The
Fragrance of Perfume
The
following article includes
pertinent information that may
cause you to reconsider what you
thought you understood. The most
important thing is to study with
an open mind and be willing to
revise your understanding if
necessary.
95% of
chemicals used in fragrances are
synthetic compounds derived from
petroleum. It has been estimated
that more than 3000 different
chemmcials are used in fragrance
production. Do these figures
shock you?
Yes,
manufacturers are very clever
– we see the packaging and
the adverts showing flowers and
nature, and we assume (as the
manufacturer intends us to
assume) that the fragrance in the
product is derived from nature,
but most fragrances are
chemically derived. They do not
use essential oils because they
are too expensive. They do use
synthetic chemicals because they
are cheap.
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We
are exposed to perfume
or fragrance throughout
the day.
We
may not wear perfume
ourselves, but our
shampoo, soap, shower
gel and cosmetics are
likely to contain
synthetic perfumes,
unless we look at the
label and shop
carefully.
We
encounter more smells in
our household products
– cleaners, washing
powders, polish, air
fresheners, etc.
If
we go out, we experience
these smells on other
people and in offices
and stores.
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Once you
begin to move beyond basic
background information, you begin
to realize that there's more to
perfume than you may have first
thought.
Perfume
mixes added to products are
listed in the ingredients as
‘parfum’ or
‘fragrance’ depending
on the part of the world you live
in.
Even some
products that appear to be
unperfumed will contain synthetic
perfumes in order to cover an
unpleasant odour from one of the
active ingredients, or to ensure
that the product always smells
the same. The exact composition
of these may vary over time even
for the same product, as the
manufacturer adjust the fragrance
mix in relation to variations in
the smell of the raw
ingredients.
Even some
essential oils are not entirely
natural, as harsh chemicals may
be used in their extraction
process. Chemical solvents such
as hexane and heptane are used to
extract the maximum amount of oil
from the plant, so it is
important to buy good quality
oils from a source you
trust.
Allergies
to fragrances are very common.
The main organs affected are the
skin and the respiratory system,
but neurological damage has also
been reported.
Some people
feel that we should have a right
to fragrance-free air as well as
tobacco-smoke-free air. There are
also concerns about the impact of
synthetic chemicals on the
environment, as they do not
necessarily break down
easily.
Of course,
there is a role for fragrance.
The power of aromatherapy oils to
heal and lift the spirits is well
documented, but the widespread
use of synthetic fragrances
should be seen as pollution of
both our bodies and our
environments.
Of course,
it's impossible to put everything
about perfume and fragrance into
just one article. But you can't
deny that you've just added to
your understanding about
cosmetics, and that's time well
spent.
About the Author
Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer
and researcher on health, stress,
allergies, happiness and
alternative medicine. More of her
writing can be viewed at
http://www.healthandgoodness.com
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