cleaning products industry, “If it smells, it sells” and toxic chemicals are apparently cheaper than natural oils and extracts. Many people associate strong scent with “clean.” The irony is they may just be masking the dirty.
Just because they’re allowed to sell it doesn’t mean you should buy it.
Please note this is my first attempt at creating a website so excuse its rudimentary appearance. I plan to keep updating as I find more information and learn more about how to make websites. 😊
Jeffrey Riley
Contact me at PerfumeIsPoisondotcom@gmail.com