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Tuesday, 05 May 2009 05:37 |
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Fragrances are chemical compounds which are added to a product (perfume, face lotion, candle, etc) to give it a scent. Of course, most of these chemicals (there are about 3000 of them…) are synthetic and derived from petroleum.Â
Manufacturers of personal care products as well as household cleaners, candles, and air fresheners are NOT required by law to disclose what chemicals make up their "fragrance": it’s a trade secret! Which means that any chemical can end up under Fragrance and not show in the list of ingredients: phthalates, which can trigger asthma attacks, but also toluene, formaldehyde or styrene, to name but a few, can find their way into your perfume (or your air freshener or your sunscreen). And none of these fragrances have to be tested for safety before they are put on the market. Moreover, so-called unscented products originally do have a scent but another one has been added to cancel the first one out. So you end up with more chemicals with unscented products...
Watch EWG’s short " target="_blank">video to find out more about fragrances. One piece of advice: read the ingredients list carefully and do not purchase products that display “fragrance†.
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