Is perfume bad for you? The dangers of fragrance
Many people love perfumes and wear them every day. However, most of us are not aware of the harmful chemicals they may contain. Just think about it: have you ever got a headache or started to sneeze because of someone’s perfume? If yes, your reaction could have been caused by the toxins and other harmful substances manufacturers use to create many of these products. But is perfume bad for you?
The short answer is: it depends on the type of your perfume.
Today, we will talk about the potential dangers of fragrance. So after reading this article, you will have a better understanding of why perfume may be bad for you and you will know more about the safe alternatives to toxic fragrances.
Why it may be a bad idea to wear perfume
When it comes to perfumes there are some shocking facts that nobody tells us. You must be wondering why… because if everyone would knew about the bad sides of wearing perfumes, probably fewer people would buy these products. And its such a HUGE industry!
Let’s see why it may be a bad idea to use perfume every day.
Perfumes contain hidden chemicals
Perfumes contain thousands of different chemicals. This is because manufacturers use many substances to make up the scent. In fact, a bottle of perfume can be made from up to 3000 chemicals (and some of them are petroleum-based)! Just to give you an idea about how enormous this number is, a puff of cigarette smoke contains about 250 chemicals.
Yes you read that right, perfumes often contain more chemical than cigarette smoke- gross!
Ultimate, we don’t know whether these chemicals are safe to use, especially because they are not even listed completely on the labels. While some of the chemicals listed are know to have negative side effects. Companies hide the full list of ingredients as they don’t want others to recreate their scents. So usually the ingredients list a so-called trade secret.
Related read: The Ultimate Guide to a Home Detox: Ridding Your Home of Hidden Toxins
Fragrances can cause hormonal imbalance
Unfortunately, in most fragrances, we can find some ingredients that can cause hormonal imbalance within the body. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics conducted a study called “Not so sexy” regarding the health risks of secret chemicals in fragrances. They examined 17 popular perfumes and they found out that each contained an average of 4 chemicals that can disrupt natural hormones.
Hormonal imbalance is a serious health concern. It can lead to various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Changes in your hormone system can cause acne and worsen the symptoms of PMS and menopause as well. Plus, hormone-disrupting chemicals can also damage the sperm and proper thyroid function.
To prevent these issues, the best is to make sure that your perfume doesn’t contain any hormone disruptors, such as oxybenzone, BPA, and phtalates (just to name a few).
Many fragrances are not tested for safety
According to the above-mentioned “Not so sexy” report, many secret chemicals found in popular fragrances have not been tested for safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). This can raise real safety concerns when using perfumes, shampoos, and other personal care products that contain fragrances.
Fortunately, it seems like there will be a change soon regarding the safety of these products. Last year the IFRA imposed some bans and restrictions on ingredients, and set purity criteria that manufacturers have to implement from this May for every new creation, and from May 2022 for existing perfumes. Since 80-90% of the perfume manufacturers are members of the IFRA, hopefully, the new rules will be applied for a large number of products.
Related read: Best All Natural Skincare
Some ingredients may be harmful to the environment
Synthetic musks are commonly found chemicals in fragrances. The problem with these musks is that they bioaccumulate in the environment. These compounds end up in the water, air, and soil, and they can also be detected in breast milk, blood, body fat, and umbilical cords. Unfortunately, this can lead to major health concerns such as disruption in cell functions and hormone systems.
Related read: Do I need to filter my water? Best countertop water filter system
Safe alternatives to perfumes
Now that you are aware of the potential dangers of fragrances, you can answer the main question by yourself: is perfume bad for you?
In my opinion, most likely, it is. But here comes the BUT:
What if you could use something else instead of the perfumes that are loaded with harmful petrochemicals and hazardous toxins? There are safe alternatives to perfumes that are not only environmentally friendly but they mean no harm to your health. Using these options will be similar to replacing artificial flavors with natural flavors in your foods. The taste (or in this case the scent) will be almost the same but the health risks will be significantly lower. (Although most people’s tolerance for certain smells and palate can change significantly once you’ve detoxed them!) So this small change can be rewarding to your health!
Imagine that for thousands of years people created their perfumes without synthetic chemical-based fragrances. They used solely natural ingredients to make pleasing scents. Then why can’t we do the same now?
Plus, don’t forget about the “fragrances” that are added to practically everything these days (detergent, shampoo, lotion, hand soap, even toilet paper and baby wipes!) that could use an upgrade as well.
Related read: 10 Simple Healthy Food Alternatives
Here are some ideas for smelling nice using natural ingredients:
DIY perfumes
The first safe alternative to perfumes that I would recommend is DIY perfumes. Don’t worry, it is not as complicated to make your own perfume at home as it sounds at first. If you do quick research on the internet, you will find plenty of great recipes to make perfumes using only natural ingredients, like different kinds of essential oils. In general, you can choose from oil-based or oil-free perfume alternatives.
My favorite is this 1 minute – 3 ingredients perfume recipe. It makes perfume-making super simple and fun because you will need only a spray bottle, a bottle of cooking vanilla, and a few bottles of plant-based essential oils.
If you are looking for something more challenging, you can try out this DIY perfume recipe or this all-natural solid perfume recipe. A good scent is guaranteed!
Besides having a natural, chemical-free perfume, by making your perfume at home you can save a lot of money. This is because popular synthetic perfumes can be quite expensive. Plus, it can be a new healthy habit for you!
You can also buy unscented detergents, soaps, and lotions (think castille soap, coconut oil, etc.) and use these recipes to add a scent you like that won’t hurt your body.
Clean, nontoxic perfumes
Luckily, the fragrance industry recognized the demand for natural and organic perfumes that are free from toxic chemicals like phthalates. So we can find more and more clean, nontoxic perfumes on the market. If you are wondering what are your options regarding these products, here is a list of popular natural fragrances that provide fragrance and full ingredient transparency as well.
It’s important to pay attention to the fragrances in all of our products. So do your research for safe lotions, deodorant, soaps, and even toothpaste!
Related read: Why Organic? The Pros and Cons of Shopping Organic
The bottom line
Are perfumes toxic? Not all of them.
However, next time you go to buy a new perfume, read the label thoroughly and check the ingredients. If it is possible, try to choose from natural and organic fragrances. Also, it may be a good idea to take your time and make your own perfume at home. This way, you can be reassured that smelling good won’t come with a cost to your health and you won’t do any harm to the environment.
What do you think: is perfume bad for you? We would love to hear your arguments. What’s your favorite scent?
